Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex shoe review: A good choice for general hillwalking?

The Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex is a good all-rounder of a walking shoe, with a trainer-like design, but one that’s supercharged with extra robustness and firmness. This approach may polarise opinion.

The negatives? It’s rather on the heavy side (400g) with a chunky build, yet a snug internal fit on the narrow side of the spectrum. It’s not mega cushioned underfoot, it might feel too rigid for some and it isn’t the fastest or most agile. I'm a little dubious about how durable the Gore-Tex membrane will prove over a long-term battering, too.

The positives? Comfort levels are very high straight from the box, the All Terrain Contagrip outsole is grippy with good bite over mixed terrain, the midsole delivers lots of lateral stability and overall you get a reassuring sense of protection, stability and support.

The price is reasonable and fair at £140, and Salomon has made some good eco improvements: the upper is made from 49% recycled materials, while the midsole is constructed from 8% recycled electric cables.

This isn’t a shoe for long-distance treks or technical scrambling, but for general hillwalking and mountain hiking, it strikes a nice balance and works well.

Upper and waterproofing

Comfort has always been a strong point of Salomon shoes and the X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex is no exception. I found these shoes comfortable straight out of the box and they didn’t give me any problems, such as pinch-points, tightness or rubbing during my albeit limited test hikes.

I found the ankle cuff, tongue and upper wrapped my foot nicely, feeling soft, cushioned and comfortable, and the all-round fit was snug and supportive – for me it worked well.

In-use the shoe felt quite reminiscent of a Salomon trail running shoe, with a trainer-like design, but with some added bulk and robustness. For example, you get a hard toe bumper, a solid heel cup, TPU reinforcements across high-wear areas and a rather chunky overall build.

On the advice of Salomon’s PR people, I sized up by half a size from my usual UK 8 to a UK 8.5 and this proved a wise choice for me. According to them, the shoe can “come up a little bit snug”, although the Salomon website says that 73% of users find it true to size.

Personally I’d say the fit is slightly on the narrow side, particularly in the toebox. This is a double-edged sword. Some will find this approach feels snug and precise, enabling more accurate foot placement and a greater feel for the terrain; others might find it too restrictive with a risk of squeezing the toes together.

Certainly if you have particularly wide feet you’ll be better served by the Salomon X Ultra 5 Wide Gore-Tex (£150/$170), which has a broader shape.

The upper of the Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge is made from a synthetic material (although a leather version is also available), with a welded, stitch-free construction for a “smooth, glove-like fit and feel”, according to Salomon.

The upper also features Salomon’s SensiFit construction, which “cradles the foot from the midsole to the lacing system, providing a secure, snug and virtually customised fit all around the foot”.

Internally you get a soft textile lining and an Ortholite sockliner insole, which feels nicely cushioned. All of these features work together to give the X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex those excellent comfort levels I mentioned in the first paragraph of this section.

In terms of the lacing, you get Salomon’s distinctive QuickLace system, rather than traditional laces. These tend to polarise opinion, with modern-leaning outdoor enthusiasts loving them while old school ramblers will probably hate them.

Personally I’m a fan. You get one strong, minimalist lace for one-pull tightening, and the zipper garage – a little flap of material for housing the lace slack once tightened – is a clever design touch.

The weight of each shoe is 400g (men’s UK 8.5). This is on the heavy side, and reduces the sense of lightness and agility. But it’s far from excessively heavy, and the X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex still feels quite mobile.

Finally, in terms of waterproofing, you get a Gore-Tex membrane to keep your feet dry. This has worked fine in lightly wet conditions during test hikes, but more time is needed to judge its long-term performance.

I’ve tested many Salomon pairs of waterproof running shoes and hiking shoes over the years, and in my view comfort levels are always a 9/10 or higher, but the waterproofing performance is nowhere near that standard, more like a 6/10.

Despite what Gore-Tex or Salomon will say, extended use of lightweight walking shoes in rugged conditions will always run the risk of the membrane failing.

Many hikers prefer the reassurance of a waterproof pair of hiking shoes, but personally I’m not sold on the concept. I tend to feel that, in the wet UK climate, the risk of sinking a low-cut shoe into a bog or deep puddle is quite high, meaning water will flood over the top of the shoe.

