Salomon XT-6 GORE-TEX Review: The Trail Icon Gets a Waterproof Membrane

The Salomon XT-6 started life as a technical trail-running shoe and became one of the most recognisable silhouettes Salomon has ever made. The XT-6 GORE-TEX is the version that matters if you actually walk in the wet British half of the year. It keeps the aggressive, low-slung look and the Quicklace system, then adds a waterproof membrane and a proper mud-clearing outsole. That combination is why it sits in our best waterproof trainers roundup rather than being filed away as a fashion sneaker.

At £185 it is not cheap, and it is not trying to be a mountain boot. What it does is cover the widest slice of a normal week: a muddy coast path on Saturday, an airport on Sunday, and the walk to work in the rain on Monday, all in one shoe.

Who the XT-6 is for

This is a shoe for people who want one low-cut, waterproof pair to do almost everything short of a serious mountain day. If your walking is downland, coast path, forest track and the occasional bog crossing, the XT-6 GORE-TEX has enough grip and structure to keep up while still passing as a trainer off the trail.

It is not the shoe for scree, big pack loads or committing mountain routes. It sits low at the ankle, so deep peat and river crossings will find the collar. For that you want a mid boot. But for everyday and travel, which is exactly what it is best for, it is one of the most versatile things Salomon makes. If you like the idea but want a slightly softer, more road-friendly ride, the Salomon XT-Pathway GORE-TEX is the gentler sibling.

Waterproofing: the GORE-TEX membrane

The XT-6 GORE-TEX uses a GORE-TEX membrane, built around a PFC-free ePE construction, bonded inside the upper with an anti-debris mesh. In plain terms, it keeps liquid water out while letting sweat vapour escape, so your feet stay dry from the outside without turning the shoe into a sauna.

On wet grass, chalk that has been rained on for a week, and shallow standing water on a forest track, the membrane does its job. Puddles, spray off long grass and general British drizzle are a non-issue. I have walked coast-path sections in steady rain and come back with dry socks.

The honest limit is the height, not the membrane. This is a low-cut shoe. Waterproofing stops at the ankle collar, so if you plunge a foot into a bog deeper than the shoe, water comes in over the top the same as it would with any trainer. That is not a fault of the GORE-TEX, it is physics. Treat it as a shoe that keeps rain and wet ground out, not as a wellington.

Grip and outsole

The XT-6 GORE-TEX runs a Mud Contagrip outsole, which is Salomon's compound and lug pattern tuned for soft, slick and broken ground. The lugs are deeper and more spaced than you would find on a road-biased trainer, so they bite into mud and shed it rather than packing solid.

On wet chalk, which is the banana skin of the South West and the South Downs, it holds better than most shoes with this kind of streetwear looks have any right to. Descending greasy downland and slick boardwalk it stays predictable. It is not a fell-running outsole and it will not save you on wet rock the way a soft climbing-style rubber does, but for mixed UK trail and path it is more than enough. If you want something even faster and lighter for dry, quick miles, the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX leans that way instead.

Cushioning and fit

Underfoot the XT-6 GORE-TEX uses Salomon's AgileChassis with an EnergyCell midsole and a molded OrthoLite insole, running a 10mm drop. That is a moderate, traditional heel-to-toe drop that most walkers get on with straight away, with enough stack to take the sting out of hard tracks without feeling vague or wobbly. The chassis keeps the foot stable through turns and on side slopes, which is where a lot of soft, tall trainers fall apart.

Fit is classic Salomon: snug through the midfoot and heel, with a performance last that holds the foot in place. The Quicklace system cinches evenly across the top of the foot and tucks away into the tongue pocket, so there are no laces to soak up water or come undone in the mud. I would say it fits true to slightly narrow. If you have wide feet, try before you commit or size with that in mind. Weight is around 370g per shoe in a men's size, which is light for a waterproof shoe with this much structure and grip.

Colours

There are eight colourways in this run. Silver Cloud is the standout and the one I would put my money on: a clean, pale grey-and-white treatment that shows off the XT-6's technical panelling and works as easily with jeans as it does on the trail. It is our hero colour above for a reason.

The rest of the range, from bright to blacked-out:

Warm off-white for a softer everyday look.

Crisp full white, the boldest choice for a wet-weather shoe.

The safe, mud-friendly all-rounder.

Muted grey with a violet lift, subtle but not plain.

Full blackout, the one that hides trail dirt best.

A cooler pale green for something a bit different.

Soft cream tone, though sizes are limited at the moment.

Specs at a glance

Pros and cons

• Waterproof GORE-TEX membrane that shrugs off UK rain and wet ground
• Mud Contagrip outsole grips slick chalk, mud and boardwalk well
• Stable AgileChassis keeps the foot planted on side slopes
• Quicklace system gives a fast, secure fit with nothing to soak or come undone
• Genuinely versatile: trail, travel and town in one shoe

• Low cut, so deep bog and river crossings will come over the collar
• Fits true to slightly narrow, not ideal for wide feet
• £185 is a premium for a shoe this style-led
• Not enough underfoot protection for scree or heavy loads

Verdict

The Salomon XT-6 GORE-TEX earns 4.8/5. It takes a shoe people already wanted for the look and makes it properly useful in the wet, with a waterproof membrane, a mud-clearing Contagrip outsole and a stable chassis that holds up on real trails. For everyday and travel, and for anyone who wants a single low-cut shoe that covers coast path, downland and daily life without changing footwear, it is one of the best options going. See how it stacks up against the rest in our waterproof trainers category.

Buy it if you want versatility and grip in a shoe you will actually want to wear off the trail. Look at a mid boot instead if your days involve deep bog, big packs or the high fells.

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