Replacement for Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra 2

[Steven Hanlon]

I bid farewell to my Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra 2 shoes last week, they fell apart while on a day hike in the Florida Panhandle. Is the current crop of XA Pro 3D shoes solid performers?

The biggest peeve I had with the shoes was they weren't super grippy on wet rocks. I fell a few times and could never trust my footing with them.

any suggestions for grippy trail runners?

[Brad Rogers]

I haven't tried the newest run but I would just stick with the Solomon's that work for you. They don't have soles that grip on wet rocks well but that also means they last longer.

Soft rubber sticks better but wears faster.

To answer your question: I tried innov8 one time and the soles were very grippy but showed considerable wear after only 200 miles. I also got stress fractures while on a hike wearing them so I went back to my Salomons.

If you want to try a different shoe, I hear la sportivas fit similar.

[Kyle Meyer]

For what it's worth, I just bought another pair of XA Pro 3Ds. I used a pair last year and got about 400 miles out of them before holes formed on both sides of the mesh on both shoes. There was still plenty of tread, but they were somewhat packed out, some of the heel molding had started to separate, and the mesh holes were mostly unrepairable since they were in an area that flexes a lot. I've never had a blister in a pair of Salomons and they're stable and comfortable, so I'm willing to buy a new pair each year if that's what it takes for happy feet.

I just did a 15-mile, 4000' elevation gain day carrying 35lbs with multiple water crossings in a brand new pair and they felt great and didn't have any problems. I say buy them.

[Steven Hanlon]

my shoes looked great from the top… the soles were chewed and missing chunks. the sides of the rubber had separated from the foam. inside i had worn holes in the heel cup liner.

i had maybe 300 miles on them.

[Brad Rogers]

I have been using XA Pro 3D's since 2006 and have always gotten the holes on the sides. It seems like they make holes the size of dimes on each side but never get much worse for me. Surprisingly my current pair doesn't have the holes after about 300 miles. I thought they might have changed something as it seems a common problem.

[Scott Koons]

I loved my XA Pro 3D ultra 2s! I was concerned abt the XA Pro 3Ds when I bought them. My ultras felt lighter but definitely never had the cushion the XA Pro 3D has imho. My main complaint of the new ones is the tongue is attached to keep it in place which is annoying to me. One of my fav parts of the Ultra 2s was the ability to loosen the shoes and walk around camp. The newer ones don't allow it to loosen up as much plus I think the attached tongue causes the shoe to be warmer. Overall I like them but it has taken some getting used too.

[Earl Gilbert]

I bought a pair, wore them on a hike once. Couldn't stand slipping down wet rocks with them and since I hike mainly in Maine and NH, its always wet rocks. Now, I won't buy a pair of shoes or boots unless they have Vibram soles. They are the only soles that are grippy enough, ime. Usually by the time the soles wear out, I want to replace the boot/shoe anyway.

[Jeff Jeff]

I agree, the grip was really bad. The laces also slipped if they got fine dirt in the camlock.

I switched to Vasque Mindbenders and I love the grip. I do a lot of rock hopping in the cascades and I haven't fallen yet. I don't even bother with my sticky approach shoes anymore.

[Dave Ayers]

I've gone through several pairs but was forced to switch because they no longer offer the wide width version. I've taken the opportunity to go lighter, ending up with NB MT980's which I'm very happy with so far. The Solomon's suffered from lack of cushioning which the NB addresses along with better grip. I do really miss the great kevlar speed laces though.

[Matthew / BPL]

Thread drift, but has anyone had failures with the speed lace system?

[Pedestrian]

The "speed" laces on my Salomon trail runners snapped at one point. I stopped by the retailer where I bought the shoes and they handed me a new pair. It was easy to replace the laces.

You might just try calling Salomon customer service and they'll probably ship you a pair of laces for free.

[Justin Baker]

If you don't like the speed laces, you can always replace them with regular laces.

[Steven Hanlon]

I tried on a pair of Mindbenders, they seemed to be a good fit. I think the speed laces have spoiled me, i was confused about having to tie them :)

[Dave Ayers]

They sell the speed laces separately allowing one to carry a spare same as for a regular lace. They've been considerably more dependable than regular laces for me. I now scavenge the lock from 'lock laces' and use them with regular laces as a proxy on other shoes.

[Dana S]

Jumping off of an existing thread, i’m interested in purchasing a pair of the Salomon XA Pro 3D trail runners. What does the Ultra 2 version offer that’s not in the regular model? From what I can see online, it appears they have different soles, so I’d like some feedback on durability and protection from impact on rocks (not necessarily pointy rocks, just hard surfaces and repetitive movement). As a larger guy (6’3″ 225) my feet tend to take a beating and impact protection is a must.

Thanks in advance!

[Brad Rogers]

The Ultra 2 is an old model. I have used both the old and new soles and have found little noticeable difference.

The current model has a different tongue that is thinner and a little more sock like than the older models.

The current model is about the 4th or 5th generation of this shoe with very minor changes but they always do minor names changes as well. They all use XA Pro 3D in the name though.

[Dana S]

Thanks @mocs123 that’s very helpful. Could you comment on the sole toughness with regard to rocks and repetitive motion on hard surfaces (…rocks!)?

[Eric Arthur]

I also love the XA Pro Ultra 2, I was looking for something to replace them since they don’t make them anymore. I was considering trying out the Adidas Terrex Swift. Similar looking shoe with a similar drawstring closure. Differences from what I can tell is a little more heel-toe drop in the Adidas. Any experience with these?

[Matthew F]

I loved my Ultra 2’s I had 3 or 4 of the older versions and didn’t like new Pro 3Ds I bought recently (and just sold), the tongue felt super weird and would bunch up if I didn’t get it just right. Also they rubbed the outside of my pinky toes. Looking at the Mizuno Wave Kazan to replace them but haven’t tried them on yet…

[Brad Rogers]

I hate to hear that about the new model. I have a pair but am yet to use them in the field yet. I have been using the XA Pro 3D line since 2007 and I don’t want to have to switch.

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