Consistent with all snowgrrl reviews of products tested, this Salewa Alpenrose hiking boot review states my honest opinion about this product received at no charge from Salewa.

Reviewed by “QUICK CHICK,” Tracie Max Sachs

Tracie is a 5 time World Cup Champion in Speed Skiing. She is the American Women’s record holder, and 4th fastest woman in the history of skiing. She is currently a ski instructor at the Swiss Ski School of Verbier.

The boots:

The Salewa Women’s Alpenrose Ultra Mid GTX Speed Hiking Shoe is a waterproof, breathable mid-cut shoe with GORE-TEX® protection and a MICHELIN® sole, which Salewa has designed specifically for speed hiking and high-intensity mountain training.  Salewa touts the boots as having the following features and benefits:

• MICHELIN®’s technical performance outsole featuring a design with grooves and sculptures for traction and stability over hard and uneven terrain.
• Promotes natural foot movement and agility – especially on downhill sections. T
• GORE-TEX® construction to keep your feet dry in wet and muddy conditions.
• Trademark SALEWA 3F System connecting the instep with the sole and heel for ankle support, flexibility and a precise fit.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Specifications:Vegan
• 

  Salewa Alpenrose on the trail in Verbier 2200 meters high.

  Weight:330 g

• Gender:Female

MATERIAL:

• Lining:GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort
• Outsole:Michelin® Ultra Train
• Upper:Breathable mesh / Coated fabric

Initial Reaction?

First and foremost, I was impressed by the light weight of the package I received in the mail.  The Salewa Alpenrose Ultra Mid Gortex Women’s hiking boots are really well made, cute, stylish, and generally pleasing to the eye on first impression.  These boots looked relatively small compared to other hiking boots I own, so I was slightly scared about the size.  Excited about trying them out, I quickly unlaced the shoes.  I almost always take a size 7.5 US so that is what I chose.  Despite their diminutive looks, they fit perfectly!  They have great lateral support and the overall length and shape fit my low volume, rather normal size foot just like Cinderella’s glass slipper.

What were the test conditions?

I’ve actually made a point to wear the Salewa Alpenrose Ultra Mid Gortex Women’s shoes daily since I received them.  I am very impressed with the fit.  No “break-in period” was needed.  I wear them on daily walks with my dog Twinkie. We walk and jog and hike on all sorts of terrain.  I tested the shoes in rain, sleet, snow, dry and wet rock, dirt and generally variable conditions. 

 Performance?

The grip is good everywhere I’ve been. Only crampons hold well on glare ice and I don’t like falling down so I didn’t spend much time on pure ice. On fresh snow to hard packed snow the MICHELIN®’s technical performance outsole held really well.  On downhill sections my feet did not slide forward. The arch support and lateral stability proved to be excellent while running in softer snow.  They also held up on hard pack.  The Salewa Alpenrose Ultra Mid GTX provided cushion for my joints on hard surfaces. I had no bad pressure points anywhere on my feet.  The soft tongue provides enough flex for quick movements. The stiff sole and mid height exteriors performed well when pushed to the limits.

Room for improvements?

Though the shoes fit me perfectly, I asked a friend who has particularly wide feet to try them on.  She normally wears a 7 wide, and the 7.5 fit her perfectly.  If you have very wide or high volume feet, consider going up a half a size. The shoes are harder to get on then a typical sneaker so be prepared to actually sit down and loosen the laces to get them on your feet.

Recommendations?

These high quality shoes were great in my tests. The suggested retail value of 190 euros (US $138) is a good price point, competitive with other brands. An added bonus is that these shoes are Vegan.  Though I’m only vegetarian, it is important to me to lesson my impact on the environment and to be kind to animals, so that’s a nice surprise. I recommend the Salewa Alpenrose as an all around hiking shoe.  They are perfect for short trips or long.  I’ve had the opportunity to climb Kilimanjaro, and these would be perfect for a trip like that. When you need to pack light and have a shoe that is sufficient for all conditions, this is it. Since I’m tough on my footwear, I may need to do an update after a few months of wearing these.