John Burley
Reviewed: 08 May 2006
A REALLY USEFUL, TRULY AMPHIBIOUS, SANDAL-SHOE HYBRID
Better fit and hold than a typical amphibious sandal with added protection for toes and against debris. Good water-shedding properties and fast drying time compared to a typical trail shoe. Good grip and support on land compared to a typical sandal. Quickfit lacing system works well and the shoe is excellent for hot weather use on land as it breathes like a sandal.
Being a hybrid, some compromise is unavoidable... it isn't an outstanding trail shoe (I probably wouldn't run very far in them), and it isn't an outstanding sandal. Heel strap tends to loosen and need regular tightening.
I love these shoes from Salomon despite a few minor flaws. I have found them invaluable 'go anywhere' items for travel use and am impressed by their design. I have always had problems with tech-sandals such as those by Teva etc. as I find myself sweating profusely when my skin is in contact with their footbeds. Then my feet start to slide around, and I need to tighten down the straps. I hate wearing socks with sandals... so the Techamphibians are great. With a light tactel or coolmax sock liner, they cope superbly with hot weather on land with occasional dunking... with a thicker sock they are ready for cooler climes as a light trail/general shoe, and without a sock they are a lot more protective in water than a typical sandal. Anyone who has stubbed a toe on a submerged rock in a sandal will understand that a little bit of protection around front goes a long way. They do have some pressure points when worn without socks and you should check carefully in the store, but the fit is generally good. The heel is designed to be crushed if necessary so that the shoe can be slipped on quickly... but one weakness I have found is that the heel strap doesn't grip well enough and needs to be tightened frequently when walking. They dry much faster than a trail running shoe, though not as fast as a true sandal. The grip is a little less good than I would have hoped once they get wet, but after many miles of trail and pavement pounding they are in good shape so they are definitely durable. One other minor gripe is that they get surprisingly smelly after a while - I thought with all that ventilation they would stay a bit fresher - but perhaps that is just because I have stinky feet! They are a bit expensive if bought at full price, but with Salomon changing the colours regularly you should be able to find a bargain...
I am giving them a 3/3/3 rating because they don't stand out in any one area, but somehow I feel they are better than the sum of their parts!
One final note... Salomon do a Pro-Amphibian shoe (rrp £70) with some additional tech features and a little more in common with a trail shoe (the heel is more supportive by the look of things) so once these finally wear out on me I shall be replacing them with that model given my problems with the heel strap.
