Began as a small metal shop established by the Salomon family in the late 1940s, Salomon has grown to become one of the world’s top footwear and sports equipment makers by the 2000s. When George Salomon founded his factory in Annecy, France, he focused on creating wood saw blades before moving to ski edges. After producing their ski bindings (conventional ones still have leather straps) and the introduction of heel parts just 20 years later, Salomon became the market leader and was highlighted prominently at the Olympic Games in 1966.
Before buying your own Salomon boots, you should know a bit about the brand’s values and products. Salomon’s brand overview and reputation, the origin, performance, and quality of Salomon’s boots are all included in this article.
So, let’s get into it!
Salomon Brand Overview
Salomon is a French-based sports equipment manufacturer headquartered in Annecy, France. Its founder – François Salomon, started the business in 1947 in the center of the French Alps and made it become a famous brand for outdoor sports equipment. Throughout the first 30 years, Salomon only focused on producing ski bindings, but later, the brand increased its product line to make skis and ski boots. Finally, in 1992, Salomon introduced a line of hiking boots and shoes to the market.
Salomon currently manufactures items for long-distance running, hiking, mountaineering, adventure racing, skiing, and winter sports; and distributes them in more than 40 countries across 5 continents. Over time, they broadened their product line to include different sports, but their primary focus stayed on footwear and skis.
There are two popular lines from Salomon, which are Quest 4D and X-Ultra boots. In addition to hiking boots, Salomon offers excellent skiing accessories and outerwear, which is associated with the brand’s legacy.
Are Salomon Boots Made In The USA?
Unfortunately, Salomon boots are not made in the USA. Salomon is a French-based footwear and equipment manufacturer, and they currently make their products in France, China, and Vietnam.
Popular Regions Make Salomon Products
Salomon currently produces its products in China and Vietnam, similar to many other footwear brands. However, Salomon has fulfilled their aspirations of entirely localizing manufacturing after a long time of planning, with the launch of the brand-new Advanced Shoe Factory 4.0 in partnership with a local textile firm and longtime supplier, Chematex. They are also expected to release 100% Made In France boots and shoes in the future.
Salomon’s manufacturing plant is only about 2000km away from its headquarter in France, so the brand’s impact on the environment is reduced because the carbon footprint is minimized by cutting shipments from Asian countries. Thanks to its automated manufacturing, the ‘smart factory’ enables Salomon to try out new products on the go, which helps the brand to respond fast to customer demands and send products to the marketplace quickly.
Are Salomon Boots Good?
Yes, Salomon is a good brand to go when it comes to high-quality materials and craftsmanship. Salomon boots are carefully built up from diverse materials based on the boots’ functionality. Depending on what these boots are aimed to use, the brand will decide if they will be textile boots or leather hiking ones.
Salomon’s boots vary in performance, from lightweight to protective ones. Therefore, these boots are not only suitable for people wanting comfortable boots for their daily activities but also ideal for those requiring protection when spending long hours in the woods.
All Salomon boots are created with a range of production processes and materials, but they also rely significantly on technology to assure the final product’s performance and quality. Among the technologies, the Gore-Tex membrane is highlighted in most Salomon boots. Gore-Tex membrane has been applied to increase the performance of the products because this technology offers both quality and weather resistance for the boots.
Another feature worth highlighting in Salomon boots is the Contagrip® TD outer sole. Thanks to its special design, boots from Salomon can prevent traction, which helps wearers safer on tough terrains. Additionally, many of Salomon’s boots are equipped with the OrthoLite® die-cut insole, offering great support to the foot and unbeatable breathability.
In general, Salomon boots offer good toe and heel protection, water-resistant and breathable materials, great support and traction, as well as a padded tongue, all of which are essential features that you need in a pair of boots.
Salomon Boots Prices
Salomon boots have a variety of price ranges, depending on the product line and design. Most of the options range from about $90 to $200. Generally, Salomon offers a good price-to-quality ratio, making it a perfect choice for ones who don’t want to overspend on their footwear and gear.
So, are Salomon boots worth the investment? Considering the comfort and performance that these boots offer and the online reviews regarding their quality, Salomon boots and shoes are among the finest on the market. Moreover, thanks to the flexible return policy, even used and stained boots, Salomon boots are always a favorite.
