Gear Review: Salomon Women’s Odyssey Pro

Women’s Salomon Odyssey Pro

 

MSRP: $140

Weight: 18.6 0z.

Materials: Synthetic textile and contragrip rubber- designed to be breathable and lightweight

Circumstances of Review:

I reviewed the Salomon Women’s Odyssey Pro on several 2-5 mile day hikes, as well as on an 11-mile day hike. I also wore them when working as an adventure guide at my job, which includes leading short guided hikes. I am a religious wearer of Salomon products- I still wear the Salomon Fellraiser Trail Running Shoe that I wore during my entire thru hike in 2016, and I recommend them to everyone I can. Needless to say, I was very excited to test out another Salomon shoe since the last pair treated me so well.

Pros

To be honest, when I first received my pair of Odyssey Pro’s I was a little skeptical about the overall design. I have very narrow feet, and these shoes are more wide than I usually like. However, I quickly realized that where the shoes lack in snugness for my feet, they make up for in lightness and breathability. They feel like you are wearing nothing but socks. They are the lightest pair of shoes I have ever worn. The soles are light, yet have great traction. The contragrip rubber is a must have for hiking on all terrain, especially wet or rocky areas. Also, the cushioning on the soles is great- I hike on a lot of rocky terrain and I didn’t feel a thing.

My favorite thing about the Odyssey Pro’s is the breathability of the shoe itself. The breathable, open mesh on the top portion of the shoe allows for maximum air flow for hot-weather hiking. Although I didn’t test my pair in the rain, I am confident that because of the mesh, they would dry out very easily and quickly after a day of hiking in the rain.

Another plus for these shoes is the built in Ortholite sock-liner. Most hikers wear a type of sock-liner anyways, but with this shoe, its already built in! This provides moisture-wicking and cuts down on hotspots while hiking, and in turn the development of blisters.

 

Cons

Although there are many things I really like about the Odyssey Pro shoe, there were some things that I wasn’t so crazy about. One of my main struggles with the shoe is that they are just a bit too wide for my narrow feet. I like my shoes to fit snugly on my feet (especially when hiking) and these shoes are made to fit a wider foot. If you do have wider feet, I think these would be a great option for a trail running shoe.

Another downside of this particular shoe, to me, was that they have laces instead of the ever-popular Quicklace option, where you just pull, lock and tuck away the excess. I think the Quicklace feature on a lot of Salomon products is a great feature because you get a more comfortable, tight fit and you don’t have to worry about stopping to tie your shoes all the time. I had to double-knot these laces in order for them to stay tied.

Overall Experience

For $140, the Salomon Odyssey Pro‘s are worth the price. Because they’re Salomon, they will help you go the distance, whatever that might mean to you- a weekend backpacking trip or a long-distance thru hike. Their breathability is great for hot-weather hiking, as well as hiking in torrential downpours. For hiking, lighter is always better, and these shoes are just about as light as you can get, while also having great traction and support. The right shoe can make or break a thru hike, and this shoe has all the markings of a winner- supportive, breathable, light and flexible.

Shop the Odyssey Pro Here

Disclosure: this product was donated for the purpose of review.