Improved strength, durability focus
Although originally designed as a trail runner, the XA FORCES Mid has become the heavy lifter in the Salomon FORCES line due to its lightweight construction which offers a great deal of ankle support and foot stability.
Salomon has revealed a new, upgraded XA FORCES Mid GTX shoe, the centrepiece of the brand’s FORCES range. If you liked the brand’s XA PRO Mid, the earlier version of this shoe, you will appreciate the improvements made to the new XA FORCES Mid GTX. Available now, it features several improvements over its predecessor, which was the very first shoe that the brand developed specifically for military use. In the GORE-TEX version, it will be available in black, coyote brown and ranger green. The shoe is also available in a non-GORE-TEX version offering a more breathable variant. The non-GORE-TEX version is available in black and coyote brown. Now in unisex models (available in half sizes from US 4.5-12.5, plus 13.5 and 14.5), the design goal of the XA Pro Mid GTX was to improve strength and durability. It will use the same fabric found on the QUEST 4D Boot, which is four times more durable compared to the previous fabric when it comes to tear strength, and has been put to the test in the lab and on deployment. To make it stronger, the shoe now has a single-layer construction, reducing the overlapping of materials. Formerly a single stitched shoe, the new version has double and triple stitching for stronger seem construction.
There are specific issues which have been addressed, e.g. they’ve introduced the same material used in the QUEST 4D. Additionally, they changed the construction to introduce double and even triple stitching. They’ve also eliminated overlaps of fabric wherever possible because the edges of fabric was getting caught while riding Quads and separating.
The outsole also has a more durable design. A new layer adds to the sole’s thickness and additional rubber with deeper lugs provides more contact with the ground. A break in the design of the heel helps with climbing, while a rubber pad on the medial side of the shoe aids in protection. The toebox has also been made slightly roomier than in the previous version.
DPM
