Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX review

In our opinion, you won't be disappointed in the Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX if you expect the following:

• a high level of stability and surefootedness on challenging trails
• a durable and protective shoe with moderate weight
• a highly secure one-to-one fit

A complete opposite of plush and cosy, this Salomon shoe can feel too firm and unforgiving to some hikers, especially if they stick to moderate, less rocky, and more hard-packed trails. In that case, the HOKA Anacapa 2 Low GTX or the Danner Trail 2650 GTX can feel more at home.

The Merrell Moab 3 GTX is another highly regarded and versatile option, especially if you need a roomier fit or even a wide width.

Consistent with its predecessors, the Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX remains one of the least cushioned hiking shoes on the market.

This is clearly reflected in its low shock absorption measurement of 83 SA in the heel. It can feel rather bare-bones if you're coming from thick-foamed hikers like HOKA or max-cushioned trail running shoes. But on the positive side, the X Ultra 5 GTX offers an exceptionally stable and trail-connected underfoot experience in return!

The EnergyCell foam adds a touch of responsiveness to this Salomon shoe, preventing its ride from feeling dead. It showed a mid-range energy return of 51.5%, which is good enough for a stability-oriented shoe.

With a heel stack measurement of 32.4 mm, our calliper showed no major deviations from the X Ultra 5 GTX's specs. It is also a perfectly average platform thickness for hiking shoes.

The forefoot stack also showed a middle-range reading of 20.4 mm, keeping the ball of the foot fairly close to the ground.

There were no surprises with the shoe's heel-to-toe drop either. At 12.0 mm, it is consistent with both the category average and the previous X Ultra models.

In this offset, the heel is moderately elevated above the toes to make landings more comfortable by taking the strain off the Achilles and calves.

Salomon describes the shoe's midsole as 'soft and protective,' but we are not quite sure about the 'soft' part.

The X Ultra 5 GTX feels firm from the first step and stays that way even after a break-in period. In addition to its stout platform, the shoe's midsole foam also showed an undoubtedly firm measurement on our durometer. At 53.0 AC, it is one of the firmest hiking shoes in our lab.

Trying the X Ultra 5 GTX on in a standard medium width, we immediately noticed its particularly snug fit.

To show exactly how it measures against the average, we filled its interiors with special liquid to create a one-to-one gel cast and measured its dimensions with a digital calliper.

The widest part showed a rather low reading of 91.1 mm, which confirms the shoe's narrow fit.

Hikers with narrow-to-medium feet may prefer that snug lockdown on technical terrain, while people in need of more space can opt for the shoe's wide version.

As expected, the toebox shape of this Salomon shoe is equally narrow. Our calliper measured its cast's width at a very modest 70.2 mm in the big toe area.

This is not the type of shoe where you can enjoy the freedom of toe splaying.

Fortunately, the shoe's toebox height is not a concern, as it showed an above-average calliper reading of 29.5 mm.

We didn't experience any pressure from the shoe's burly toe bumper thanks to sufficient space above our toes.

Salomon positions the X Ultra 5 GTX as an all-terrain beast, mentioning wet, rocky, technical, mixed terrain, and even mud in its track record.

Measuring the shoe's lug depth at 4.0 mm and studying its tread pattern, we can partially agree with that statement.

The shoe's All-Terrain Contagrip outsole has an impressive bite on scree, roots, moss, and light dirt. It also has a pronounced heel brake for controlled descents on steep hills.

However, we found that it lacks some lug spacing to prevent caking in bogs and deep mud.

Despite its overall rigid structure, this Salomon shoe has even more forefoot flexibility than the average hiking shoe!

Requiring a moderate force of 15.3N to bend by 30 degrees, it flexes easily with the foot, accommodating precise footing on challenging terrain. This, in turn, helps improve balance and makes grip more effective on rocky and rooty areas.

We also found that Salomon managed to keep the X Ultra 5 GTX's weight fairly moderate for its sturdy build. Tipping the scales at 13.3 oz (377g), it weighs on par with the average hiking shoe and with its predecessor, the X Ultra 4 GTX.

Gore-Tex shoes hardly ever show good breathability results, and this Salomon shoe is no exception. Apparently, its focus on durability and performance compromised the X Ultra 5 GTX's ability to pull sweat away from the skin and keep the interiors fresh and dry.

At only 49 BR, it showed one of the lowest breathability scores among hiking shoes. But you can opt for the shoe's non-GTX version for a bit better sweat management.

In the same 3-hour test, we also measured how much moisture this Salomon shoe's materials evaporated during that period.

At only 35%, we found that it dries more slowly than the average hiking shoe in our lab. This means that once it gets damp from sweat or water, it will take a while to get completely dry.

