Salomon Aero Glide Review: Joining the Max Stack Club
By David Salas & Matthew Klein
Salomon is normally thought of being a trail company, though they have been branching out more and more over the last few years. The Aero Glide is a road running trainer that gives the runner a high-stack rockered experience. The shoe does not have any major bells or whistles consistent with super shoes but provides a balanced training shoe for logging mileage.
Price: $159.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9 oz, 254 g (men's size 9), 7.7 oz, 218 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 37 mm / 27 mm
Drop: 10 mm
Classification: Max Cushion Lightweight Training Shoe
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide is a lighter max-cushioned daily trainer the works best for easy mileage and mild uptempo work. A rockered ride from the midfoot to the forefoot transitions forward while a large amount of moderately soft Energy Foam provides plenty underfoot. A sliding insole is easily fixed by replacing it, which when fixed makes for a comfortable normal to slightly wide fit throughout. The lighter weight provides a little versatility for uptempo work, but those looking for a forward-rolling trainer for eating up miles may enjoy the Salomon Aero Glide.
David: The Salomon Aero Glide reminds me of the daily trainers that rely on easy rhythmic miles. Shoes that come to mind are HOKA Clifton or Saucony Endorphin Shift. This shoe is a little different, but provides a similar experience. This is a high-stack rockered training shoe in the neutral category that gives you a gradually rolling experience.
SIMILAR SHOES: Hoka Clifton 9, Saucony Endorphin Shift 3
FIT
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide fits me true to size in my normal men's US 10. The width is normal to slightly wider, especially in the forefoot. The mesh up front is thinner and has some mild stretch. The midfoot fits more normal in width and features a thinner ungusseted tongue. The heel fits normally with a moderately stiff heel counter and mild heel collar cushioning. The counter is rounded and did not bother me at all. Those sensitive to those should be careful. The security of the upper is quite good, but the insole security is not. I had so much insole slippage that I removed them and replaced them with another shoe's insoles. This completely solved the problem, so either Salomon needs to include another pair, fix this or anyone who purchases this shoe should be ready to replace them. Besides the insole issue, this shoe should be worn with socks as the inner liner is a little scratchy. With socks it is fine and provides a solid fit with a little more room in the forefoot.
David: The Salomon Aero Glide fits true to size in my Men's 9.5. The shoe fits normal to slightly wide throughout the full length of the shoe. The tongue has plenty of padding and lets you lock the laces down as tight as you want without issue. The upper material is decently thin but holds its structure pretty well. There is a heel counter that seems to hold the structure of the shoe decently well. You can feel it on foot and gives a slight sense of hold. The volume throughout is slightly high but the lacing system is good enough to look the other way. The length feels good, though perhaps a tad long. One thing I did notice is that the sock liner does seem to move a tad and does not fit flush with the rest of the shoe. The slippage wasn't horrible, though I could notice I was rubbing it at the end of the toes a few times when running in the shoe. The fit throughout is pretty accommodating though and should work for most people if they get by the sock liner thing.
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide is a higher stack, lighter daily training shoe. The rocker profile, which Salomon calls "Reverse Camber," feels like a rocker that starts at the posterior midfoot and transitions forward. The heel is a little large and clunky, although there is a centered heel bevel. The clunkiness comes from a significant amount of sole flare, especially laterally. This does make the 10mm listed drop feel higher, so those that want that in a maximal shoe will enjoy this. Landing or transitioning a little farther forward makes for a far smoother transition. The heel moves into a smooth midfoot and solid forefoot transition with a little flex at the end of shoe.
The Energy Foam midsole is moderately soft and provides plenty of reliable cushioning over longer miles. It has some mild bounce, but most of the forward transition comes from the roll. This makes the shoe great for easy, longer miles and some uptempo work. I have used this shoe for a short-tempo run and it responded quite well. It isn't the fastest shoe, but the lighter weight, reverse camber, mild cushioning and distal forefoot flexibility makes it quite smooth. I was not able to push the pace any faster, but even tempo paces are decent. This makes this shoe a great option for mid-pack or rear-pack runners who still want a lighter cushioned shoe for race day. For all, this is a solid lighter daily training shoe that can easily eat up miles.
