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Salomon X Ultra Winter Climashield Waterproof 2 Boots Review

Salomon-X-Ultra-Winter-Boots-Review

The Salomon X Ultra Winter CS 2 Boot (available for men and women) is a lightweight insulated winter hiking boot that’s great for winter day hiking and snowshoeing. Insulated with 200 grams of Thinsulate, the X Ultra Winter Boot is rated for temperatures down to 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit with a waterproof membrane to keep external water and moisture from leaking into the boots.

Salomon X Ultra Winter Climashield Waterproof Boots

Foot Protecton
Traction
Sensitivity
Warmth
Water Resistence
Sizing
Weight
Durability

Excellent

The Salomon X Ultra Winter CS Boots get high marks because they combine excellent technical features without skimping on comfort. Contragrip winter soles and aggressive lugs provide superb traction, while the soft nubuck uppers require virtually no break-in time.

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The Salomon X Ultra Winter CS 2 Boots get high marks because they combine excellent technical features without skimping on comfort. They’re lightweight (22 oz each, size 10.5M) and require virtually no break-in time to wear. The top of the boot is also lined with the fluffy fleece, found on other Salomon winter boots, that helps hold in the heat but prevents the painful rubbing that occurs around the top rim.

The tongue is gusseted so it forms a continuous inner boot that wraps around your foot and prevents water from leaking in and heat loss. The lacing system is very standard with metal eyelets for durability, although there are speed hooks that lock the laces in place and won’t slip when you tie that final knot. They’re pretty cool actually.

The Salomon X Ultra CS Winter Boots have soles like a trail runner but with the toe, heel, and side protection of an insulated winter boot.
The Salomon X Ultra CS 2 Boots have soles like a trail runner but with the toe, heel, and side protection of an insulated winter boot.

There’s a front toe kick and wraparound side protection to protect your feet while hiking on mixed rock and ice or snowshoeing. The reinforced heel cup is also well protected, with a protruding ledge (like a crampon welt) to prevent rear microspike or snowshoe binding slippage when you’re wearing winter traction aids. A gaiter ring in also included above the toes.

The boots have aggressive Contragrip soles designed for traction in wet and cold conditions, with a softer flexible set of inner lugs and harder, higher density outer lugs for edging and enhanced durability. A molded midsole shank provides torsional rigidity, while a slight rocker helps keep your gait natural on long approach hikes. The heel is slightly flared like Salomon’s popular XA Pro 3D trail runners, providing extra stability.

The X Ultra Winter boots have a Climashield waterproof membrane with an inner bootie construction to prevent water and moisture from leaking into the boot. The inner bootie is seamless providing better durability and performance.

The Salomon X Ultra Winter Boots have a Contragrip sole that provides excellent traction on mud and snow.
The Salomon X Ultra Winter Boots have a Contragrip sole that provides excellent traction on mud and snow.

The Ortholite insoles that come with the X Ultras are simple foam and best replaced with Superfeet insoles if you prefer a more assertive arch or heel cup. I move the Superfeet Carbon insoles I use in my trail runners into these boots without any interior volume issues and that’s what I’d recommend doing if you prefer more support.

The fit is true to size when worn with a regular wool hiking sock. In fact, they fit very much like Salomon’s trail runners, which shouldn’t really be that surprising.

If you’re looking for a good general-purpose pair of winter hiking and snowshoeing boots, I highly recommend giving these Salomon X Ultra Winter CS WP 2 boots a try. I’ve been very pleased with all of the Salomon winter hiking boots I’ve used in the past and these are top-notch as well.

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Disclosure: The author purchased these boots with his own funds.

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