Most sports enthusiasts have probably heard the slogan: 'Not all Jeeps are called Jeep.' What? You haven't heard that one? Then surely you've heard 'Not all milk is called Telunsu.' But today, we're not talking about cars or milk; we're talking about trail running shoes.
After nearly two months of testing in various environments, I want to say:
'Not all running shoes are called Salomon, and not all Salomons are called S/Lab.'
You must be wondering why? The reason is simple, just three keywords:
Heritage
To be honest, compared to rock climbing, mountaineering, and track running, I don't know much about trail running. Previously, I owned a pair of Mizuno Wave Kazan trail running shoes. When I bought them on Amazon Germany, it wasn't for trail running but because the cobblestone streets in European towns were too many, and I needed more comfortable shoes. So, my knowledge of the Salomon brand was limited to knowing that the all-around athlete King K is their ambassador.
After receiving these Alpine shoes, I did some research online and was truly surprised. Salomon was founded by François Salomon in 1947, acquired by German sports giant Adidas in 1997, and later became part of the world-class sports equipment brand management group AMER SPORTS.
With 70 years of ups and downs, gathering the world's best athletes, designers, and engineers, this rich heritage is evident in many details of the Alpine.
At first glance, the S/Lab XA Alpine gives the impression of a supercar: a bit stunning. The design and appearance of the Alpine are similar to high-altitude mountaineering and ice climbing boots, but the Alpine is lighter and more flexible. Climbers know that the Italian duo Scarpa and La Sportiva have always been industry benchmarks in shoemaking. I compared my popular Scarpa Phantom Guide mountaineering boots with the Alpine. Although the Alpine is made in China, its craftsmanship and quality are on par with the Italian-made Guide, reflecting Salomon's strict quality control.
The design of the Alpine is very similar to 1.5-layer mountaineering boots, with a prominent waterproof zipper on the upper and a non-removable red inner boot. The biggest difference between the Alpine and mountaineering boots lies in the sole:
1.
Firstly, the Alpine is positioned as a high-altitude trail running shoe, meaning it is essentially a running shoe. Therefore, the sole does not have slots for crampons, and the sole is thinner and lighter, making it more suitable for trail running.
2.
The tread pattern of the Alpine sole is unique, with small polygonal shapes all facing the heel. This design performs exceptionally well on uneven surfaces and gravel, providing a sense of security. The front part of the sole has a large inverted V-shaped protrusion, creating a dedicated climbing zone. After about two months of testing, the most worn area of the sole is this climbing zone, indicating its effectiveness. Additionally, the Alpine's toe is flat and wide, resembling a salamander, which I will explain in the performance section.
Advantages:
The appearance is very stylish, especially the black 'S' logo and red 'XA Alpine' color scheme at the heel, which adds a touch of flair. Even a friend who usually dislikes my outdoor gear praised the Alpine as cool at first sight.
The craftsmanship is excellent, with materials, stitching, and finishing on par with Italian-made boots. The high-top design comes with extra shoe supports, showing the manufacturer's attention to detail.
Disadvantages:
Putting on and taking off the shoes can be a bit inconvenient. The large zipper on the upper is not as smooth as similar mountaineering boots, often requiring both hands to fully zip up. The elastic material around the ankle may contribute to this issue. Adjusting the inner boot also takes some getting used to.
(The manufacturer thoughtfully includes cylindrical shoe supports)
Technology:
Speaking of technology, we must mention Salomon's S/Lab program. Salomon brings together the world's best engineers, designers, and athletes to create the most innovative high-performance sports products.
This is truly a great project. As Salomon's official summary of S/Lab states: There are no secrets about S/Lab, just two words: play and progress. The German literary genius Schiller saw play as a fundamental human nature. Isn't trail running, skiing, and running also a form of play? The S/Lab project focuses on the essence of the sport, not commercial purposes, allowing athletes and shoe designers and engineers to discuss what innovations can overcome existing product limitations and provide better support for athletes, pushing the sport to new heights.
(Just looking at the official website's design gives a strong sense of technology and futurism)
(King K, always either in the mountains or on the way to the mountains)
The XA Alpine tested this time is part of this program. The Alpine helps trail running overcome the challenges of high altitudes, allowing King K to run freely in the snowy mountains like a playful child.