David: The Salomon Aero Glide is a high-stack neutral training shoe. It runs precisely like it sounds. The rocker profile is a little more gradual but does keep you rolling of the forefoot pretty quick when you are running in transition. The foam can come off as a little flat initially but actually has some decent bounce when you load it faster. The traction underfoot is decent and comparable with a lot of daily trainers. There is a lot of rubber but I am noticing it is wearing a little quicker than other outsoles I have had on shoes. There is plenty of it though and I don't anticipate any problems. There is some decent sole flaring in the heel and in the forefoot but the shoe feels a tad undercut through the midfoot. Especially laterally I will get a small pressure sensation. Adding a small sidewall or even maintaining the sole flare would probably improve that.
The heel and forefoot definitely have a noticeable bevel, though a little less extreme than some of the other shoes on the market. When loaded there is some flexibility in the distal forefoot which feels nice for me. Sometimes the rockered shoes feel too much and this slight flexibility makes the forefoot transition feel a little more natural. The shoe is a decently balanced neutral trainer with a high stack rockered feel.
STABILITY
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide is a neutral training shoe in the heel and midfoot that does have some mild stable elements. There are mild sidewalls at the medial and lateral aspects of the heel that transition into the midfoot and forefoot. The softer midsole makes these sidewalls more minimal, but the slightly firmer forefoot combined with these makes for a more guided ride up front. The shape of the shoe is on the wider side although the midfoot does taper. There is a large guideline underneath and the heel has some flaring. There are a few things that detract from this. The heel bevel is centered, which means that the lateral flare causes an early initial contact that pitches my ankle in. The higher heel drop in a maximal, softer shoe makes things a bit wobbly initially, but landing farther forward negates this.
David: The Salomon Aero Glide is a neutral training shoe that still does some stability components well. The sole flaring of the platform in the heel and forefoot feels nice, though some of the stability is taken away with the sole being undercut laterally. I will get a little pressure in that region because of it. Some sidewall integration could improve the experience, as there are no sidewalls that extend up from the midsole in connection with the upper. The traction is decent and didn't give me any issues. The upper security is okay. There is some slight stretch and the upper is a little more roomy than other shoes. With that said the lockdown is still decent and I didn't distrust the platform. I just noticed a small amount of movement in my compared other shoes.
Thoughts as a DPT: Heel Bevel Positioning
By Matthew Klein
I frequently criticize companies for using centered heel bevel designs. My reasoning for this is that the majority of people who land at the rearfoot will make contact at the posterior lateral side. They will often transition forward and frequently will collapse (pronate) medially (inward) eventually toeing off the big toe. Of course, there are many variations to this. Some people may stay lateral (outward) and may toe off the lateral toes. Others may vary a bit back and forth as they transition forward across the foot.
Variability in human movement, especially this transition is normal. However, the majority of rearfoot strikers will land at the posterior lateral section. That is why so many people wear down that part of the shoe, often asking us if this is a sign of some kind of pathology. It is not and is normal. For that reason, I frequently suggest that a bevel be positioned at least slightly lateral as it makes the heel transition a bit easier. There is a population that does benefit from a centered bevel. Those that do not pronate (go inward) enough often benefit from the lateral sole flare as it guides them back toward where they may need to be. Those who also have a history of ankle sprains may benefit from this if they continue to go to far lateral. However, that group is a small portion of the population. The majority tend to land in that area and would benefit from some mild facilitation there through the above-mentioned method.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I have enjoyed the Salomon Aero Glide far more than I expected. It is a solid shoe that just needs a few adjustments to drive it forward. The insole is the biggest target. It almost feels like it is a half-size small. This needs immediate attention and is borderline unacceptable for a shoe from a high-level company like Salomon. Fortunately, this should be an easy fix, but companies need to pay close attention to insole design as that is one of the first ways people perceive the underfoot cushioning of a shoe.
The other major thing is that the heel bevel needs to be positioned more lateral. Most people land at the posterior lateral corner, so having a centered heel bevel only adds extra lateral sole flare in a way that may pitch the ankle inward faster. These are two small fixes that could really help this shoe shine, but overall Salomon has done a solid job with this maximal trainer.
David: The Salomon Aero Glide was a good neutral trainer to bring into the mix. Some things that could improve however would be fixing the sizing of the sock liner, and improving the geometry in the midfoot. The sock liner seems to be short in length in comparison with the rest of the shoe and does slide around a little bit. The platform itself also seems to be undercut laterally through the midfoot and gives you a rolling sensation when resupinating. Similar to the preset of spraining an ankle, though nothing quite that extreme. Adding some sidewalls or giving some sole flare would help.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide is a neutral, lighter daily training shoe that competes with the Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 and Hoka Clifton 9. All of these are on the lighter side and have some versatility into uptempo efforts. The Aero Glide has a little more room than the others width-wise, but all three have a solid rolling sensation. The cushioning on the Aero Glide is softer, but still seems to respond well when pushed. However, the Aero Glide competes with the Clifton 9 as an excellent distance shoe for eating up miles while not weighing down the legs. Those who enjoy the performance of Salomon shoes and wanting to try Salomon's most recent foray on the road should definitely give these a shot (just replace the insole).
