Salewa Mens Mountain Trainer Mid GTX Review
Quick Verdict
Best for: Casual mountaineers on easy/mid grade, summer terrain
Avoid if: You don’t plan on going into snow and ice.
A stiff alpine-leaning boot that shines with heavy packs on hard, rocky terrain, but it’s overkill for everyday NZ bush tramping.
Reviewer Rating: 3.5⭐️
Overall score: 63/100
MODEL
PRICE
WEIGHT
TERRAIN
SCORE
Salewa MTN Trainer Mid GTX
$540 NZD
1.4kg
Alpine trails + light snow and ice.
66/100
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor ii Mid GTX
$400 NZD
940g
Wild tramping, On/off trail, Bush.
83/100
Salomon Out-Pulse Mid GTX
$290 NZD
760g
Tramping, Lightweight, Thru hiking.
60/100
Salomon Speed cross Six
$165 NZD
596g
Trail running, Thru hiking, ultralight
70/100
Key Specs
- Category: Footwear
- Tested by: NZ hiking guide
- Test period: 9 months
- Weight: (pair) 1.4 Kg
- Price: $540 NZD
- Intended use: Mountain trekking
Scores
Key: 1=Very poor 2=Poor 3= Decent 4= Great 5 = Best in category
1=20 points 5=100 points toward overall rating
- Comfort: 4/5
- Weight: 3/5
- Support: 4.5/5
- Durability: 2.5/5
- Value: 2.5/5
- Reviewer Rating 3.5/5
Who this boot is for:
Someone wanting to try mountaineering while also using as an alpine crossing boot. Mountaineering boots are very pricy ($1500ish) so this is a great option for summertime lower grade climbs.
Do not buy this boot if:
You intend on using this boot as your regular tramping for standard NZ bush conditions. There are cheaper, better alternatives.
Pros:
- ✅ Great ankle support
- ✅ Great Laces
- ✅ Fit for alpine trekking
- ✅ Proofed for weather
Cons:
- ❌ Very specific use case
- ❌ Weak durability in the bush
- ❌Slight break in time
Field testing summary:
Terrain tested: Off trail, on trail, guiding, river crossing.
Weather tested: Rain storms, on trail, off trail, alpine.
Distance or time worn: Minimum 70 days, 700km.
This was my first boot intended initially for tramping. My thought was “if it’s capable of alpine this boot should be overkill for tramping and last for ages”. I was humbled after 3 months of use (guiding) it gained its first hole (making it inappropriate footwear for snow conditions / alpine in future use). For this style of boot in the ones I have tested they break surprisingly fast they really do need to be specific alpine boots. After approximately 70 days tramping they were ready to be replaced (this doesn’t mean unusable).
Verdict:
For a beginner, summertime mountaineer this boot would work well being cheaper then proper mountaineering boots and almost a hybrid. They keep your feet dry and your ankles supported.
Alternative boot models:
- La Sportiva TX5 GTX
- Scarpa Ribelle HD
Where to buy:
