salomon boots: Comet vs quest

[slparker]

I know that some guys here are fans of salomon boots. I'm looking for a new pair of boots to walk the south coast track in tassy this summer (plus WoJ etc) . I'm looking at salomon boots, mainly because I use their trail runners (XT wings and goretex xa pro)for day walks and for running and they fit me very well.
I intend to carry my trail runners (wings xt 3) for the sandy and wet sections of the track but am looking for a higher boot for redundancy and for the rockier sections. Any experience with these two boots (the comet and quest?)?
Most of my experience on extended walks is wearing heavier leather boots with a vibram sole.... I can do without the heavy leather for most walks that i do but admittedly would prefer a vibram sole.

Anyway, Both are on sale on amazon at the moment for $US110 and $US 120 respectively (the quest is the older version not the new Quest2). In particular, I've found the salomon trail runners (xa pro)not so good on wet rock but the xt wings ok, so I am a little wary about getting non-vibram boots for wearing with a heavy pack. I did wear the xt wings trail shoes up and down Mt Kinabalu on borneo this year so I find them quite comfortable for extended rocky ascents and descents, at least with a light pack. A little slippy when the wet rock changed from granite to smother stone, though.

Also looking at these: http://www.amazon.com/Salomon-Wings-Sky ... =wings+sky
but I'm not sure if they'll offer any advantages over trail runners - especially as I expect to have wet feet for 7 days with or without goretex.

Any advice from salomon wearers would be appreciated.

[wayno]

quest has a higher ankle, comes down to personal preference and what sort of loads and terrain you're walking on and how much ankle suppot you want or need
wings sky have a shallow tread like a running shoe, not a lot of rubber in contact with the ground, the tread won't last, its for those wanting lightweight as a priority...
lighter materials all round on teh wings sky, won't last as well.
the tread of the quest and commet has a lot more rubber in contact with the ground than xa pro's totally different, better grip on wet rock.
i've got the cosmics, the all synthetic version of the quest, great boot, stands up well. nice supportive boot when you're carrying more weight.. spares your feet from getting too sore from all teh twisting forces on your feet from walking

[wayno]

also the quest is the 4d chassis, compared to the comet's 3d,
its like a replacement for a shank, the 4d system is like a hard plastic craddle around teh midsole that runs the length of the midsole, so its more supportive of teh front foot, better for heavier loads and uneven ground, but theres still flex in teh forefoto, it mainly arrests torque force on the front foot and stops the sole from corkscrewing... cunning system, lighter than using a shank, and not excessively stiff..
the 3d system is confined to the heel, so less supportive in the forefoot but more flexible.

[wayno]

with hindsite i'd prefer the comet to the cosmic, lighter boot, i'd only go for a cosmic again if i was toting really heavy loads over rough terrain. mind you i've got th e old cosmics the new model is a bit lighter.
when the cosmics wear out the x-ultras will be taking over from them.]

[slparker]

thanks wayno - I appreciate your time - i reckon I'll go the comets

[photohiker]

I've got a pair of Comets and I usually walk in Salomon lightweight mid style boots. Currently Synapse and X-Ultra Mid.

I bought the Comets for a 320km hike across Scotland, but after wearing them on the local trails for a couple of weeks, I gave up on the idea and switched to the X-Ultras. What I found was that the sole stiffness of the Comets is so far stiffer than the other footwear I had been wearing that my feet were complaining. Loudly. I would expect that the same variation in stiffness would exist between your trail runners and the Comets or Quests. From previous multiday walks, I know that if your feet complain after one day, they will progressively complain at a shorter interval until after several days you don't have the boots on for long at all before they start telling you to take them off!

Can't comment on wet rock much. I wore the comets for a walking event in the rain but it was on a hardened trail in the Mt Lofty Ranges. No slipping, and I won the walking section of the event, so these are winning boots!

If that doesn't put you off, my Comets are size 45 and 1/3EU, have probably done about 200km and happy to sell them to you for $80 if they are the right size for your foot. Light wear on the sole, nowhere else, would send photos before sale if you are interested. Otherwise, I'll probably just wear them in the garden...

[slparker]

managed to cancel my order... what's that size in american, Photohiker? i take size 11.5 in US, 11 UK in salomon.

P.s. what's your opinion of the synapse/ that's an alternative I was thinking of, just unsure of grip, durability and the ultra-thick sole

[photohiker]

managed to cancel my order... what's that size in american, Photohiker? i take size 11.5 in US, 11 UK in salomon.

P.s. what's your opinion of the synapse/ that's an alternative I was thinking of, just unsure of grip, durability and the ultra-thick sole

USA size 11, UK 10.5

Where are you? If you're in Adelaide you can have a go at them, at least it would inform your decision even if they are half a size small.

Synapse are brilliant day hiking boots. They have the Salomon speed lace setup, so if you are wearing gaiters I wouldn't suggest them. The laces aren't replaceable in the field and the lace hooks won't take normal laces. I have a writeup on them on this forum: Salomon Synapse Mid and Synapse Mid CS WP

I met someone in Scotland who used them for the walk. The laces were looking tired, but had not failed at the finish.

[slparker]

cheers, but usa 11 is too small, i had a pair of their trail runners in 11 and i could wear them (just) with thin socks, there's no way the 11 would be suitable in boots.

IRT to the synapse - I've used the speed laces on their running shoes and found them to be very durable - agree that i wouldn't chance them on a multiday walk though - at least not without a backup

thanks anyway

[photohiker]

You're welcome

I'd suggest trying the stiffer boots before buying if you can. I think Paddy's has them now, worth checking (but at a fair price hike over the price you quoted)

On the other hand, $110 isn't too bad for a casual winter boot and gardening shoe...