David: The Salomon Aero Glide is a neutral daily trainer that gives Salomon an option in the high stack rockered category. The shoe gives a soft enough ride and a balanced rocker profile. The upper is a little more accommodating and those that may need a tad more volume or width will be happy to have some more room. The shoe gives off a balanced rolling sensation that may come off a little boring at first, but has decent responsiveness. For those wanting a moderate rolling sensation and some cushion to their ride the Salomon Aero Glide could be worth a look.
GRADING
Matt
Fit: B (Great fit with slightly wider forefoot but insoles slides)
Performance: B+ (Well cushioned ride. Clunky heel but solid transition through the midfoot and forefoot )
Stability: B- (Softer sole and lateral flare facilitates inward motion. Good for those who don't want a ton of guidance)
DPT/Footwear Science: B (Heel bevel needs to be more lateral, especially with a higher drop, max cushion shoe)
Personal: B+ (A shoe I have enjoyed for more variety than I expected. Insole easy to replace although annoying. Just wish it was a bit more stable. Light and solid. Some mild things to clean up but overall great)
Overall: B
David
Fit: B (Dimensions decent throughout, though runs a tad wide with more volume. Sock liner slides a little)
Performance: B+ (I actually really like the ride of the shoe, though the undercut of the midfoot platform makes me have rubbing laterally. Sock liner moving creates occasional toe hot spot. Otherwise balanced shoe.)
Stability: C+/ B- (Good sole flaring in forefoot and heel. Midfoot is undercut and gives off rolling sensation. Not too much guidance with lack of sidewalls, especially for high stack platform)
DPT/Footwear Science: B (Nothing revolutionary here, but a decent application of the rocker profile design)
Personal: B+ (The shoe works well for my mechanics and I like logging miles in it. I would like to see some sidewalls to prevent that rolling feeling I get and I would like to see the sock liner improved.)
Overall: B (A nice offering to the rockered daily trainers. The shoe has a lot going for it, though has some things they can clean up.)
SHOP | SUPPORT DORSalomon Aero GlidePrice: $159.95 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
*Using the link to purchase helps support Doctors of Running. Thanks so much!
Check out Gear We Love
Ultraspire Fitted Race Belt: The best way to carry your phone and goods on the run. No bounce and various sizes for waist. (Also recommend the Naked belt)
Saysky Running Gear: We were really taken aback by this Scandinavian company's ultra-thin, durable performance clothing
Skratch Recovery, Coffee Flavor: Mental and physical boost post run. Coffee flavor is excellent and goes great straight into a fresh brewed cup
goodr Sunglases: Run in style with goodr's super fun sunglasses.
Feetures Socks: Massively grippy socks that will make you feel more one with the shoe
Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Water Bottle: Perfect for long runs when you need hydration in the summer
Trigger Point Foam Roller: Help get those knots out post-run and feel better for tomorrow
Theragun Massager: This small version is great on the go for working tired legs
Ciele Hat: Our team's favorite running hat of choice!
Fractel Hats: Our team's wider fitting running hat of choice!
FURTHER READING
Saucony Freedom Crossport - Updated for better fit and improved versatility in the gym
Adidas Prime X Strung - A unique new upper only makes this super stacked concept car wilder
Skechers Speed Beast - A new long distancer trainer/racer from Skechers
Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 - A great trail runner becomes even better. Lighter, better fitting, and fun
On Cloudsurfer - The softest On yet ushers in a new redesign for the future of On
Puma ForeverRun Nitro - A new "stability" entry in the lineup that provides a cushioned ride
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
Thanks for reading!
FOLLOW DOCTORS OF RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Doctors of Running
Youtube Channel: Doctors of Running
Instagram: @doctorsofrunning
LinkedIn: Doctors of Running
Strava: Doctors of Running
Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
Pinterest: Doctors of Running
Editor's Note: As always, the views presented on this website belong to myself or the selected few who contribute to these posts. This website should not and does not serve as a replacement for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I am currently taking clients for running evaluations.
Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
NEXT: Puma ForeverRun Nitro