This week I just received my replacement pair of Salomon Odyssey Pro and I thought this would be a great time to talk a bit about the shoe that I have wore for 700 miles.
Hiking shoes are very difficult to recommend and review. Everyone has a different foot and different needs so it’s hard to say what shoes you need. I am hoping though, after 700 miles of wearing the Salomon Odyssey Pro, I can provide you some information on these shoes and whether they are right for you.
To summarize it. The Salomon Odyssey are trail runners designed especially for long hiking trails and ultralight backpacking. It’s breathability, all day comfort and durability makes them ideal for high mile days and repeatative use day in and day out. They are designed for well maintained, easy trail but can perform in scrambling terrain in a pinch.
Why Trail Runners
I started hiking in hiking boots and I thought that was the only way to do things. I only started wearing trail runners for the Pacific Crest Trail.
Trail Runners have a few adventages over traditional hiking boots. They are light, breathable and comfortable. So they are great for long trails where you have a lighter pack and need to be in and out of your shoes for a long duration. The heavy boots would be overkill and too non-breathable.
Disclaimer
Salomon was very kind in sponsoring me with the Odyssey Pro for the entire trail so I switched to them after my first pair of trail runners wore out on the PCT. This review is based on my personal experience and not influenced by Salomon in anyway. I’ll try not to compare them to other brands but instead try to detail my likes and dislike about them.
Fit and Comfort
One of the biggest considerations when it comes to choosing a good pair of trail runners is a roomy toe box. When you are hiking all day, it’s important to make sure your toes can stay comfortable in your shoes. The Odyssey Pros thought of this consideration by providing lots of room in the toe box but keeps the mid section narrower so people with narrower feet won’t slide around. The shoe locks in your heel nicely and leaves room in the front so I have had pretty much zero blisters since wearing this shoe.
The one problem I had with the Odyssey Pros is that the sides are too stiff, especially when they are new. It did bother my ankle for a bit as it doesn’t bend too well to the shape of your foot. One of my friend went as far as to cut out a piece of the heel to make it more flexible. That problem went away in a few weeks and my second pair did not have the problem so far.
The soles feel very comfortable and cushioned and great for easy trail. The soles and the toe cap will protect you from small rocks underfoot or kicked. I have never hurt my toe by jamming it even though I have definitely kicked a lot of rocks by accident. Unfortunately the Salomon Odyssey Pros do not have a rock plate so you do have to be mindful of where you step when the terrain gets a little rougher. After a long day in rocky terrain, I do feel the soreness underfoot and wish there was more solid protection.
This makes them less than ideal if your trail consists of scree, boulder hopping or plenty of sharp rocks but I managed with more careful stepping.
Another aspect of comfort is how well it drys after being soaked. A pair of shoes that does not dry quickly is annoying and uncomfortable, not practical for long backpacking trips and thru-hikes. The Odyssey Pros are very breathable and quick dry. After getting them soaked completely in a stream, I found myself walking in dry shoes after a hour in the heat.
Durability
The Odyssey Pro are impressively durable. If it’s any testimont, I hiked with one pair of the shoes for 650 miles before retiring it. Only because I have compressed the cushioning too much after all the miles. Other than that and a few small holes, the shoes felt like almost brand new.
I unfortunately don’t always watch where I am going when I hike so I end up kicking rocks, scrapping my foot on rocks and jabbing twigs against my shoe and so on. The trail runners stood up to all my punishments. The old pair only had a few small holes/rips after all those miles. Especially the treads, the treads on the old pair still looked pretty close to brand new. In contrast, the shoes I started the trail with before switching to the Odyssey Pros had almost no treads at the end of it’s life.
Treads
Looks like nutter butter cookies. Yummm! The treads are very obvious so your firends know where you are.
Speaking of treads. They are not only durable but also very effective. I have taken them on various kind of terrain, steep granite, loose dirt, snow and sand.
The treads performed amazingly in all types of terrain. I never found myself second guessing my steps and never wasting extra energy on slippage when climbing steep hills. They even performed great when I took them as approach shoes for climbing and scrambled down steep slopes with them comfortably.
Trusty Odyssey Pros attached to my harness waiting to be used on the scrambling descent
Overall, I highly expect to use this pair of shoes all the way to Canada. (with a few replacements of course) I would also recommend them to anyone who are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail or doing long distance backpacking on maintained trail.
