The mercury wasn’t budging past 16 degrees Fahrenheit but neither my dog nor I had been outside all day. We both badly needed a session on the skis. So I loaded my Nordic setup in the back, including my Salomon Vitane Plus Prolink boots. Then I revved my Jeep’s engine west toward Prince Creek Road.
Thirty minutes later, I was booted up and clipped into my skis. The temps had dropped to 13 degrees a few hundred feet above town. I hesitated for a second, seeing my breath turn to fog. But I sensed into my toes, wiggled them, and confirmed they were still warm and cozy, ready to go.
Ahead, my dog was already bounding between banks of loose snow. I had no choice but to follow. So I tucked my ears into a buff and pushed into the silver-cold backcountry.
I shouldn’t have hesitated, I quickly realized. As the miles passed and the afternoon sun sank even lower, the Salomon Vitane Plus Prolink boots continued to serve their promised purpose. They offer maximum comfort and warmth for female cross-country skiers. Six miles and one fall later, my feet were still cozy-dry and our spirits ever-high.
In short: I’ll never again think twice about heading into frigid conditions with my feet tucked into the Vitane Plus Prolink boots ($150). They’re warm and comfortable, and keep your feet dry. With an anatomical design geared toward women’s feet and the presence of moldable foam, these boots fit like a glove. They also protect like a glove, shielding your feet from any and all elements.
- Upper: Synthetic
- Insulation: Thinsulate synthetic insulation/microfleece linings
- Weight: 830 g
- Weight (Pair): 1 lb., 13.28 oz.
- Cross-Country Style: Classic
- Boot and Binding Compatibility: NNN / TURNAMIC / Prolink
Pros
- Ergonomic women's-specific fit
- Exceptionally warm
- Comfortable
- Non-slip underfoot grip for walking
- 100% PVC-free
Cons
- Boot cuff is tight on some body types
Salomon Vitane Plus Prolink Boots Review
The Boot
Built to brave the elements and designed to keep the female foot warm, the Vitane Plus Prolink boots set a high bar for cross-country boots. With solid ankle support and a variety of different insulation materials, they deliver a stable and comfortable experience on snow. They’re not too stiff and not too soft; the boot’s flex hits the Goldilocks zone of comfort.
After clocking a 10-mile day zipping around the groomed trails, I traded the boots for hiking shoes. I was able to stay on my feet for another couple of hours without any stress, soreness, or discomfort.
Thinsulate insulation hugs the boot’s interior. And a microfleece liner is the icing on the cake. It adds extra insulation and warmth while contributing to the boot’s cozy, borderline luxurious feel.
A waterproof zipper runs over the laces and seals the boot, trapping warmth and keeping out cold air, snow, and water. I never had issues with soggy or sweaty feet. Not even when I had to hike my skis over a bank of calf-deep powder.
The boot cuff rises above your ankle and secures around the bottom of your calf with the waterproof zipper and a Velcro strap. It’s a rigid cuff, adding ankle support and additional stability to the boot, while also increasing control. On descents, I appreciated how I could lean into the boot to help me carve — slowing myself down.
But as a mountain athlete with muscular legs, I initially found the cuff’s circumference a little tight. So I had to play with the zipper and Velcro components to find my optimum setup. When I used thinner socks, however, I could hardly feel the cuff at all. And my feet stayed just as warm.
Walking from the track and trails back to my car, I’d throw my skis over my shoulder and was grateful for the good grip underfoot. Just as the boot’s stable outsole helps keep you on track while skiing, it also helps while walking on icy or snowy surfaces. A series of lugnuts bite into the snow. Those helped keep me from banana peel slipping while I traversed trailhead parking lots covered in packed snow.
And for those environmentally minded, the Vitane Plus Prolink boots are PVC-free. That keeps some of the most destructive synthetic particles out of our recreation zones and manufacturing lines — a win-win-win for our snowpack, the planet, and everyone in contact with this trail-ready boot.
The Fit
This women’s-specific boot is designed for the female foot. What does that mean? The Vitane Plus Prolink boots are a bit wider than others on the market, creating a more comfortable fit that works in tandem with a narrower heel and less height between the boot’s sole and laces.
I wear regularly sized shoes (neither wide nor narrow). And these boots fit perfectly from the first day I tried them. Altogether, the ergonomic design delivers a supreme balance of comfort and maneuverability.
Layers inside the boot enhance the smart structural design. It’s a combination of comfort, thermo-moldable foams, and Lycra that mold specifically to the skier’s feet, creating a personalized fit and feel.
No one wants to take their gloves off in sub-freezing temps. Thanks to the Vitane Plus Prolink’s quick-and-easy fastening system, I easily kept frostbite at bay while setting up for my early morning sessions.
The Quicklace laces are made from Kevlar. Thus they’re practically impossible to snap or damage. They tighten and loosen via a pull tab: Simply pull up on the tab, and the laces tighten through a series of hooks that line the top of your foot. To loosen, press a large button on the tab and pull it down.
The Velcro strap and waterproof zipper are also large enough to manage easily with gloved hands.
By my third tour, I could put the boots on with one hand. Easy peasy, even with the fattest of fingers.
Compatibility
The boot’s bindings are Salomon’s tried-and-true Prolink classic bindings. Designed with a metal rod at the tip of the boot toe, they clip effortlessly into a cross-country binding to create a smooth hinge that transfers energy efficiently between your stride kicks, the skis, and the snow.
Releasing the boot is just as easy: Press the tip of your ski pole where indicated at the top of the binding. Voilà ! Your boot is free. Thanks to the Prolink binding system’s low profile, the possibility of annoying accumulations of snow or ice around hardware is minimized.
While the Vitane Plus Prolink boots pair perfectly with Salomon’s Snowscape 7 Posigrip cross-country skis (which come with Prolink bindings preinstalled), the brand’s Prolink boots can also pair with NNN and TURNAMIC bindings. It’s a versatile boot that could be used on a variety of skis, new or old.
Conclusion: Salomon Vitane Plus Prolink Boots
Built for women ready to brave Nordic elements, the Vitane Plus Prolink boots are designed to keep the female foot warm, stabilized, and comfortable throughout long touring days. With solid ankle support, layers of fleece, and featherless insulation, this boot will take you the distance, any day of the week.
