Salomon Quest 4D GTX Forces 2 EN

The crossbreed of a sneaker and a mountain boot is just that - works well in rough terrain, but fits like a sneaker. This means it's possible to give a good sprint if necessary. Lined with Gore-Tex and has a bit of shaft too. "Military" color scheme, i.e. black. A popular choice among many special forces etc. these days.

Known for sports & offroad shoes, Salomon has nowadays ventured to military territory too. As one could imagine, the footwear they make is a mix of military requirements and sport shoe features. This certainly isn't a bad thing - here's a pair of all-terrain boots with a stiff sole but comfortable fit.

Features

Because we live in the 2000s, the features & materials have all sorts of flashy names ending with ® and ™. However, here's a down-to-earth rundown of the boot. First the new features of the Forces 2:

• Lamella features on tread lugs for even better grip
• Models with EN suffix have nail-protected soles (EN ISO 20344:2011)
• Instep reinforcement for rope descents
• More sizes available

The good ol' features are still there:

• Non-marking, stiff sole with a very intricate cushion midsole and rough tread pattern.
• Upper made of nubuck leather and Cordura.
• Inner lined with breathable fabric.
• Between the layers sits the Gore-Tex membrane.
• Cushioned, porous insole.
• Traditional lacing with lace locks in the middle. The upper eyelets are made of metal.
• Weight for one shoe about 600-700 grams, depending on the size.

Size info

Sizes listed in UK size, than comparable EU size. Foot length in millimeters (Mondopoint) found in the chart below. The last width on these could be described as "regular" that fits most people, or at least should form in use.

Below is the official measuring guide for Salomon footwear.

Tools:

• Use a shoe box or a wall with a 90° angle.
• Find a sheet of paper or a sheet of cardboard, a ruler and a pen.

What should you do next?

• Make sure that you are wearing the same socks that you would normally wear with this type of boot.
• Wearing these socks, stand on the sheet of paper and place the outside of your foot against the wall or place your foot in the shoe box with your heel wedged firmly against the back.
• Then use your pen and ruler to draw a line just in front of your big toe.
• Measure the distance between the wall or the side of the shoe box and the line that you have just drawn.
• Find this measurement in millimetres in the drop-down box. If you fall between sizes, pick the larger one.

Care of Gore-Tex Boots

We recommend that you read our shoe and bootcare article. You should not use the regular shoe polish for gore-tex boots and shoes, instead use the stuff specifically designed for them. Regular grease/polish can block the holes in the membrane after which they won't breathe anymore.

Made by Salomon

Made in China, but with some pretty tough specs.

Salomon gives a 2-year warranty for their products.