Didn’t you post that pic before?
I had the same issue with the Salomon shoes I had between the XAPro (the earlier version before it morphed into a more general trail shoe) and Speedcross.
I forget the name of the shoe after 15 years but had two pairs and they both split exactly where yours have
I’ve mentioned it, but not posted a pic before.
You did. Post number 16ish on this thread 
haha - busted
I tried on a pair of TX5, they didn’t fit my feet but are also quite chunky. More a mountain/scrambling boot than hiking IMHO.
Salomon are incredibly comfortable but build quality is not up there with the best. Walking boots don’t last 2 years down here before they start falling spart. Fortunately their warrenty is very good and they know the week points of their boots so have never had a problem.
Well, y’all got an update on my boot wear! 
I’d definitely underestimated their mileage last Nov; they are doing minimum 10 miles a week every week.
Ref quality. Salomon switched production didn’t they; I think it used to be Thailand, but now India in most cases.
The other option looks like the Scarpa Maverick, to replace the Salomons. They look like a marginally beefier version of the X Ultra Mid.
I’ve just sold a pair of Mavericks on eBay as I couldn’t get on with them. They are nice light boots, quite wide fitting (don’t size up for them!) but the lacing system is trash. They only have 5 lace holes which is nowhere near enough for a boot and I couldn’t get a snug fit on the foot so had to overtighten round the ankle which I hate
I’ve always found Scarpa true to size. Salomon I go a whole size up! The Salomon also only has 5 laces holes too; maybe a problem with large feet, but mine are not in that category.
I kind of feel like Salomon have nailed the ‘trainer boot’ category with the X Ultra 3 Mid, and ain’t no-one matching it from a fit & feel perspective (once you have the right size!).
All my big summits have been in Scarpas though 
I still have a pair of the greatest Big Wall/Scrambling/Approach boots known to mankind; I will post a pic of the Unicorn boot later…they are nearly 21 years old now. I did my best day in Wales in them back in the day: Idwal Slabs, Cneifion arete and the Dolmen Ridge, all linked together.
I’m mostly a Scarpa guy; have Mescalitos for scrambling which are great, Charmoz for winter stuff, and just got some R Evo off eBay to replace the Mavericks. All in 9.5 but the Maverick in 9.5 are huge!
Could be a quality control thing with the Mavericks; where are they made?
I ended-up selling lots of my stuff as it just wasn’t getting used once we had kids, and didn’t live anywhere near a decent mountains in the UK. Some of it even got given away to charity shops, including two pairs of Scarpa Freney boots 
That’s what happens when you’re married and move house a fair bit.
Both purchased in Aviemore in 2000. I got those El Caps for about £100 which was a steal at the time; at Cairngorm Mountain Sports. The Manta M4s have done the Haute Route on someone else’s feet; I was in my Freneys.
The El Cap was like rocking horse shit even 15 years ago; the granddaddy of all Scarpa’s scrambing boots.
Not even my oldest pair of boots! That prize goes to my 1999 Berghaus Storm; in the back of my car ‘just in case’.
and this is why perusing random message boards is dangerous. I immediately got on the Googles. Looked this up. Liked the look of it. Texted my two mountain guys. Now looking at what we could fit in on a quick weekend to Wales if we don’t end up going for PBR.
PBR is deffo on the list, but will be a total sufferfest, whereas something like this, and a couple of other scrambles/climbs, would be much more relaxed and fun.
^^ that’s the goal! Have had too much ‘type 2 fun’ over the years 
I think this last year, and especially this lockdown has highlighted how much i enjoy the company of my friends as a counter balance to the other side of my life. Don’t get me wrong, i love the hurt locker and love pushing myself to the limit. But this time around, it’s just been so depressing that a more fun based weekend would probably heal the old soul a little bit more. Plus give me a window into something totally new to me, that i’m dead keen to get involved with. I just wish i’d met these guys about 10 years earlier!!!
Sorry, I’m having a moment, what’s PBR? (this feels like a work comment!)
Paddy Buckley Round (the Welsh Bob Graham)
