Reviews You Can Rely On

Salomon X-Pro 120 Review

This is a high-performing boot that fits a medium width foot very nicely
gearlab tested logo
Salomon X-Pro 120 Review
Credit: Salomon
Price:  $600 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Salomon
By Mike Phillips ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 23, 2016

Our Verdict

Salomon no longer makes the X Pro 120.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable liner
Great heel pocket
Heat moldable shell
Buckles
Rubber sole
REASONS TO AVOID
Color
The Salomon X Pro 120 is a highly customizable boot for advanced and expert level skiers who demand a precise fit. This boot looks just as good as it skis. In our testing, we found it to be responsive and sensitive with plenty of stiffness to drive big skis and make hard turns. The 120 flex rating seems about average when compared to our test group, as does the width and length of the boot. With a heat-moldable shell, outrageously comfortable ankle/heel pockets, and a heat-moldable liner, this boot can adapt to fit medium width feet well.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Hands-On Review


The X Pro series comes in four available flexes: 80, 100, 120, and 130 millimeters.

The Salomon X-Pro 120 falls into the more traditional category of an all-mountain ski boot with specialized features that focus on fit, such as a heat-moldable shell and liner. Overall, we found it to be comfortable, and it skied well.

salomon x-pro 120 - the x-pro 120 is stable at speed on firm early season snow at...
The X-Pro 120 is stable at speed on firm early season snow at Mammoth Mountain, CA.
Credit: Jediah Porter

Downhill Performance


The Salomon X Pro 120 is a great balance between an aggressive, performance-driven ski boot and a comfortable boot. Our testers could ski hard in it but not feel cramped or overpowered by the boot. Its close fit allowed the boot to be responsive, and its overall stiff nature let us drive skis as hard as we wanted to in variable conditions.

salomon x-pro 120 - the x pro 120 driving in hard snow conditions while testing in the...
The X Pro 120 driving in hard snow conditions while testing in the Paranoids at Mammoth Mountain, CA.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Comfort and Fit


The X Pro 120 fit our testers with medium-volume feet right out of the box. The boot is easy to put on and very comfortable thanks to its soft feel and excellent heel/ankle pockets that cradle the foot and hold it in place. This close fit can be improved further by heating molding both the shell and the boot liner.

It is advertised that the shell can expand from 100 mm to 106 mm in width, which is an impressive range of feet to fit. We did not heat mold the shell to see if it improved the fit for our testers but believe that subtle adjustments would improve the performance and fit of this boot greatly.

salomon x-pro 120 - check out the heel/ankle pockets on the liner of the x pro 120.
Check out the heel/ankle pockets on the liner of the X Pro 120.
Credit: Mike Phillips

The wide power-strap keeps a secure, fitting tightly at the shin, while the soft tongue helps minimize the amount of shin pain we sometimes experience when skiing a boot this stiff for a full day. This boot scored well with our testers due to it's good out of the box fit characteristics and its potential for further personalization.

salomon x-pro 120 - the salomon x pro 120 buckles are easy to operate with gloves and...
The Salomon X Pro 120 buckles are easy to operate with gloves and mittens on.
Credit: Jediah Porter

Features


The standout features of the X Pro 120 are related to its customizable fit. A professional boot fitter can heat up both the shell of the boot and the liner (individually and separately) to make them more malleable, place your foot inside, buckle the boot, and allow the material to shape to your foot. This will potentially improve fit, comfort, and performance simultaneously.

We think the aluminum micro-adjustable buckles on the X Pro 120 are very easy to operate with gloves and mittens on and are also very low profile. There is plenty of room for adjustment. However, when cranking down on the buckles on the forefoot, we could feel the shell pressing downward versus wrapping our foot. This is the only downside fit-wise to this boot.

By flipping a metal block on the spine of the boot, the user can switch between a Sport setting and Performance setting. This is easily accomplished using an Allen wrench. Unfortunately, this flex adjustment does not provide a significant boost in stiffness.

Durability


We found no issues with the durability of this boot during our testing. We feel as though the replaceable soles on the X Pro 120 are among the best offered in this review. They feature a blend of soft rubber and hard plastic that we think will stand up to repeated abuse. The tread on the soles is also very grippy.

Warmth


Our testers found this boot to be fairly warm. We feel as though it would be warmer to get the boot heat molded, which would customize the shape of the shell and liner and potentially improve foot circulation. Sometimes a boot with a close performance fit can restrict circulation a bit, which is what we felt in the X Pro 120 but not to an uncomfortable degree.

salomon x-pro 120 - testers agree that the soles on the x pro 120 were among their...
Testers agree that the soles on the X Pro 120 were among their favorites in the review.
Credit: Mike Phillips

Value


This boot is a good value for someone seeking a boot that is highly customizable with the help of a boot fitter. If it fits well out of the box, it will also be a great boot for you. If it takes some work to dial in the fit, it will be worth the extra money up front to have a boot that is easy to customize.

Conclusion


The X Pro 120 is a performance-oriented all-mountain ski boot that is best suited for advanced to expert skiers with a medium-width foot. It has excellent fit characteristics that can be improved with custom work done by an experienced boot fitter familiar with the Salomon shells in particular.

Mike Phillips