The Salomon Aero Glide 4 offers a lot of cushioning and a spark of energy in every stride.
While Salomon is still known more for trail running shoes than road running shoes, it’s also one of the brands pushing the gravel category this year. As midsole materials and various technologies are shared across similar shoes in each of those categories, the lines are starting to blur and Salomon is seemingly gaining headway off the trail.
The Salomon Aero Glide line is the brand’s max-cushioned, lightweight road-running platform—designed to deliver a smooth, highly cushioned ride for everyday training and long miles while still feeling relatively light and energetic. The new Salomon Aero Glide 4 is a high-stack premium everyday trainer that can be a high-mileage workhorse for a runner with a neutral-oriented gait.
Whether or not gravel running is as much of a trend or category as Salomon seems to think it is, the gravel version of this shoe — the Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRV — is a good example of a shoe being adapted for dirt and gravel roads and light trails. It’s an almost identical shoe, except that it has a one-pull quick lace closure system, and a low-profile trail tread for added traction.
But creating that light trail/gravel offshoot is only possible because Salomon got it right as a road running shoe first.
What’s New: The Aero Glide 4 swaps in a new OptiFOAM2 supercritical TPU midsole material that serves up a noticeably softer, more responsive ride underfoot. (There’s no plate embedded in the midsole, but the foam is very resilient.) The upper is made with what Salomon calls “an inside-out construction” designed to wrap a runner’s foot like a second skin, delivering a breathable, lightweight feel for effortless comfort on the move. It also has a redesigned lacing system built around a rubberized eyelet plate for a more secure hold, along with a few adjustments to the overlays and better airflow throughout.
Fit/Feel/Ride: The Salomon Aero Glide 4 fits true to size but is slightly long and narrow in the toe box, which ultimately felt a bit snug and didn’t really allow my forefoot to flex and splay freely. (It only comes in a singular width and it’s not going to be accommodating for runners with wider feet.) It wasn’t a deal breaker because the 3D seamless mesh upper is very pliable and keeps things smooth against my feet. Otherwise, the step-in feel is comfortably plush, thanks to the padded heel collar, premium footbed, and cushy gusseted tongue that secures the foot with the new lacing system.
The ride is decidedly soft, bouncy, and responsive, but it can also be slightly unstable for runners with any gait irregularities. The OptiFOAM2 midsole material absorbs impact on hard surfaces while the Reverse Camber technology distributes weight evenly for a smoother stride. It’s not as profoundly energetic as a plated shoe, but the midsole is definitely more lively than a lot of everyday trainers.
Price: $160
Approximate Weights: 8.0 oz. (women’s size 8), 9.0 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 41mm (heel), 33mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: It’s great because it’s a light and responsive shoe that offers a bit of versatility for a runner with a neutral gait. The shoe performs great for daily mileage, recovery runs, and steady longer efforts—the kinds of runs that make up the bulk of a marathon training cycle. It’s not built for speed, but it’s agile enough to pick up the pace while still providing the cushioning and comfort needed for longer runs.
Why You’ll Love it: It’s one of the lightest max-cushioned shoes available, but it’s also not as bulky as some of its contemporaries. The updated midsole feels soft and responsive without tipping into mushy territory, offering solid energy return—even though it doesn’t offer the bounce of premium trainers or plated shoes.
Why You Might Not Like It: Some runners will experience stability issues with this shoe. The combination of soft, plush foam, a tall stack, and a relatively narrow base can undermine stability—especially if your gait has any tendency to roll inward when you start to fatigue.
Pro: The new upper is fantastic. The 3D seamless mesh material keeps each foot locked down on the run and allows them to stay cool and free of hotspots over long efforts.
Con: The biggest detractors are the narrow interior volume (especially in the forefoot) and the relative lack of stability that some runners might experience.
About the Author
Contributing editor Brian Metzler is the Content Director for UltraSignup.com. He has wear-tested more than 2,000 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2021). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado and riding trains to run trails in Chamonix, France.
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