Article by Jeff Beck
Salomon Aero Glide 2 ($160)
Introduction
The Aero Glide 2 is Salomon’s version of a high-stacked/maximum cushioned road shoe meant to be your primary daily trainer utilizing both a massive stack of cushioning as well as a rocker geometry. It’s outfitted with their Energy Foam midsole, and it seems to provide exceptional comfort while also barely tipping the scales - making this a truly exceptional max cushion trainer.
Pros:
Incredible cushion-to-weight ratio: Jeff
Subtle rocker geometry works well: Jeff
Inherently stable: Jeff
Energy Foam midsole has to be Salomon’s best material: Jeff
Substantial outsole coverage, especially considering the weight: Jeff
Upper is breathable, but not flimsy: Jeff
Cons:
Thick midsole doesn’t allow much forefoot flex: Jeff
No heel pull tab: Jeff
Most comparable shoes (see comparisons)
Saucony Triumph 21
ASICS Nimbus 26
Topo Atmos
Hoka Bondi 7
Stats
(weigh your sample on a digital scale before running if you have one in grams and convert to oz, weigh both shoes noting significant differences if any )
Weight: men's 8.9 oz / 254g (US9)
Samples: men’s 9.9 oz / 281g US10.5
Stack Height: men’s 37.4 mm heel / 27.4 mm forefoot ( 10 drop spec)
women’s mm heel / mm forefoot
Platform Width: 102mm heel / 88mm midfoot / 126mm forefoot
$160 Available now including at our partners at the end of the review
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Jeff: I haven’t run in a Salomon road shoe in a few years, and my experience with their road shoes have largely been underwhelming - spoiler alert, that ends today. Step in comfort is impressive, between how light the shoe is and how soft it is underfoot.
While Salomon’s trail shoes frequently have a dialed in technical fit in the toebox, the Aero Glide 2 toebox has solid width and height.Lengthwise it’s true-to-size, and even though my foot is somewhere between D and E,
it’s got enough room in every part of the shoe.
The upper uses a lightweight and breathable 3D mesh with very minor overlays.
The toe bumper is very flexible and mostly gives the shoe a little support rather than any kind of protection.
The heel counter is relatively firm, but also thin and flexible, while the collar is one of two spots that could be considered “plush” - the other being the tongue. The tongue is overly thick, but is very nicely cushioned and prevents any kind of lace bite, even if the laces are tightly wrenched down.
Midsole & Platform
Jeff: The upper was impressive, but this is where this particular shoe really exceeds expectations. Energy Foam (an EVA Olefin copolymer block blend) is lightweight and super cushioned, and it doesn’t feel hollow. Some midsoles that provide great cushioning and light weight have an insubstantial feel, and ultimately suffer from durability concerns. I’ve only had them a few weeks so I can’t speak from long term experience, but thus far the durability seems fine.
The light weight of the shoe is especially surprising considering how wide the platform is underfoot at 102mm heel / 88mm midfoot / 126mm forefoot . I’m a self-confessed toebox snob, and while no one will confuse this shoe with something from Topo or Altra, the midfoot to forefoot is very ample. I’m a midfoot striker, and the midsole works great with my gait, but I don’t think hardcore heel strikers will have any complaints either.
Outsole
Jeff: The outsole covers nearly the entire bottom of the shoe, with a thin gap running up the center, exposing the midsole in an area that should get very little wear. It uses Salomon’s proprietary Contgrip rubber, which in my experience is a good, but not great outsole for traction and durability. There are a few flex grooves in the rubber, one underneath the toes and the other at the back of the heel, but there’s not much midsole flex to be found on account of the thick midsole.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Jeff: Salomon, Welcome to the 21st Century! This is absolutely one of those shoes that gets virtually everything right and nothing wrong. There’s a nice bounce that comes out, especially at faster paces, and the R-Camber rocker geometry creates an incredible smooth ride at all paces. It’s soft, but never mushy, and even if it was, the extra wide platform gives the shoe an inherent stability.
All of those attributes, at a weight of less than 10 ounces for my 10.5D (and both shoes weighed exactly the same to the gram, very rare), and you’ve got a truly impressive shoe. This seems like a new leaf for Salomon, and a truly phenomenal one. If my wife put her foot down and said I could only keep one pair of shoes - this would be on the short list (and thankfully it's not something she even jokes about). As it stands it’s going to be a solid part of my rotation for some time.
Jeff’s Score: 9.73/10
Ride (50%): 9.5 Fit (30%): 10 Value: (15%) 10 Style (5%): 9.5
😊😊😊😊😊
4 Comparisons
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
Hoka Bondi 7 (RTR Review)
Jeff: The reigning king of the big stacked road shoes, the Bondi has an even wider platform (but much more narrow for your foot), higher stack, and firmer overall platform - while also tipping the scales ~80g heavier. Easy choice, the Salomon doesn’t miss the extra few mm of stack the Bondi brings, while outperforming it in every way.
Saucony Triumph 21 (RTR Review)
Jeff: Saucony’s answer to the same question, the Triumph is about 10g heavier, with a more plush upper, a denser (and also slightly bouncier) midsole, and a very comparable ride. The Aero Glide 2’s platform is much wider, and ultimately more stable. Two great shoes to compare against each other, you can’t go wrong.
Topo Atmos (RTR Review)
Jeff: Topo’s big stacked and best performing daily trainer, has a nearly identical width platform (but obviously wider toebox) and softer ride, and weighs about 20g more than the Aero Glide 2. As a toebox snob I appreciate the Topo’s design, but the softer ride makes it skew toward the easy stuff exclusively, while the Salomon works across the spectrum.
ASICS Nimbus 26 (RTR Review)
Jeff: Very similar shoes, both very soft with wide platforms. The ASICS is much softer, more plush, and weighs nearly 50 grams more. The Nimbus would be my choice for a pure easy day shoe, the Aero Glide is more versatile while also excelling at the easy stuff.
The Salomon Aero Glide to is available now including at our partners
Tester Profile
Jeff Beck is the token slow runner of the RTR lineup, and as such his viewpoints on shoe and gear can differ from those who routinely finish marathons in three hours or less. Jeff runs 20 miles per week on roads and trails around Denver, CO (and sometimes on the treadmill when the weather gets too much for a Phoenix native). Jeff only got into running in his 30s, as a result his career PR's are 4:07 for the marathon and 5K at 23:39. Jeff has finished several ultra marathons, from 50K up to 50 miles, and is still debating if he wants to go down that road again.
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2 comments:
Very nice, you also liked the Glide Max TR a lot, so this isn't unexpected. Just yesterday I also saw the "SALOMON ULTRA FLOW GTX" on the website of the German shop SportScheck, it looked a lot like an Ultra Glide 1/2 with normal laces.
Thank you for the review! I'm a big fan of max cushioned road shoes and am currently enjoying the NB 1080 v13--how does the Aero GLide 2 compare to that?
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