The X Ultra 5 GTX clearly lacks breathability for summer hikes, but it's not particularly warm for the chilly season either. In our lab test, we measured its insulation at just 0.259 m² K/W, which is a standard reading for hiking shoes.

It doesn't lose heat too quickly but can lack warmth for low temperatures, especially if its interiors get wet.

The Gore-Tex membrane of this Salomon shoe remains tried and true in preventing water from seeping inside.

But the low-cut collar of the X Ultra 5 GTX offers limited protection, so if your routes include deeper puddles or stream crossings, you may prefer the X Ultra 5 Mid GTX boot.

The Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX is built exactly like its boot counterpart, featuring an exceptionally sturdy and structured platform.

The shoe also inherits the Advanced Chassis (ADV/C) of its predecessors, which is a tough TPU component that prevents undesirable twisting in the midfoot. And just like in the previous version, it is coupled with the Active Support side wing that locks the foot in without putting excessive pressure on it.

Add to that the shoe's firm and grounded base, and you get a powerful mix for tacking uneven and obstacle-laden terrain.

The construction described above gives the X Ultra 5 GTX solid torsional rigidity, offering excellent side-to-side support even if you're carrying a backpack.

Our machine recorded that it takes 19.0 Nm to twist this Salomon shoe by 10 degrees in both directions. Not as much as in a hiking boot, but perfect for a low-cut trail shoe for technical terrain.

Its redesigned heel is one of the most notable changes in the X Ultra 5 GTX. But make no mistake, it is still just as unyielding as before. We didn't hesitate for a second, assessing its stiffness with the highest score of 5 out of 5.

The change lies in the shoe's collar, which dropped its Achilles lip for a lower, more form-fitting design.

Platform width is not the primary source of stability in this Salomon shoe, but it's not a problem either!

Measuring a moderate 107.6 mm of width between the most extended points of its forefoot makes the shoe much more streamlined and manoeuvrable for rocky stretches and even some occasional scrambling.

The same is true for the shoe's heel. At only 83.8 mm, it is notably narrower than average but doesn't feel tippy thanks to the X Ultra 5 GTX's overall structural integrity.

In addition to a hard-wearing Matryx textile with Kevlar fibres, Salomon also features synthetic leather overlays and TPU reinforcements on the X Ultra 5 GTX's toebox.

Its toe bumper in particular is just as bombproof as that of the other X Ultra shoes and boots.

Applying our calliper to the top of its toebox for 12 seconds resulted in just a shallow scratch, earning a solid durability score of 4 out of 5.

As for the mesh fabric inside the shoe's collar, we found its durability less impressive. And as our Dremel left rather visible damage on it, we lowered the heel padding durability score to 3 out of 5.

But luckily, the brand's contaGRIP outsole rubber proved sturdy as ever, with a minimal damage of 0.8 mm.

And as our digital calliper showed, there is a pretty thick rubber layer of 3.2 mm on top of the shoe's 4.0 mm lugs.

A well-padded insole cushions the foot against the X Ultra 5 GTX's tough, unforgiving platform. We measured its thickness at a solid 5.8 mm in the heel area.

Aside from underfoot padding, the shoe's OrthoLite sockliner also has a moulded shape that contours the foot for added comfort. It also has perforations in the forefoot area, but as our breathability test showed, they don't seem to make much difference.

The insole is also easy to remove, but finding a replacement can be tricky due to the X Ultra 5 GTX's slim fit.

Featuring a firm foam to begin with, this Salomon shoe's midsole hardly gets any firmer in low temperatures. Our durometer recorded just a moderate 18% change in its firmness after a 20-minute freezer session.

None of the shoe's elements reflected light in our dark room test.

There is no lack of interior padding in the X Ultra 5 GTX, as we measured its tongue thickness at 8.4 mm. And there is about as much foam in its collar area as well.

Although this Salomon shoe's tongue is not fully integrated with the rest of the upper (not gusseted), a textile sleeve over it makes the upper construction more enclosed.

It also adds protection from water, sand, pebbles, and other small debris.

The aforementioned sleeve makes shoe entry a bit trickier in the X Ultra 5 GTX. But a fabric finger loop at the back makes it a bit easier to slide into.

With a tiny $5 price hike, the Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX continues to deliver consistent quality and value for money that we've come to expect from the series. It is more expensive than the average hiking shoe, but its reliable on-trail performance and durability are fully justified.

Salomon uses a proprietary Quicklace closure on the X Ultra 5 GTX. It's a one-pull tightening system that lets you cinch down and release the fit in a second without fiddling with the laces. It also has a handy Lace Pocket on the tongue where excess strings can be stored.

But on the downside, this toggle system is not as easy to fine-tune as the regular laces. When you pull it down, it tightens the fit throughout the entire instep.