Salomon Exit Peak Mid GTX

Great, lightweight hiking boot, but not for loads heavier than a day pack. Long lasting outsole and greatly improved with aftermarket insoles. Still going strong after 4 years of extensive use. Not recommended for backpacking unless you are an ultra-light weight backpacker.

I bought these boots in 2009 and they have been my go-to, wear everywhere boots since then. Day hikes, playing tourist, yard work, running through airports, etc. In 2013 they are still going strong and just now starting to show wear on the outsole and creasing in the midsole. They breathe well and are still waterproof. I haven't noticed any degradation with the liner material, even in the heel area. All of the stitching has held up.

The boots needed no break-in, run true to size, (11m for me) and fit well. When lacing, you have to ensure you have seated the tongue under the sides of the boots before tying them, otherwise, they wont be as tight.  With the tongue on the outside of the boot sides, the laces will loosen up eventually. The amount of ankle support goes down with the tongue on the outside of the boot.  I typically wear a single pair of smartwool socks with them.

I was disappointed with the insoles that came with the boots, and replaced them after about 6 months.  With the old insoles it felt like my feet leaned inwards rather than coming straight down when I stepped. New insoles (wolverine brand) fixed this and I've been happy since.

The boots have great traction whether on trails, concrete, or rocks, during all kinds of weather. I haven't noticed any different between cold weather and hot weather performance.  Like most boots, if you get them wet in cold weather, you will stay dry, but your feet will get cold.

I originally bought the boots thinking I would also use them for backpacking, but quickly realized that they just aren't built for that purpose. The midsole is very flexible and has trail shoe construction vice backpacking boot construction. So you ultra-lightweight guys may be happy with them as you speed by me, but I like my 30-40 lbs of backpack and gear just fine. 

My go-to backpacking boots are Scarpa SL M3s.  So with the Salomons and the Scarpas I've got a combination that is useful for what I do. 

I wasn't sure how these shoes would be, but I love them. They are comfortable, sturdy, waterproof, and the best feature for me is the contragrip sole. I tested them out on a slippery rock hike and they didn't let me down. Very reliable if you want grip!