Salomon’s XA Pro has always been popular with hikers. With better support and durability than most trail running shoes, it’s an excellent, lightweight hiking shoe. Why has the XA Pro been one of Salomon’s long-time best sellers? What are its best selling points–and possible limitations–for hikers? And how does it compare with Salomon’s uber-popular X Ultra 4? My Salomon XA Pro review gives you the skinny on this sturdy trail running shoe.
Salomon XA Pro
There’s no shortage of trendy trail shoes and upstart brands that make trail runners that are popular with hikers. But Salomon’s XA Pro still remains one of the go-to trail shoes for experienced hikers and outdoor industry pros. It’s been one of Salomon’s best sellers for two decades now. And I’ve owned several pairs.
The XA Pro is technically a trail running shoe. But most people consider it a better hiking shoe than running shoe. It’s stiffer and a little heavier than most trail running shoes, beating most trail runners in stability, support, and durability. And it’s still lighter than the average hiking shoe. That’s why the Salomon XA Pro still ranks as one of best trail shoes for men and women hikers.
Do you want to know more? This Salomon XA Pro review hits on this trail shoe’s support, weight, comfort, waterproofing, traction, fit, and durability.
Salomon XA Pro Review
support
The XA Pro offers hikers more support than most trail running shoes. It’s stiffer and more supportive through the midfoot than other trail runners. That means the Salomon XA Pro can prevent your feet from bruising on sharp rocks and from over-flexing on uneven terrain. They’ve also got good torsional rigidity–that is, some resistance from side to side twisting. That means they offer hikers some lateral stability that may prevent some rolled ankles (even though it’s low-cut and light-weight). The XA Pro also offers some toe protection with a lightweight toe bumper (which you won’t get on most trail runners).
This is probably the best overall trail running shoe for foot and ankle protection. That’s why I’ve worn the XA Pro off and on for eight years. Salomon’s added stiffness and stability underfoot has meant added protection for my jacked up feet and ankles. It’s a great choice for hikers who want to try a trail runner without losing all of the support, protection, and durability of hiking boots and hiking shoes.
weight
As a brand, Salomon is known for excellent support and comparably low weights. In this case, the XA Pro is light for a hiking shoe–but not for a trail running shoe. Depending on your gender and shoe size, a pair of Salomon XA Pros should weigh a few ounces less than two pounds. That’s slightly less than the average weight of the best hiking shoes (and a few ounces more than the other trail runners that I recommend for hikers).
If you’re a fast hiker–or hike big miles–you could get some energy savings by choosing Salomon XA Pros over hiking boots and most hiking shoes. If you’re hyper-focused on weight, however, you’d get more energy savings from lighter trail runners, such as the Altra Lone Peak and Hoka Speedgoat. Weight-wise, the XA Pro makes the most sense for hikers looking to balance weight savings with support and comfort.
comfort
Comfort is subjective. For one thing, we all have our personal preferences. It’s also a matter of fit and matching your hiking footwear to where you hike and how you hike.
XA Pros have a firmer feel than most trail shoes. They have moderate cushioning and moderately stiff outsoles that flex at the balls of your feet. For most hikers, that’s the ideal mix of support and flexibility for comfort on a range of hikes. Like other Salomons, they have a performance fit (see fit notes below) that keep your hiking feet secured, even on technical terrain. Many experienced hikers love this feel and Salomon’s performance fit.
But Salomons aren’t for everybody. For example, many beginners may prefer the “out of the box comfort” of less supportive trail shoes. If you’re a fan of extra cushioning, you’d probably prefer Oboz, Keen, or Hoka One One over Salomons for comfort. And some hikers prefer traditional laces to the XA Pro’s Quicklace system. (Personally, I love the XA Pro’s laces–see the video below. It’s easy to get these shoes off and on and to adjust how tight they fit.)
Overall, the XA Pro balances comfort and support with weight savings. That’s Salomon’s MO: to give you just enough support and cushion–nothing more–to keep weight down.
waterproofing
Salomon offers the XA Pro in both a Gore-Tex (GTX) and non-waterproof version ($20 less).
Gore Tex still sets the standard for waterproof-breathable membranes. So, if you’re looking for a waterproof trail shoe, the XA Pro should provide more reliable and breathable waterproofing than non-Gore Tex trail shoes.
Just keep in mind that low-cut trail runners only give you 2-3 inches of waterproofing tops. That means your feet can get swamped with moisture if you step in anything deeper than a shallow puddle. Also, Gore Tex may be breathable, but it also may run slightly warmer on your feet than non-waterproof trail shoes, especially in hot and humid climates.
traction
The XA Pro offers moderate trail traction. Its got some moderately aggressive lugs underfoot that should provide decent traction on most surfaces. This includes some braking lugs in the heel and climbing lugs in the forefoot for decent traction on steeper terrain. Those rubber lugs are relatively soft, too, offering some grip on rocks.
