Just In - Salomon Wings Sky GTX

Just arrived at OM HQ is a pair of the brand new Salomon Wings Sky GTX lightweight hiking boots that we previewed a couple of weeks back and very orange they are too.


The new boot follows Salomon's recent trend towards incorporating technology from its running shoes into a higher-top lightweight boot design, the Quest 4D GTX did much the same thing and was our favourite boot of 2009.

The Sky GTX takes things to another level though. The Quest 4D weighs around 1300 grammes per pair, the Sky feels instantly lighter and at 1060 grammes for a pair of size 43 is 240 grammes lighter.


That's a fair chunk of weight to save and while still more than the minimalist Inov-8 Roclite 370 at 692 grammes, it has a more substantial feel. It also undercuts the 1200 gramme figure of the latest Berghaus Pro Rush Mid.

The new boot is based on the technology first used in Salomon's trail-running shoes and there's a lot going on. And while there are some similarities with the Quest 4D, there are significant differences too.


The uppers are fabric with external plastic support 'skeleton' and reinforcements - no suede - but it's underfoot where the major changes lurk. Salomon's 'Agile System Chassis' uses a lighter, more running-orientated Contragrip outsole with deep indents between tread areas combined with soft areas for cushioning ('soft muscle' in Salomon speak) and 'a tendon' embedded in the sole which is claimed to return energy with every stride.


More prosaically, the sole unit combines a lot of forefoot flexibility with a torsionally stiff mid-foot area intended to improve stability, especially on uneven ground. A quick preliminary wander round shows that the boots feel light and close fitting. They also have an unusual and endearing springiness underfoot that had us experimentally jumping up and down, something we rarely do in boots.

So far they're looking like an ideal half-way house between lightweight boots like the Quest and ultra-lightweight mids like the Inov-8s, but there's a big fly in the ointment in the shape of a £180 price tag for a fabric boot. That's a whole £50 more than the excellent Quest GTX and we figure the Wings Sky GTX is going to have to be extraordinarily good to justify the extra expense.

We'll let you know if it is. And, oh, yes, the colour. Shy and retiring folk and slow people need not apply.... More Salomon information at www.salomonsports.com.