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The Salomon Aero Glide 4 and its all-terrain counterpart the Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL are both among the best cushioned running shoes we’ve tested so far in 2026, with surprisingly light and comfortable designs and a midsole foam that delivers a responsive ride for daily training.
While we actually lean towards the gravel version of the shoe ourselves as the better pick, the Aero Glide 4 road shoe still has a lot to recommend it as a great cushioned option, and it can compete with our favourite max-stack options like the Nike Vomero Plus and Kiprun Kipride Max.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £145/$160
- Weight: 256g/9oz (men’s UK 9 / US 9.5)
- Drop: 8mm
- Stack height: 41mm heel, 33mm forefoot
- Upper: Mesh upper
- Midsole: Supercritical TPU Optifoam Squared foam
- Outsole: Contagrip rubber
Salomon Aero Glide 4 review
How’s The Fit
Nick and Kieran tested the Salomon Aero Glide 4 for our review and found it a little narrow, especially around the toe-box with the little toe being cramped by the figure-hugging fit of the shoe. The length was good though, so we’d stick to your normal running shoe size with the Aero Glide 4.
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The Run Test: Likes
The Aero Glide 4 is surprisingly light for such a cushioned shoe and proved itself to be reasonably versatile in our testing. It’s at its best for easy runs when you’re mainly looking for comfort, but we found it could handle faster speeds better than many max-stack rivals.
It’s a little softer and lighter than the gravel version of the shoe, but shares the same Optifoam Squared midsole foam, which delivers a good amount of rebound with each stride and cushions landings without being overly squishy.
Despite not being as capable on light trails as the Aero Glide 4 GRVL, the road version of the shoe still has a good outsole, which is thick and gripped well for us on wet pavements and off-road paths.
The rocker on the shoe is well-judged for easy running too, slowly rolling you through your footstrike to help the miles tick by. It’s not set up to be as effective at faster paces, but for general daily runs it’s creates a smooth ride.
While it’s not very cheap, the Aero Glide 4 is pretty good value in our opinion, and is a likely candidate for sales based on how often past models of the shoe have been available at a discount.
The Run Test: Dislikes
While some might prefer the softer feel of the Aero Glide 4, we actually liked the slightly firmer ride of the GRVL version of the shoe, which is down to it having a thicker outsole that also makes it more capable on a range of terrain, if heavier.
Kieran found that the Aero Glide 4 was slightly too soft for his tastes and lacked the fast rebound he likes especially when moving at faster paces. For a cushioned shoe, it gives a bit more back than some, but it’s not as versatile as all-rounder options like the Saucony Endorphin Azura or Hoka Mach 7.
Verdict And Alternatives
We have a slight split in opinion on the Aero Glide 4 overall. Nick rates it as one of the better cushioned shoes out there, if not as versatile as a true all-rounder, while Kieran found it a touch soft and has it as a good shoe, rather than a true great.
However, we both agree that the GRVL version is the one we’d go for anyway, even if you mostly plan to run on road. While a little heavier, the GRVL is as versatile as the standard Aero Glide 4 and has a more accommodating fit as well as the benefit of its more robust outsole giving you grip on a wider range of terrain. It runs brilliantly on the road too, in our experience.
If you are sticking entirely to roads, the Aero Glide 4 is certainly one worth considering. The Nike Vomero Plus is a more cushioned and bouncy alternative, while the Kiprun Kipride Max has a similarly smooth ride with a but more spring than the Salomon, though both the Nike and Kiprun shoes are heavier.
There are great all-rounders to consider too that can handle similar runs to the Aero Glide 4 while being better for fast stuff, like the Endorphin Azura or Asics Superblast 3 and Asics Megablast, though the latter pair will cost you considerably more.