Overall, you can expect good traction on easy to moderate hikes. But I’ve taken a couple tumbles in XA Pros over the years, especially once the tread starts wearing down a bit. (Pro Tip: sidewalks and pavement will sand these soles down in a hurry.) You might want to target more specialized tread for more technical trails, slick rock, or super steep hikes. But this shoe has plenty of traction for the average hiker and weekend warrior.
fit
Salomons have a smart, performance fit. First, they’re narrow and sculpted in the heel to prevent your feet from sliding forward on steep descents. (If you’ve had trouble with heel slippage in other brands, you may give Salomons a go.) Second, their Sensifit uppers work with Quicklaces to wrap the shoe around your feet. Again, this design seems to lock down your feet effectively and comfortably. Salomons run standard to slightly narrow in the midfoot with a tapered toe box. (This is where some hikers may need a “wide” for a comfortable fit, especially in the toes.) Length-wise, Salomons run pretty standard. If you size up 1/2 in other brands, you should size up 1/2 size in the XA Pro for hiking.
Like most European brands. Salomons run a little narrow. However, the XA Pro isn’t as narrow in the toe box as some Salomons.
As of 2020, it’s now available in wide, too. Salomon’s wide isn’t especially wide. But it should accommodate most hikers with wide feet–and might also be an option for hikers with standard-sized feet who want a little more room in the toe. For example, I stopped wearing XA Pros for a few years because they were too narrow in the toe box for me. Now that they’re available in wide, however, they fit my wide feet pretty well.
durability
Durability is another selling point of the Salomon XA Pro.
One of the big knocks against trail running shoes is durability. Many leading trail runners have a life expectancy of 200-300 miles–considerably less than the best hiking shoes and hiking boots. In my experience, however, XA Pros may last twice that long. (Caveat: The lifespan of any shoe also depends on how much weight you carry and the difficulty of the terrain you hike.) If you keep them off pavement, they may last as long as good hiking shoes or average hiking boots.
My XA Pros have outlasted the other trail runners that I’ve worn for hiking–by a long margin. For example, I retired my Altra Lone Peaks after four months of occasional use. My Salomon XA Pros held up for three years of trail to town miles.
That’s one of the benefits of Salomon’s overall build quality. Their durability can save you money over time and limit how many trail shoes you’re sending to landfills.
price
The XA Pro retails for $130 (non-waterproof) and $150 for the GTX (Gore Tex) waterproof version. That’s not cheap, but the XA Pro offers good value with its solid support, weight savings, waterproofing, traction, and durability–according to this Salomon XA Pro review.
Here are current prices on the Salomon XA Pro for men and women:
men’s prices
Backcountry.com women’s prices
best Salomon trail shoe: XA Pro or X Ultra?
For years, hikers have struggled to choose between Salomon’s XA Pro (trail running shoe) and X Ultra (hiking shoe). For one, they’re both great trail shoes and perennial best sellers–which makes for a tough choice. On top of that, though, many hikers struggled to tell the two shoes apart?! Before I started working in the outdoor industry, I mixed them up–and mistakenly ordered one when I thought I was getting the other?!
In 2021, Salomon solved the second “problem” with the updated look of the X Ultra 4 Low:
The current version of the XA Pro has kept the traditional look of Salomon’s trail shoes. Meanwhile, the X Ultra 4 has a more tactical or bulked up look, a prominent support band for more outer ankle support, and a slightly higher cut for a low-cut shoe. That makes it easier to distinguish Salomon’s best selling trail runner for hikers (XA Pro) with its best selling hiking shoe (X Ultra). (Here’s my review of the new X Ultra 4 Low GTX).
Overall, though, these shoes are still more similar than different. If you’re trying to choose between these two trail shoes, here are some quick points of comparison:
- Salomon classifies the XA Pro as a trail running shoe (not a hiking shoe)
- the X Ultra 4 is Salomon’s best selling hiking shoe
- the XA Pro would be the better choice for running + hiking
- the XA Pro’s toe box doesn’t seem as tapered as the X Ultra 4
- the X Ultra 4 has more aggressive traction for steep & technical terrain
- the X Ultra 4 has more support with a similar weight to the XA Pro
- both trail shoes are now available in standard and wide sizes
- the XA Pro is less expensive
They’re both great trail shoes with similar fits. But these comparisons might help you figure out which of these best-selling Salomons would work best for your hikes.
overall review: Salomon XA Pro
The Salomon XA Pro is a solid buy for hikers who want a lightweight shoe that doesn’t sacrifice support and durability (like most trail running shoes). It’s got plenty of plusses–and no real minuses–for hikers. If the XA Pro fits you, it’s a time-tested choice for hikers after a trail shoe that blends the advantages of both trail runners and hiking shoes. I’ve owned three pairs–and will probably own more.
Are you interested in buying a pair after reading this Salomon XA Pro review? If you are, please consider buying them through the affiliate links above. Hiking Feet may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). These commissions fund this site (and compensate me for the hundreds of unpaid hours I spent creating free content to help you buy the right hiking boots or shoes). If not, feel free to browse my brand reviews and curated lists of the best hiking shoes, best trail runners for hiking, or best options for women. There’s a great chance you’ll find your favorite pair somewhere on Hiking Feet.
Happy Hiking!
