One of our most surprising shoes of the first quarter has been the Salomon Aero Glide 3. Over the years, we’ve tried a variety of Salomon road shoes, and while they were fine, they often felt a little firmer than we’d prefer, and their trail shoes seemed a bit light-years ahead in comparison.
But then, we slipped our feet into a pair of the Aero Glide 3’s, and we were hooked. In a garage full of running shoes, we found ourselves reaching for these more often than we ever thought we would. What made the difference? A super updated design paired with a fantastic midsole in a lightweight package. It’s truly a solid shoe.
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So, call us excited when the latest version of this shoe – the Aero Glide 3 GRVL – arrived on our doorstep. The Aero Glide 3 GRVL takes things to the trails with its hybrid design, striking a nice balance between pavement and trail performance. Thankfully, it retains all the things we loved about the original version and actually takes away some things we didn’t.
Specs
- Stack Height: 41 mm heel / 33 mm forefoot
- Drop: 8 mm
- Weight: Approximately 9.5 oz for a US M9
It’s a little heavier (approximately an ounce), thanks to a beefed-up outsole, but honestly, we’re not complaining. Now, with a more substantial tread, the GRVL version gives you better traction, while still maintaining its lightweight, all-around versatility – and a super plush ride.
The upper has some different colorways and a more technical tongue that is nowhere near as long. This makes the issue of lace bite much more nonexistent as it is being tied over the cushioned tongue nearer to its apex.
This shoe is versatile enough to handle non-technical trail running and could probably even work as an everyday pavement runner as there are no significant lugs. But where it really shines is in the in-between moments — when you’re not sure if you’ll be running on dirt or concrete. I recently took these to Hawaii, where packing space was tight and I wasn’t sure if I’d be hitting trails or roads. Having a shoe that could handle either was perfect.
I will say that the toe plate isn’t super wide, so if you expect some more technical terrain, you may experience some kicking. My 12-mile run in the Haleakala Crater was amazing and these shoes handled things admirably. However, I did end up taking a little chunk out of the white part just to the side of the toe coverage as a result of kicking one too many volcanic outcroppings.
Whether you’re hitting the pavement or exploring light trails, the Aero Glide 3 GRVL has you covered.
Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL $185
Summary