Now let's talk about the technology in the Alpine from top to bottom:
Fabric:
As soon as you touch it, you can feel that the Alpine uses a variety of materials. To provide better flexibility and fit during running, the Alpine uses a lot of high-elastic fabric around the ankle, allowing the ankle to move freely according to the terrain, preventing sprains. Additionally, there is a piece of leather around the ankle for added protection.
The inner boot of the Alpine is not a simple layer but consists of a mesh fabric inner layer connected to a slightly harder outer shell, forming the entire inner boot. This design effectively enhances the breathability of the Alpine without compromising the stability and strength of the inner boot. Under good lighting, you can see that the high-elastic material at the collar is also perforated, maintaining comfort even during long-distance runs.
The entire toe area below the collar uses moderately soft and hard leather-like material, providing good support without constriction during running. The material at the very front of the toe is noticeably thicker and harder, with an internal anti-collision layer, offering reassuring protection for the toes on rocky terrain.
Sole:
Unlike its Italian counterparts, Salomon uses its own rubber formula for the Alpine instead of the Vibram sole. The red Contagrip logo resembles Superman's chest emblem, subtly showcasing its strength.
In nearly two months of actual use, the wear on the Alpine's rubber was as expected. The most worn part of the sole is the front climbing zone, indicating that this area provides the most grip, hence the greater wear.
(The sole shows some signs of aging, which is acceptable given the intensity of use)
Superior Performance:
Outdoor products must be tested in real environments to understand their true capabilities; otherwise, reviews are just copy-pasting and lose their meaning. By chance, I used the Alpine for caving, ice climbing, snowy city commuting, and trail running. After several days of testing, I am very satisfied with the Alpine's performance.
As mentioned earlier, the Alpine's toe is wide and flat, resembling a salamander. This design is similar to a sports car's low chassis, providing significant propulsion, especially on uphill runs.
In January, a friend invited me to explore caves in Xingyi, Guizhou. Forgetting to bring water shoes, I had to wear the high-top Alpine for three days and two nights in the cave.
The cave's terrain was very complex, with many rocks, requiring high grip and ankle support. The Alpine performed well, providing enough grip and support to prevent sprains even on loose stones.
The cave walls, smoothed by underground rivers, were very slippery. Climbing these walls required high grip, and the Alpine's climbing zone provided much better grip than my companion's caving water shoes, making climbing easier.
However, I unfortunately fell into the water twice in the cave, and water seeped in through the collar, which was quite miserable. So, the Alpine's high-top design is more for rain and mud protection in high-altitude environments, and its waterproof performance is not as good as full-leather high-top hiking or mountaineering boots, making it unsuitable for water activities.
The first thing I did after seeing daylight again was to let the Alpine rest. The next stop: ice climbing at Lotus Peak.
In early February, I finally started my first ice climb of the 2017 season during the last week of winter before the Chinese New Year holiday.
On the way to the Lotus Peak waterfall, starting from the Taibai Mountain ski resort, it was all snow. I wore the Alpine the entire way, and it handled the snowy terrain without slipping. The sound of crunching snow and the sight of distant mountains made me understand why King K enjoys spending all day in the mountains.
Compared to heavy mountaineering boots, the Alpine is much lighter, significantly increasing the wearer's agility. For high-altitude ice and snow activities, wearing the Alpine can save energy, allowing the wearer to run faster and farther.
During the Chinese New Year, I returned to my hometown in Aba Prefecture, which is also a mountainous area. The mountainous environment was perfect for testing the Alpine's performance.
The harsh challenges of high-altitude environments often come from multiple elements: low temperatures, low oxygen, and unpredictable weather. Therefore, the challenges for athletes and equipment in high-altitude environments are comprehensive. I did an 8km round trip at an altitude of around 2800 meters, with terrain including dirt slopes, gravel, powder snow, and muddy areas caused by melting snow.
During the entire run, I didn't consciously feel the Alpine's performance on different terrains because it felt consistently stable and comfortable. This allowed me to focus on my breathing and the sport itself. I think this reflects Salomon's brand philosophy: 'It's time to play!' (Put on your shoes and play; the whole mountain is our playground!)
Purchase Recommendation:
If you have high-altitude sports needs, even if it's not for trail running but for high-altitude hiking, I recommend buying the Alpine despite its slightly complex on-and-off operation.