All posts tagged: Salomon

Best Lightweight Hiking Boots (2026): La Sportiva, Salomon, Keen, and More

Best Lightweight Hiking Boots (2026): La Sportiva, Salomon, Keen, and More

The Targhee collection, named after a hardy American breed of sheep known for their resiliency and rather fine wool, was first launched in 2005, with the intention of being versatile, robust, and comfortable from the get-go. I’ve walked in many pairs over the years, and they remain a dependable option I’m happy to recommend, but they’ve never been the most aesthetically pleasing. But with the new Targhee Apex, they’ve gone all-in with a trail running Gorpcore look that actually works. I know that looks aren’t important when you’re scrambling over rocks and through puddles, but in the high-fashion world of the outdoors these days, pretty and practical must go hand in hand. Enough fashion chat though, because regardless of style, these are wonderful waterproof trail shoes that weigh just 0.75 pounds each. They feel light without being fragile, the footbed is generous, allowing my feet to spread comfortably over a long day, and there’s plenty of stability through the midsole. Grip is reassuring on mixed terrain too, and the outsole digs in confidently on both …

Best Gravel Running Shoes (2026): Salomon, Adidas, Nike

Best Gravel Running Shoes (2026): Salomon, Adidas, Nike

HOKA’s max-stacked Rocket X Trail combines road race shoe energy with boosted grip from a 3-mm lugged outsole. If you’re looking for a fast shoe to go on the attack, this is it. It’s also fantastic for all round comfort. In testing, I laced up the Rocket X Trail and ran 3 hours (just short of 19 miles) fresh out of the box, across roads, forest gravel trails, some grass and through some serious water. It delivered efficiency and energy whether I was moving at marathon pace or with heavier, tired, ragged footfalls in the latter miles. The rockered, supercritical midsole uses HOKA’s liveliest foam, similar to those you find in its race-ready road shoes, along with a carbon plate. That combines for a really fun ride that’s smooth, springy and fast and really consistent. It’s also highly cushioned, so you will sacrifice a lot of ground feel for that big stack springy softness. It’s also less stable over very lumpy terrain. But on open, flat, runnable mixed terrain, it’s excellent. The lightweight uppers have …