The ankle cuffs were really there just to protect the ankles from knocks and scrapes and also had the important effect of preventing the feet from slipping forward on downhills (they did this well). There was far less support of my ankles than I get from full grain leather the rubber rands on the front did give the some protection from bumping toes against rocks. Out on the trail, my impressions were that the boots were far more flimsy than what I was used to, but I really loved the feeling of lightness. I had to size up a bit (above what the foot length measurement would indicate) to get the width in the mid and forefoot area, but this is normal for me! There was plenty of toeroom and in general I found them exciting-they made me feel like a race horse ready to hit the track! The (very knowledgable and experienced) shoe shop person agreed with my observations and said that this is the style of the shoe and I'd get used to it. This was although the heel cup was nicely cupping my heels securely. There was a strange feeling as though the inside of my feet, inside the ankle and around the arch area, was sort of suspended above air, cantilevered almost, as though there were no sole underneath this area. I felt as though I were perched somehow *above* the sole of the shoe in the inside of the arch area, rather than being securely nestled down into it. They did seem to fit, they did not crush the ball of my foot as most boots and shoes do, they did not slip at the heel, they were snug around the ankle collar but did not put pressure on my Achilles tendon (another common trouble spot for me!).Īnd yet, they felt decidedly odd. They were fantastically light, and I loved looking at the ladies' version (the mens were plain black, not very exciting.). Out of box comfort was immediate, of course-there is really nothing to soften or 'break in'- if these shoes are not comfortable straightaway they are not going to be comfortable, I would say! I trialled them outside, on trails, once I found a pair that seemed comfortable after a bit of indoor wearing. These did seem like the best option available (at the time I think I tried on every pair of contenders in the retailers in my home city!), so I bought and tried both the mens and womens version, and swapped sizes. So I when I wore a hole in the sole of my Zamberlan boots, I tried these Salomon above ankle trail shoes ('boots'). Up until now I have only had success with full-grain leather boots for this purpose, but still I look enviously and dream of something lighter that might work.

I have hyperflexible, unstable ankles-that are prone to rolling on uneven ground and I find the support of a sturdy ankle cuff necessary to help prevent falls while backpacking.

Off trail I do best in wide minimalist shoes and going barefoot, and for dayhiking I like trail shoes and trail runners, but for carrying a backpack on rocky trails for many miles per day I like pretty sturdy boots with stiffish soles to bridge gaps in rocks, and firm ankle cuffs. I generally wind up in men's shoes touted as 'neutral' and sized up to get width. My feet are straight, not curved-around, with naturally low but functioning arches, so I get pressure on the outside of my forefoot from shoes made on curved lasts (common for females) and shoes with 'arch support' or 'pronation control' are painful for me. I have normal ladies' heels but a wide, D/E forefoot.

Salomon 4d