Salomon Tech Amphib 4 review

Who should buy the Salomon Tech Amphib 4

This amphibious shoe from Salomon is worth considering if you are after the following:

• a shoe that's effective for river trails, beaches, water sports, and other activities associated with getting wet a lot
• a highly breathable and quickly drying hiking shoe
•  shoe with collapsible heel that easily transforms into a slipper

Who should NOT buy the shoe

The shoe received too many complaints for its flimsy mesh upper that is very much prone to tearing. Some of the water shoes that received better feedback on durability are Xero Shoes Aqua X Sport or Merrell Waterpro Maipo 2.

Breathability at its highest

The reviewers highly recommend this Salomon shoe for trips to a tropical climate. It is said to breathe extremely well in hot environments. In addition to being well-ventilated it is quick-drying too.

Some people mentioned that the ventilation pores have a perfect size to let the heat out of the shoe but prevent small debris from getting in.

Amazingly lightweight

It's easy to forget that you are wearing a shoe with the Tech Amphib 4. At 286 g per shoe, it is almost 100 g lighter than hiking shoes on average.

Grippy outsole of the Tech Amphib 4

Sipped outsole enables the Salomon Tech Amphib 4 to catch a better grip on wet surfaces. It is said to function the same way as a dog or a cat’s paw does.

Based on the wearers' experience, the shoe is sticky on wet, slippery surfaces, including river stones and sailboat decks.

A good mix of ground feel and protection

This Salomon shoe is not heavily cushioned but it doeosn have enough of a sole to protect the foot when walking over sharp objects. On the other hand, it still gives you enough of a ground feel for movement control.

Handy lace pocket

The tongue on the Tech Amphib 4 is equipped with a sleeve where you can tuck the remainder of the Quicklace in for a safer trail ride. According to the wearers, the laces stay securely locked inside this pocket: "have never had any of it fall out even in high current."

Collapsible heel turns it into a slipper

The heel piece of the upper is designed in a way that makes it easy to fold in, turning the shoe into a sandal-like slip-on. The reviewers find it very handy, making the shoe super quick and easy to put on and take off.

Salomon could do better on durability

The quality of mesh fabric has become a real disappointment for many people:

• "mesh material blew out in a very short time"
• "after only a months use, they began to get torn on the sides"
• "the material is very flimsy"
• "feel like they are going to tear or break at any moment"

Those who owned the previous versions of Tech Amphib agree that they were much better made and lasted them longer.

Another problematic area was in the back of the shoe where the upper peeled apart from the sole. This was more common for people who used the fold-down feature.