The salomon quest element GTX is the younger and lighter brother of one of the most praised hiking boots ever made, the salomon quest 4 GTX. While it does sacrifice some support and protection in comparison to the Quest 4, it does make up for it in weight. The Salomon quest element is a great all-around hiking boot.
Performance review
I combined hours of research with many days of hiking in various conditions in order to present an in-depth review.
Let’s start with reviewing the performance aspect of the Salomon quest element GTX.
Comfort
The quest line from Salomon has been praised for how comfortable they are. The quest element definitely doesn’t stand out in a negative way.
My first reaction when putting on the shoes was: “yep, that’s comfortable“.
I did have some blisters after 2 long days of hiking. However, I think I was still searching for the right tightness of the shoe.
After adapting it a bit and making the shoe fit a little less tight, I had no further trouble.
(I will update the article after my next long hiking trip)
Traction
When it comes to traction, the quest element performs a lot like the much praised quest 4 gtx. This comes to no surprise as they both use the contragrip.
Overall, the traction is very solid, I never really had the feeling that the grip was failing me. I did feel like I could trust the shoe. However, I’m not one to take risks in wet conditions, so I’m never really pushing the grip to the limits.
All that said, the traction is really good, it’s as simple as that. However, it’s not the most durable outer sole, as there are some signs of damages after a bit more than 100 miles of hiking.
Waterproofing & breathability
The Salomon quest boots are as waterproof as you can expect a solid Gore-Tex hiking boot to be (it’s waterproof, but there are limitations to how long they can be submerged).
I had no trouble with any type of water getting through my boots. That said, I haven’t had very heavy rain and I only occasionally had to cross a small river/stream.
However, the shoes did see enough water to validate that there were no leaks or waterproofing issues.
As usual, a waterproof hiking boot does have trouble with being very breathable. I feel like these hiking boots are pretty much what you can expect them to be, waterproof and not very breathable.
However, “not very breathable” is definitely acceptable for a boot like this.
Weight
These shoes are a nice in-between option.
If you want a lighter version of the quest 4 gtx (2.88 lbs) and something that provides more protection and support than the Salomon X ultra 4 mid (1.85 lbs), the quest element might be for you.
Coming in at 2.22 lbs (1010g), the quest element is pretty light for a hiking boot.
Stability, support & protection
When comparing these boots with the quest 4 GTX, it becomes clear that you are sacrificing stability, support and protection for a better price and better weight.
However, the Salomon quest element still provides a good amount of stability, support and protection in my opinion.
Every hiker is different and has different preferences/needs. Personally, I think the quest element provides enough stability, support & protection for the average hiker – even on rougher terrain.
That said, you might have a more comfortable experience on rougher terrain. The Salomon quest element is the in-between option, which works pretty well for me.
Durability & quality
In order to properly test the durability of a boot, I would love to have tested the boot for a longer time than I have now.
However, I have hiked my first 100 miles in them and can already share my first findings (I will try to keep the article up-to-date).
As I already said, the grip doesn’t look too bad after hiking a good amount over rough terrain, that’s already a good indication.
On top of that, the boot doesn’t show any wear & tear that could cause any problem. For now, I’m pretty happy. Let’s hope that I’ll still be happy in a couple of years.
Edit: I have done a bit more hiking in these boots, the last miles have been done mainly in snowy conditions and in rather cold temperatures. I don’t know if the cold is somehow a factor, but I can see that some pieces of the outer sole started to come off.
Not super alarming yet. However, it’s pretty clear that the durability of the outer sole is one -if not the- weak point of these boots.
Fit and sizing
The Salomon quest element pretty much fitted me how I expected.
However, there are no models for wide or narrow width, so if you normally need that, the quest element might not fit that great.
The shoe fitted nicely. However, I did have some trouble finding the right “tightness” when lacing the shoe. Lacing it too tight resulted in friction at the front of the foot, which resulted eventually in annoying blisters.
However, I’m assuming that my feet and the shoes just had to know each other before everything got completely painless. I have good hopes for the next hike.
The positive points
To give you a short summary, let’s sum up the most positive points about the shoe.
- The quest element has a solid grip.
- The quest element is comfortable.
- The quest element has a nice balance between weight and stability.
- The quest element is not as pricey as the quest 4.
The negative points
On the top of my mind, there really aren’t too many negative points that I can think of.
- I had some trouble with finding the right tightness, which resulted in blisters
- The outer sole doesn’t seem to be very durable.
Salomon Quest 4 GTX vs Salomon Quest element GTX
If you are looking up a review for the Salomon quest element, there is a good chance that you want to know how these compare to the Salomon Quest 4. I know wanted to know before I bought these.
The Quest element is a lighter model of the Quest 4. Lighter is obviously better, but some compromises had to be made. Which results in the Quest element providing a little less stability, protection and support.
To be precise, the quest element weighs 2.22lbs (1010g) and the quest 4 weighs 2.88lbs (1310g), a substantial difference.
On top of that, the quest 4 gtx is usually quite a bit more expensive than the quest element (check amazon for the latest prices).
However, the quest 4 does offer some advantages for the additional price and weight. A stronger outside and a higher sole makes it a more protective and stable hiking boot.
Most hikers have claimed that these features make the quest 4 more suitable over rough/technical terrain.
That said, I have tested the quest element on plenty of rough terrain and wasn’t unhappy with the experience.
Also, the lacing system is different – the quest 4 has only metal lace eyelets, where the quest element only has a few.
I would personally prefer the quest element over the quest 4. However, it’s a pretty close call, the price difference is actually the tiebreaker for me.
Salomon Quest 4 GTX review – The conclusion
The Salomon quest element GTX is a solid hiking boot that has a good balance between weight and stability/support.
It’s a good option for hikers who find the Salomon 4 GTX a bit too heavy (or expensive) and find that the Salomon mid-ultra x 4 doesn’t provide enough support/isn’t durable enough.
These boots are comfortable, waterproof, have good traction, provide a decent amount of stability and aren’t very heavy.
I would call the Salomon Quest Element Gtx a nice in-between option, which is why I bought it & am still using it.
I had some blisters – which might be caused because my laces were too tight. However, I still had a great experience when testing them in the Pyrenees mountains.
Overall, it’s a boot that I would (and have) recommended to friends. Especially if you can catch a promo, you could get a great deal.
If you are interested in buying these shoes, amazon usually has the best price: Salomon Quest Element GTX
Not convinced about the Salomon quest 4 GTX? You might find what you are looking for on this page: best salomon hiking shoes. Or if you are looking for a more budget-friendly option, would recommend taking a look on this page: Best cheap hiking shoes.