Salomon Aero Glide 3 Review
By Matthew Klein
Salomon, a company typically known for its high performing trail running and outdoor gear, has been slowly making its way onto the road running scene. Their first road line, the Sonic series, was interesting, particularly with a unique and early take on guidance. The ride and foams used were not quite up to par with the rest of the industry but attempts were being made. Next came the Aero series with the Aero Glide being the most noticeable. A decent stack height and a relatively lower weight may it a solid shoe, but it was still hampered by some insole issues and an average midsole material. After a few tries, the Salomon Aero Glide 3 gets it right. With the lightest weight of the series and the best midsole foam so far, the Aero Glide 3 brings a noteworthy road trainer from the Salomon line.
Salomon Aero Glide 3Price: $159.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 8.8 oz, 249 g (men's size 9), 8 oz, 227 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 42 mm heel / 34 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Max Cushion Lightweight Trainer
Pros: Lightweight, Responsive/Bouncy Cushioned Midsole, Good Durability
Cons: Loose Upper, Slightly Clunky Heel
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Salomon Aero Glide 3 is a maximally cushioned and bouncy lightweight trainer. A 3D seamless upper provides a fit that stretches into a higher volume fit. A full-length EnergyFoam Evo midsole provides a responsive and bouncy midsole that is great for easy miles, workouts and long runs. For those who want a hybrid version with better outsole traction, the Aero Glide 3 Grvl version is also available. A massive update from the prior version, the Aero Glide 3 is a responsive versatile maximal shoe that signals a massive step forward for Salomon.
SIMILAR SHOES: Mizuno Neo Zen, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
PAST MODEL: Salomon Aero Glide 2
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide 3 fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10. My initial try on of this shoe gave me the impression that this shoe fit lower volume and slightly short. After wearing it for only a brief time, the upper stretched out, becoming true to size and normal to slightly higher volume. This has continued to the point that I needed to lace lock the heel for security. After about 20 miles the fit stabilized to a slightly wider fit throughout with the slightly higher volume fit mentioned. The toebox wits a little wider with a slightly higher volume due to the stretch of the upper. There is no toe guard outside of some mild overlays on the front of the toes. This transitions into a wider midfoot with a partially gusseted tongue. The front half of the moderately thick tongue is attached to the upper and the back half is not. I had to tighten the laces down to get a secure fit, but could not tie them too tight as they caused extra pressure on the tops of my feet. I eventually lace locked the heel, which solved most of the security issues I had. The heel fits normal to slightly wider with mild heel collar padding and a flexible heel counter. There is some extra padding between the heel and the rounded flexible counter, so I had no issues. Only those who are extremely sensitive to counters will notice this one. Despite the solid upper comfort, I would recommend using socks with this shoe as the underside of the tongue is quite scratchy.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Moderately Flexible
How Flexible is the Shoe: Mild to Moderately Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Not Really
Recommended for Haglunds: Somewhat
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Above Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide 3 is a maximally cushioned lightweight trainer. The midsole is full-length EnergyFoam Evo midsole which is light, slightly soft and responsive. This is by far the best foam I have experienced from Salomon outside of the superfoam used in the S/Lab Phantasm 2. It feels bouncy, light and can easily transition between easy runs and workouts. The lighter 8.8 oz (men's size 9) was immediately noticeable and makes the shoe feel quite nimble. There is an 8mm drop, which is about how this shoe feels due to the slightly clunky heel.
The midsole is quite tall at 42 mm in the heel, which does allow the foam to compress nicely. However, the small heel bevel is slightly medially biased, which creates a slightly clunky heel transition. This makes landing a little farther forward feel better. This transitions into a smooth midfoot and forefoot. As there is not plate or stiffening agent (outside of the strips of outsole material), there is moderate flexibility in the forefoot. Given the high stack height, it is not super flexible but there is enough that it creates a smooth and easy forefoot transition. Those with toe mobility issues will not do well in this shoe as the forefoot does flex under weight. Unlike the heel, there is also a solid forefoot rocker which further makes the forefoot transition smooth. Purpose-wise, the Aero Glide 3 functions as a versatile lightweight trainer. There is plenty of cushioning to go long in this shoe, it is not so aggressive that you can't go easy, yet the foam is bouncy enough you can easily do workouts. I have done a long run, multiple easy runs, a fartlek, a tempo run and hill repeats in this shoe. Ever single pace has felt great. Although it is not the fastest shoe, it is a great alternative for those who want a light trainer that can handle faster miles as a potential longer race option (marathon) while not being a super shoe. As someone who loves versatile lightweight trainer, the Aero Glide 3 really checks off all the boxes.
