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Salomon Comet 3D GTX - Women's Review

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Salomon Comet 3D GTX - Women's Review (Salomon Comet 3D GTX - Women's)
Salomon Comet 3D GTX - Women's
Credit: Salomon
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   Salomon
By Briana Valorosi ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 2, 2014
78
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Weight - 15% 7.0
  • Support - 20% 7.0
  • Traction - 15% 9.0
  • Comfort - 25% 7.0
  • Water Resistance - 15% 9.0
  • Durability - 10% 9.0

Our Verdict

As of August 2016, the Salomon Comet 3D GTX is discontinued.
REASONS TO BUY
Aggressive tread
Water resistance
Well padded lining
Lacing
REASONS TO AVOID
Bulky
Wide rubber beneath heel
Tongue design digs into ankle
The Salomon Comet 3D have the most aggressive tread of any women's hiking boots that we reviewed. A varied tread pattern paired with deep lugged soles makes the Comet 3D boots a good option for traveling in rugged terrain, particularly where traction is essential to stability and enjoyment. However, we find the bulky soles paired with lightweight uppers to be unbalanced and uncomfortable. The Gore-Tex lining keeps your feet well-ventilated and dry through river crossings and hiking across snow. For three season backpacking and long-term durability, these boots are fitting.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Hands-On Review


Salomon offers technically savvy hiking footwear with aggressive tread and optimum water resistance. The Comet 3D are an ideal option for three season backpacking, particularly on uneven terrain.

Performance Comparison


salomon comet 3d gtx for women - we tested the durability and stability of the salomon comet 3d in...
We tested the durability and stability of the Salomon Comet 3D in water, rock, and on well traveled trails. Compared to other women's hiking boots, these are excellent for rugged terrain but have an unbalanced design of a sturdy and heavy sole paired with a lightweight upper. The Lowa Renegade boots are a great option for a durable upper that is balanced in weight with a sturdy rubber sole suitable for rough terrain.
Credit: Ryan Edwards

Weight


The Comet 3D weigh in at 2.4 pounds. This is a mid-range weight between the lightest women's hiking boots at 1.8 pounds and the heaviest at 3.25 pounds. Unfortunately, on the trail they feel heavier than others in our review. The bulky soles are to blame for this perception of weight. The upper material and lining feel light in weight but the rubber soles aren't in balance.

Support


The Salomon Comet 3D have stiff soles that offer some flexibility to absorb impact from rocks and roots beneath the feet. The midsole is constructed of EVA with a thermoplastic urethane shank for added support. Ortholite foot bed liners are well-padded for long days on the trail. The upper material is designed with Nubuck leather and polyester mesh. The hybrid materials on the upper flex with the lift and drop of each step. There is an imbalance in construction materials that make the underfoot feel heavy and the upper material ultra flexible.

The ankle support is excellent as the lacing system is superior to other boots in our review, but aside from the ankle support, hiking in these boots lacks overall support of the feet and back body. The La Sportiva FC ECO 3.0 GTX - Women's are also constructed of leather and mesh uppers, but have a balanced weight between the upper and sole materials.

salomon comet 3d gtx for women - the staggered eyelets allow for a secure, personalized fit. we love...
The staggered eyelets allow for a secure, personalized fit. We love the lacing design for the ability to adjust the tightness of the boots in changing conditions, with different sock thicknesses, and to accommodate personal needs as the trail days go by.
Credit: Briana Valorosi

Traction


The traction of the Comet 3D is comparable to the Editors' Choice Lowa Renegade GTX Mid - Women's. Deep lugs and a varied tread pattern shed mud and dirt from the bottom of shoes, keeping you hiking onward. Salomon's proprietary Contagrip rubber keeps the sole gripped while hiking on granite or other rock surfaces. The traction is a highlight feature of these boots. They handle rugged terrain, loose gravel and dirt, scree, and talus.

salomon comet 3d gtx for women - the salomon comet 3d are designed with a lightweight upper mesh...
The Salomon Comet 3D are designed with a lightweight upper mesh material married to aggressive lugged soles. Ideal for rugged terrain, but they feel unbalanced.
Credit: Briana Valorosi

Comfort


Compared to other women's hiking boots, these rated lowest in comfort. It has an uncomfortable tongue design that digs in at the ankle when the boots are laced up snug. The Lowa Renegades and Ahnu Montatas are the most comfortable that we tested.

Water Resistance and Breathability


The Comet 3D are lined with Gore-Tex waterproof/breathable membranes and have waterproof Nubuck leather uppers. The two paired together create incredible water resistance. 4.5" of ankle shaft height allowed us to walk across creeks and arrive at the other side with completely dry socks. Both the Lowa, La Sportiva, and Ahnu women's hiking boots are slightly higher in ankle shaft height and therefore offer slightly better water resistance. Like all of the boots we tested, prolonged submersion eventually leads to water absorption.

Polyester mesh combined with the leather uppers lends to increased breathability. The light weight of the upper is more breathable than the Timberland Chocorua Trail boots or the Lowa Renegade boots.

salomon comet 3d gtx for women - many hikes have mandatory water crossings. finding a hiking boot...
Many hikes have mandatory water crossings. Finding a hiking boot that offers water resistant features will keep your feet dry on and off the trail!
Credit: Ryan Edwards

Durability


Bulky rubber soles on the bottom of these boots suitable are for rugged terrain. An abrasion resistant lining adds durability to the interior of the boots and a Nubuck leather outer proves to be durable day after day on the trail. We wore these boots through creeks, up mountains, across talus slopes, and on steep trails and they still look practically new! The outer boot handles rough terrain with grace. The mud guard not only protects the toes from impact but wraps around the boot to protect the entire base of the boot from rock damage, sticks, and other trail impacts. The durability of the Salomon Comet 3D is on par with the Editors' Choice Lowa Renegade.

salomon comet 3d gtx for women - a protective rubber toe cap and wrap around mud guard keep these...
A protective rubber toe cap and wrap around mud guard keep these shoes in tip top shape while hiking through rugged terrain. After multiple hikes through rocky talus and root strewn forests, the rubber toe cap maintained a like-new look!
Credit: Briana Valorosi

Best Applications


The Salomon Comet 3D are too bulky for day hiking. Although the weight ranks them among the lighter boots in our review, they feel bulky on the trail. They are best suited for spring, summer, and fall backpacking. Under a mid to heavyweight pack load the wide heel provides extra stability and the ankle shaft stabilizes the ankles for support.

salomon comet 3d gtx for women - out for a hike in yosemite national park, the salomon comet 3d lady...
Out for a hike in Yosemite National Park, the Salomon Comet 3D Lady GTX hiking boots managed every terrain condition from well managed trails to rocky, rugged slopes.
Credit: Briana Valorosi

Value


At $200, the Comet 3D are the second most expensive women's hiking boots. Unfortunately, they don't rate high enough in our metric ratings to justify this as a good value. The aggressive tread and ankle support are definitely worth paying more for, but overall, the shoes lack comfort on the trail. For $25 more our Editors' Choice award winning boots, the Lowa Renegade, are comfortable on the trail and offer an aggressive tread that rivals the Comet 3Ds. The Lowas rated higher across the board in all metric ratings, and with only an ounce difference between weight, we recommend them as a better value than the Salomon Comet 3D.

Conclusion


The Salomon Comet 3D have bulky rubber soles that widen beneath the heels, but this contrasts the lightweight uppers. Low ratings in weight and comfort contrast with the high ratings in durability and traction.

Briana Valorosi