To buy, or not to buy? Gorpy Salomon sneakers edition

Traveling with a bad pair of shoes feels akin, to me, like getting food poisoning while 30,000 feet in the air (especially thinking about you, cyclospora.) I choose my travel shoes very seriously, which is exactly what I did when packing my Salomon XT-Whispers before a recent adventure to Switzerland.

I've noticed Salomon's gorpcore sneakers all over the place. To see if they're worth the hype, I wore them to the airport, aboard the plane to Zurich, and on an hours-long transfer ride to my final destination, a chic resort called Guarda Golf. I kept reaching for my Salomons throughout my trip, whether I was out golfing or on a rain-soaked 9,437-step hike through the Swiss Alps. I survived the latter, and that alone should tell you everything.

What we love: They're versatile, comfortable, and great for travel. From a style POV, the gray-white colorway makes for a perfect go-with-everything sneaker.

Drawbacks: The laceless style is an adjustment aesthetically, but I didn't find anything functionally lacking with them.

They fit wider feet and the laceless design was easy on, easy off

The Salomon XT-Whispers are sneakers at the end of the day, so comfort is the bare minimum requirement. But it is worth highlighting that they fit well on my wider feet, thanks to their roomy toe box and flexibility of the mesh upper. The Whispers are also lightweight (10 ounces) and fitted with a healthy level of arch support, which is key in an ideal pair of walking shoes.

With their laceless design, I like to "lock in" my fit and, from then on, just slip them on and off. This was especially convenient on my long flights.

The Salomons offer more than just comfort. My fellow fashion editor friends and I find these kicks to be incredibly versatile style-wise, too. It was nice to have one pair of sneakers I could wear on walks, easy hikes, and my occasional vacation workout.

I've tested other trendy sneakers like the Nike Dn8s and low profile Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66s, but I found the Salomon XT-Whispers work best for doing it all, taking you from daily wear to various activities while still looking stylish.

I survived running from a thunderstorm in the mountains, almost ten-thousand steps later, without slipping on the way down

While in Switzerland, my group drove from our lodgings in Crans-Montana up to a hiking trail in the Swiss Alps. We were taking in the crisp air and woodsy scents, when suddenly the sky turned grey and clouds furled into heavy rain. Soon enough, it was pouring. We then heard thunder, making it even more urgent to get back to the car quickly. (Lightning struck so close that someone in my group saw it ahead of us on the path.) We took off running.

My legs kicked into adrenaline-fueled high gear, and I was worried about falling on the way down. The trail had some uneven terrain, and, now, slippery wet rocks. Thankfully, the tread on my Whispers kept me stable, and the shoes even supported my ankles from twisting while sprinting down uneven terrain. I survived the dramatic descent down, feeling like Lara Croft, and grateful my feet (and Salomons) didn't fail me.

I was able to lower their cost-per-wear in no time

My favorite sneakers I own cost tend to cost between $100 and $150. The Salomon XT-Whispers come in at the higher end of that range at $145 a pair. To me, they felt worth the price. They materials are high quality, comfortable, and durable. (After that rugged run down the Swiss Alps, for example, I didn't notice any abnormal wear and tear.)

The laceless style can be an adjustment — especially if it's not your look — but that's part of the appeal of Salomons. For what it's worth, I wore these around the lobby of a luxury hotel and didn't feel out of place.

These sneakers are also great for packing light. I counted on the Whispers as my daily and workout shoe, saving me valuable luggage space.

So — to buy, or not to buy?

The Salomon XT-Whispers are the shoes I pack when I need a pair that can do it all. They're not a speciality pair of kicks, crafted specifically for runs or hikes, so accordingly, they don't have any Hoka-level cushioning or deep lug soles. But because they served me so well running around Europe and NYC, these proved to be worth the buy.

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