Along with the adidas, these are my favourite shoes here. I’ve long been a fan of Salomon shoes, and I often wear the heftier X Ultra GTX on the hills. Whereas the Ultra were expressly made for hiking, the XR Mission is what Salomon call ‘door-to-trail’ – a lightweight trail running shoe. These are lighter than the Ultra, and without the warm waterproof membrane – perfect for summer walking. Very noticeable is the wide heel that adds stability to the shoe and gives a confident heel strike. I really like the cinch lacing system and the eyelets that allows the laces to pull evenly and stay tight. The lug pattern is a little shallow for really muddy trails, but on rock it grips very well. The toe box is wider than most.
First published: June 2013