Once this happens, you’ll never get a Gore-Tex shoe dry again – it’ll be wet for the rest of the day, and the following days if you’re taking on a long-distance trek. Personally, therefore, I favour a non-GTX shoe because it will dry out quicker, be far more breathable and less vulnerable to a bog-dunking. Others may disagree, but that’s my personal philosophy.

One other thing to note: Salomon has made some good efforts to improve the eco credentials of the X Ultra 360 Edge’s upper, which is made from recycled synthetic materials. The total recycled content of the upper is 49%.

Midsole

In my view, the Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex prioritises stability, support and protection over speed, agility and bouncy cushioning. The midsole has a touch of give and flex at the toe, but the back two-thirds of the shoe deliver a lot of rigidity.

There’s no bend in the shoe there whatsoever, which means you get a stiff, stable platform. Salomon says this approach gives high levels of foot protection, with “strong lateral support and reassuring protection”.

In terms of cushioning, there’s nowhere near as much plush cushioning as you get with some modern trail shoes, such as footwear from brands like Hoka. The Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge certainly isn’t mega-cushioned or super-bouncy, but – at the same time – it’s not sluggish or slow either, and I still felt relatively agile and nimble in this shoe.

The midsole of the Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex is made from EVA foam called EnergyCell, alongside Salomon’s AdvancedChassis system. This is a “moulded insert embedded in the outsole, providing strong lateral support and reassuring protection, as well as delivering optimal mobility and flexibility”.

In another bid for improved sustainability, the EVA midsole has an 8% recycled content, made from recycled electrical cables.

Outsole

The Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex features an All Terrain ContaGrip rubber outsole, engineered for reliable grip across varied surfaces. Its deep, chevron-shaped lugs enhance traction, while specialised mini tread patterns at the toe and heel provide control for precise foot placement and effective braking.

In my opinion, this well-crafted outsole offers pretty impressive grip and stability – whether it’s quite as reliable as something like Vibram MegaGrip I’m not entirely sure, but I did find the bite and traction pretty solid overall. Salomon says its outsole is “built for the widest variety of surfaces… and delivers durability and confidence on wet, dry, hard or loose surfaces”.

This isn’t, however, a shoe for technical scrambling. It’s nothing like an approach shoe and it’s better suited to general day walks, rather than technical ridge routes. If that’s what you’re after, something like the La Sportiva TX5 or Scarpa Rapid XT will be a far better option.

Price and performance

The Salomon X Ultra range is a long-standing collection with a good reputation. There are a somewhat bewildering number of products in the line-up, with minor tweaks and differences between them, and it can all get rather confusing – and annoyingly the Salomon website doesn’t really explain the differences very clearly.

The X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex sits in the mid-range category, priced at £140 ($155), which is quite good value overall. The non-waterproof X Ultra 360 (£120/$125), the version without ‘Edge’ in the title, is the cheapest option in the collection.

The non-waterproof X Ultra 360 Edge is £125 ($135), so £15 cheaper than the Gore-Tex version I’ve tested, while the X Ultra 5 costs £130 for a non-waterproof version and £150 ($170) in the Gore-Tex option. The top-of-the-range X Ultra Alpine Gore-Tex, which has an upgraded, more technical design, is £180.

In terms of overall performance, the Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex is a solid all-rounder, in my view. It is more of a trainer for general hillwalking and mountain hiking. It lacks the cushioning and lightness for long-distance, multi-day hiking, and it’s not technical enough for graded scrambling.

But for general hiking it hits the spot. Its strengths are excellent comfort levels and a high degree of support, protection and stability thanks to the firm midsole base.

There are question marks, in my opinion, over the long-term viability of the Gore-Tex protection, but that’s a problem for all lightweight and modern footwear, rather than something unique to Salomon. Yet overall I like this shoe – it’s a seven or eight out of 10 performer.

Verdict

Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Gore-Tex is a supportive, stable, protective walking shoe with a Gore-Tex membrane and great comfort levels – but some features might polarise opinion.

Need a bit more info? Read our expert tips on how to choose hiking shoes.

About the author

James Forrest writes regular features and route guides for Trail and LFTO, and has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years. James is based on the edge of the Lake District so when he isn’t off on his latest crazy adventure or challenge, he’s walking in his local fells.