Salomon Aero Glide 2 Review
By Matthew Klein
Salomon Aero Glide 2Price: $159.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9.5 oz, 270 g (men's size 9), 8.1 oz, 230 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 37.4 mm / 27.4 mm
Drop: 10 mm
Shoe Purpose: Max Cushion Daily Training Shoe
Pros: Simple, cushioned daily trainer with slightly higher volume upper.
Cons: Average midsole foam
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
Salomon's maximal daily training shoe returns with a new upper and the same forward rockered sole. With a moderately soft feel from the AeroFoam midsole and a little more room in the upper, the Aero Glide 2 continues to be a comfortable shoe for gliding along during easy and long runs. Now with a fixed insole that does not slip like the last version, this shoe will work best for those who want a more traditional heel drop in a comfortable, rockered daily running shoe.
SIMILAR SHOES: Brooks Ghost 15
PAST MODEL: Salomon Aero Glide 2
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
The Salomon Aero Glide 2 fits me true to size in my normal US men's size 10. The upper is slightly higher volume, particularly in the forefoot. The width is fairly normal up front but there is some wiggle room height-wise. This transitions to a normal width midfoot thanks to a normal to slightly thicker, non-gusseted tongue. I have had some mild side slippage of the tongue and have adjusted it on longer runs but is is minor. I only had to tighten the laces slightly to adjust for some mild heel slippage, but that went away with a little security. The heel features a moderately stiff counter and mild heel collar cushioning. Those with heel sensitivities may need to approach with caution but the roundedness of the heel did not cause me any issues. I would encourage socks with this shoe as the inner liner of the upper is a bit scratchy. Outside of that, it is a fairly normal fitting shoe outside the little extra volume.
Matt's Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: Saucony Guide 17, ASICS Kayano 30, Hoka Gaviota 5, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Ultrafly
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Saucony Kinvara 14
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Altra Timp 5
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Somewhat
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Centered Bevel
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
The Salomon Aero Glide 2 is a lighter, higher stack height daily training shoe. The "Reverse Camber" is a rocker that like the last version feels like it starts in the midfoot and rolls you forward. While the midfoot and forefoot transition smoothly thanks to a well-placed rocker up front, the heel is a little clunky at first. The 10mm drop is noticeable, so those who want that in a rockered shoe will do well here. Combined with the rocker and drop, the heel feels large and cushioned while the forefoot feels a little thinner and transitions quicker. There is a decently sized central bevel that is centered. While there is little flexibility, the rocker helps make the shoe glide along for easy and longer efforts. The AeroFoam midsole is cushioned and moderately soft. The material is not super responsive and feels best at easier efforts.
I have done some uptempo runs in this shoe (fartleks) that feel fine but this would not be my first choice for speedier efforts. That purpose is far better for longer and easier efforts when you want a lighter shoe as the 9 oz weight (men's size 9) is noticeable. This makes the shoe transition and roll even easier, so those running slower and longer efforts may find this shoe helps them roll along nicely.
The outsole traction is fairly good for a road shoe. I have used this on well-groomed trails without issue but would easily pick any of Salomon's other trail models for soft surfaces. Durability-wise I am beginning to see some wear in the posterior lateral heel at 30 miles. This is not terrible, but suggests durability may be a bit more average to slightly above average.
STABILITY
The Salomon Aero Glide 2 is a fairly neutral shoe with some medial bias. While there is a heel bevel, it is centered and the lateral flare can cause a slight pitch inward. This is offset slightly by the medial sole flare in this location. There are also sidewalls, but the midsole material is softer and they are slightly larger laterally than medially. The outsole has a little extra cut out at the midfoot, which combined with the above and some significant lateral sole flare at the lateral midfoot and forefoot causes some further bias medially. This is not extreme, but will work best for those needing mild medial guidance who translate too far lateral.
Thoughts as a DPT: What do Flex Grooves and Central Grooves Do?
By Matthew Klein
If you have ever looked at the bottoms of your shoes, you may have noticed some lines going in various directions. The more common ones are to see lines running side to side in the front of the shoe. These are called flex grooves. The purpose is to add or facilitate flexibility in a certain part of the shoe compared to others. The forefoot (front of the shoe) is the most common place to see these as the majority of sagittal plane joints (front to back) foot (not ankle) are present at the forefoot. These can be placed anywhere along the length of the shoe to facilitate motion. Sometimes extremely stiff shoes, like maximal shoes, may have mild flex grooves across the length of the shoe to offset the stiffness from the amount of material or internal stiffening agents.
As mentioned, the most common place to see flex grooves that are either large or greater in number is the forefoot. It isn't a great idea to have a ton of them in the midfoot as the midfoot joints do not operate (for the most part) in the sagittal plane. Certain shoes may have flex grooves in the posterior aspect of the heel, which in some cases may act like a crash pad during heel strike to smooth out transitions. For some people this may smooth out the heel landing while others may feel that it slows the transition down and makes the rearfoot feel clunky.
The last one is central grooves. These have been seen more commonly in maximal shoes and look like grooves down the middle of the shoe longitudinally. We have discussed these previously, but the theory behind them from a guidance standpoint is that the body will follow them due to being the path of least resistance. Some companies may also use them to reduce weight. The larger they are, the more important it is to have a midsole or internal stiffening agents that maintain the integrity of the sole so the foot doesn't collapse through them (extreme example, most central grooves are nowhere near that large). While there is plenty of research on flex grooves, especially in the non-running footwear areas, little if anything has been done on central grooves. So while there is some theory behind them, don't overthink things because we really are not sure if they even impact the foot path or not!
RECOMMENDATIONS
I have appreciated the simplicity of the rolling ride of the Aero Glide 2 and found myself reaching for them more than I expected. The insole issue has been fixed and it is a solid shoe. My only recommendation at this time is an overarching suggestion to Salomon to update their foam. Their recent Peba foam in the Phantasm S/Lab 2 was awesome (even though the shoe did not fit me) and I would love to see that integrated or even blended into this shoe. The AeroFoam is a little boring and with so many premium daily trainers (Vomero for example) beginning to integrate more advanced foams, at the $160 price point I would like to see a little more. Salomon is making some slow progress on their road line and I believe experimenting with some new blends may be helpful.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
For those wanting a higher drop, midfoot/forefoot biased rocker with a solid heel for easy and longer runs, I would suggest the Aero Glide 2. It isn't a sexy or fast shoe but it is great for rolling through miles. The fixed and secure insole combined with an upper that provides a tiny bit more room makes it a great shoe to accommodate some mild swelling over long efforts. The mild medial bias may make longer miles in this shoe somewhat challenging for those with medial guidance needs but those with lateral guidance needs will do well. It is a little on the expensive end for a somewhat boring shoe that feels more like a daily trainer than a premium trainer. However, in a world of complex shoes, something simple to keep you rolling along may not hurt,
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B+/A- (Solid comfortable fit with secure fit. Mild tongue slippage)
Performance: B+ (Well cushioned rearfoot with unique forward rocker and large heel to glides you along)
Stability: B- (Mild sidewalls, but larger on lateral than medial side with outsole that causes mild collapse medially)
Value: B- (More trainer than max trainer, so a bit overpriced for what you get)
Personal: B (Boring, but good for mileage)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORSalomon Aero Glide 2Price: $159.95 at Running Warehouse
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FURTHER READING
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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