The most important thing is the outsole durability. I have 50 miles on my pair and while there is a tiny bit of wear on the lateral outsole, the shoe is holding up extremely well. There is no wear on the upper and the outsole is still completely intact. So I expect this shoe to last far longer than most lightweight trainers. On top of this, the outsole traction is really good for road. The exposed midsole makes this not the best option for trail, although I also have the GRVL option which weighs a little more but provides good protection and grip on dirt and gravel. The contragrip and rubber outsole grips road both wet and dry extremely well. This has been most evident while turning and changing paces during the transition into the rainy season in the Pacific Northwest. So overall a great midsole, durable outsole and solid grip that will vary on surfaces depending on which version you get.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide 3 is a neutral maximal shoe. There are no traditional methods of stability. However, there are some mild guidance methods that may work for some people. The most significant are the large heel sidewalls and the central guidance lines in the outsole. The large heel sidewalls on the medially and lateral do stabilize the heel somewhat but are slightly offset by medial facing bevel. The sole is slightly wider, the midfoot does not narrow too much and the guidance lines do keep the foot slightly centered. The forefoot is particularly wide and the flexibility/forefoot rocker provide a smooth transition forward. The softer midsole does offset this slightly, but it has still been mildly stable enough for me to get through at least moderate miles. I start to fatigue a little with longer miles but can still mostly hold myself together. This gives this shoe a neutral rating but it leans stable neutral.
Thoughts as a DPT: Midsole Foams and Comfort Perception
By Matthew Klein
I have spent plenty of time talking about heel bevel designs in footwear and the importance of this design particularly with maximal shoes. The thing that sticks out to me the most with the Aero Glide 3 is the midsole foam update that completely changes the ride and feel from not only prior versions but all prior Salomon road trainers. There are many things that go into the perception of a shoe underneath our feet. Recent evidence has suggested that even perceptions of a shoe may alter how it feels (Hebert-Losier et al., 2025). Midsole compliance (how much the foam compresses) and resilience (how much it returns to its original shape), greatly impact the feeling of comfort especially compared to other shoes. Just using traditional EVA (yes Mizuno I hear you on your specialized EVA midsoles...) does not cut it anymore on the running footwear scene. People have experienced a variety of new foams, from PEBAX, TPU, and all the types and blends that have been tried. While there is plenty of evidence to suggest many of these foams improve running efficiency, people often perceive softer and more responsive shoes as more comfortable (Sun et al., 2020; Worobets et al., 2014).
There is a limit to this, as extremes in either midsole hardness or softness may create discomfort or instability. People want to feel protected and efficient, so in order to have a good running shoe for most people, you need to have an updated foam. What exactly that foam will look like will vary given the multi-faceted nature of comfort perception in footwear (Menz & Bonanno, 2021). Regardless, one of the major steps forward for Salomon in the Aero Glide 3 is the update Energy Foam Evo and I look forward to seeing this foam and other updated materials integrated into other Salomon shoes.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I have really enjoyed the Salomon Aero Glide 3 and it is my favorite Salomon shoe to date. However, there are a few things that could be be improved. The first is the bevel. For a shoe with a 42mm stack height in the heel, the bevel needs to be a little larger and more lateral than medial to replace the lost heel rocker mechanism. This will also smooth out the heel and allow the sidewalls to be a bit more effective. My other suggestion revolves around stabilizing the upper. The higher volume upper is not bad as it expands well on longer runs and may function well as an ultramarathon road shoe. I completely understand why the tongue is not fully gusseted given that some people are sensitive to that pressure with longer miles. I might suggest some additional light overlays in the midfoot, but this can also be fixed by lace locking the shoe. Overall this is a fantastic update that only need some small tweaks.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Salomon Aero Glide 3 is a maximal lightweight trainer for those who want a little more room and a responsive midsole for a variety of paces from easy to workout efforts. The upper will work best for those with normal to wider or higher volume feet or those who want an upper than expand with swelling feet. The midsole will work best for those who land a little farther forward wanting a responsive and slightly soft midsole that can handle a variety of paces due to the nimble feel. Outside the upper, this is the best training shoe I have tried from Salomon. The $160 price tag is well justified with the solid durability, versatility, weight and great midsole. The drop in weight, despite the increase in stack height, is further evidence that Salomon has a great shoe on their hands that is finally deserving of being called maximalist. The Grvl version is a great option for those that need a hybrid trainer and the awesome midsole makes me extremely excited to try the Aero Blaze 3 coming this summer. Salomon has been at this for a while with shoes that have either been behind or redundant. This is the start of a clear change in direction where people should start paying attention to Salomon Road Shoes.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B+ (Slightly wide and loose fit that requires a heel lock)
Performance: A (Light ride for stack height with a great, bouncy midsole that provides versatile functionality)
Stability: B+ [Neutral] (Neutral ride with extremely mild stable elements from sidewalls and guidance lines)
Value: A- (Good durability, lightweight versatile ride is a great investment. Best Trainer from Salomon thus far)
Personal: A- (Although there are some mild tweaks that need to be ironed out, this one of the better lightweight trainers that easily competes with the Adidas Adizero SL and the Mizuno Neo Zen)
Overall Design: A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORSalomon Aero Glide 3Price: $159.95 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
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FURTHER READING
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