SALOMON XT-6: the great classic, now a unisex sneaker for 2026. Our SALOMON XT section looks today at the newest incarnation of a legend, now officially presented as a unisex fashion sneaker already on sale for 2026. The Salomon XT family as sneakers now goes beyond the familiar XT-6 Gore-Tex, adding two purely fashion-driven offshoots such as the Salomon XT Advanced and the Salomon MM6. Here, though, we focus on the most faithful and recognisable version, analysed with the mountain eye of Mayayo.

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SALOMON XT 6 REVIEW, BY MAYAYO.

Who hasn’t owned a pair of Salomon XT at some point? This saga was born squarely in the mountains, for mountain races. They were trail running shoes designed to go long, descend hard and survive hours, even days, of abuse. Mine, specifically, were the Salomon XT-3. I still carry very good memories of them from that inaugural Desafío Cantabria and many other ultras besides.

The turning point comes now. Without abandoning its trail DNA, in 2026 its main role in the market has shifted. The XT-6 is now positioned primarily as a unisex sportstyle sneaker. In other words, today Salomon sells it as technical footwear with a trail aesthetic, intended for everyday urban use.

SALOMON FASHION 2026. In its current technical description, Salomon is refreshingly clear: adapted for the city, the legendary XT-6 takes its heritage of comfort, cushioning and durability and reimagines it with fresh colours and materials. It claims its place as an icon of sportstyle, ready to move to the rhythm of the city.

Before diving into the 2026 version, allow me a brief glance back at those XT-3s that accompanied me so well in ultras around 2013. You’ll see that, at heart, they haven’t changed all that much.

SALOMON XT-6 for 2026: technical reality.

Much of the story, and much of the value of this classic, remains anchored to its origins. The XT-6 was introduced as an S/LAB model in 2013 and relaunched in 2018 under Sportstyle, from where its sneaker popularity exploded. That journey from “ultra-trail tank” to fashion icon underlines its irresistible mix: tool-like appearance, everyday usability and genuine mountain legitimacy. And yes, it still has real technical arguments if you decide to take it back to the hills.

In practice, we are talking about a shoe priced at around 180 euros, expensive but still moderate compared to many pure fashion sneakers. Its weight remains high at roughly 365 grams, entirely consistent with its rugged mountain vocation. Stack height sits at about 22 mm at the forefoot and 32 mm at the heel, keeping the foot relatively close to the ground, while the 10 mm drop is generous and forgiving, allowing tired runners to heel-strike without punishment. The hold is extremely firm, thanks to multiple structural elements that lock the instep to the chassis. The brand’s Quicklace cable system remains, along with the Agile Chassis System, the true heart of the shoe, blending stability and cushioning in harmony with the EnergyCell midsole. Underfoot, the Mud Contagrip TA outsole delivers proven performance, with aggressive lugs reaching around 5.5 mm, especially effective on soft terrain. The XT-6 is offered as a unisex shoe, in its standard version, the Gore-Tex option, and alongside the more fashion-oriented XT Advanced and XT-MM6 variants.

SALOMON XT-6 2026: what stands out.

First and foremost, stability and protection.

The XT-6 remains a highly protective shoe, with its high drop and a chassis designed to stabilise and cushion consistently rather than offer minimalist sensations. That trapezoidal Agile Chassis System, combined with the EnergyCell foam, invites you to accumulate hours of walking or easy running without ever demanding textbook forefoot technique, especially when you’re already running on fumes.

Then there is the outsole.

which is frankly superb in its intended environment. The Mud Contagrip rubber uses deep, pointed lugs oriented towards grip on loose, soft and irregular terrain. With their pronounced bite, they perform brilliantly on mud, wet leaves and slick rock, although it’s worth remembering that smooth, hard ground is not their natural habitat.

Fit is another strong point.

I’ve never been a great Quicklace enthusiast, but here the cable lacing, combined with the SensiFit wrap and the EndoFit internal sleeve, forms a very Salomon-like package: fast closure, enveloping support and a reassuringly locked-in feel. The interior is sufficiently padded, and the closure system helps keep the foot stable for walking, travelling and living in them for long hours on end.

A sneaker by marketing, a mountain shoe at heart.

As you can see, the real novelty of its 2026 life as a unisex sneaker is not a radical engineering change but a shift in mission. Since its relaunch as a sneaker, the XT-6 has become a fashion icon, much like the Speedcross before it, precisely because it keeps its technical skeleton and dresses it in more street-friendly colours and materials.

Don’t be fooled. This is a tool born for ultras, now also bought for aesthetics, versatility and that quiet credibility of “I could head into the mountains right now”, even if the actual plan is metro, office and terrace.

SALOMON XT-6 2026: conclusion.

If you’re a mountain veteran, this XT-6 “sneaker” still makes sense when you prioritise security, support and durability over sparkle. It remains an excellent shoe for clocking up hours at a steady pace, with the foot well held, a friendly drop for when technique fades, and a chassis that forgives more than many modern ultra-soft models. On long outings over soft ground, that is still a top-tier virtue.

As a rational technical purchase, the line is clear. If your usual terrain is wet, loose or irregular and you value aggressive traction, the Mud Contagrip outsole and deep lugs are a strong argument. If your real life is mostly smooth, wet asphalt, its trail character may feel less refined there, simply by design.

Buy them when you want an iconic product with proven longevity, introduced in 2013 and relaunched in 2018, whose appeal does not depend on a fashionable foam but on a very Salomon combination of chassis, fit and outsole. Paying 180 euros to take them into the mountains on soft, wet terrain, or onto fresh snow in the Gore-Tex version, makes complete sense if you know and value that robust construction and its hybrid mountain-city use. So yes, if you want shoes that can accompany you into the hills like a trusted rope mate, even if only in your daily routine, the Salomon XT-6 is still very much in the game.