Tester: Dave Cornthwaite
Salomon's OUTline Prism is a slightly tweaked version of the popular OUTline multi-use outdoor shoe.
The Prism feels every bit as lightweight as the hiking trainer moniker suggests at only 620g a pair. Support is good for such a lightweight walking shoe though - these aren't necessarily going to rival your hiking boots in terms of capability, but they do the job on easy to moderate walks.
The outsole is a version of Contagrip that's a little more suited to variable terrain than the standard Contagrip, which lacks grip on greasy rocks. The old Contagrip is very hardwearing, we have worn our standard OUTline shoes for a lot of miles and there's barely any wear, but we prefer the extra grip afforded by the stickier rubber on the OUTline Prism.
Trail feel through the midsole is balanced between precision, cushioning and protection, you will feel sharp pointy rocks but the trade off is light weight comfort right out of the box and a general feeling of bounciness.
Fit is medium, which is unusual for Salomon who usually build to a narrow last. This will appeal to a wider range of foot shapes, those on the narrower end of the spectrum can still cinch the lacing over the feet though.
Like the OUTline the OUTline Prism are great shoes for a variety of uses. They look great so lend themselves well to simply 'wearing' but they're capable enough to take on most hikes. What this adds up to is a great adventure travel shoe, ticking all the right boxes from lightweight and packable to capable on the trail, canoe, bike or climb.
