My wife fell in love with the Salomon XA Pro trail shoe as her light hiker, but is having problems keeping the laces tight. She tried twisting the clamp mechanism and tucking it under a lace, but when going down hill the laces will loosen significantly. Any ideas for either a tighter clamp mechanism or alternative laces?

I haven't had that problem, but then how tight is significantly? Maybe that gizmo that tightens is worn out?

I have the Comp XA 5s and they don't seem to loosen up. Like Nick said, maybe the lace mechanism is not working correctly. Have a look at it and see. And if you bought them locally maybe you can go have them look at it or fix you up with new laces. Good luck.

I use lightweight Montbell gaiters with mine, and I think keeping dirt out to the lacing toggle has kept mine from getting loose.

I've used the Wings, XA Pro 3D (or whatever they call it now), and the Comp. The lace lock starts to slip near the end of the season. I just live with it. I'd be mad if I paid retail for these shoes and had the laces come loose like that though.

They sell a replacement lace kit, if it bothers you.

We took them back to REI and exchanged, hoping that we just got a loose one. If that doesn't work, we'll explore some other options. Can't wait to see someone's reaction at the REI garage sale: "It says 'Laces won't stay tight.' Right. What a dope! Can't believe someone would return these shoes for THAT silly reason!"

I have the XA Pro mids, and I get slippage sometimes as well. I think it is a foot volume issue...I have a low-volume foot, causing the lace-cinching mechanism to lay almost flat with the laces it's supposed to be cinching; I think that for the mechanism to work best the laces should be arcing downward a bit, as they would be when wrapped around a normal-volume foot.

This theory of mine has been supported by the fact that since I've swapped out the stock insoles with a set of higher-volume ones, the slippage has decreased noticeably. If it continues to be an annoyance, however, I might just swap in a set of thinner, regular-style cordage laces, like some 1.5mm Z-line...

That's an interesting idea. If the new shoe continues to slip I'll explore that possibility.

I've considered replacing with some thin cord. That z-line might be a possibility as long as it isn't the slick stuff.