Salomon Aero Glide 2 Introduction
As the name states, this is Salomon’s second iteration of the Aero Glide. First released in 2023, it was designed to be a highly cushioned, comfortable and light, daily trainer. There was overwhelming positivity from runners about the first release so the newest version had much to live up too.
There were no major overhauls in the Aero Glide 2. The shoe still focuses providing plush cushion yet a responsive ride.
They are also still mainly a daily training option for runners.
Salomon has a nice description on their website and in it, they list the Run Frequency.
For the Aero Glide 2, they list 2-3 runs per week. For me, this seems about right. They won’t be the fastest shoe for speed workouts but will hold up great for tempo runs and longer distances.
Priced at $160, they compare closely to many other daily trainers in both price and features.
Many folks might see the shoes and expect them to be heavy. That’s far from the case, weighing in at 270 grams, or just over 9.5 oz.
That’s lighter than the Adidas Supernova Rise and the Brooks Glycerin 21. The shoe carries a 10mm heel to toe drop based on a 27.4mm toe height and 37.4mm heel.
Salomon Aero Glide 2 First Impressions
Color combinations always carry a lot of weight in my first impressions of shoes. Needless to say, these weren’t off to a good start. White, orange, purple and blue are combos that I would never pick together. Honestly, the other color options from Salomon are not great either. Onto the fit…
These shoes felt mostly true to size, although I found them to be a bit narrow. Because of this, I had to readjust the laces from time to time in hopes of finding the perfect fitment.
During my initial run in the Aero Glide 2, I made a few mental notes to share.
First, the midsole was light and responsive all the while giving me tremendous cushion and support. Especially in the heel. Each step felt like the Energy Foam was hugging my heels and pushing off into the next step.
I also noted that the narrow footprint was even more noticeable, especially in the forefoot and toe box. Luckily the upper has a fair amount of give and didn’t restrict my feet any further.
Overall I was quite happy with how the Aero Glide 2 performed and was excited for many more miles.
Salomon Aero Glide 2 Upper
Salomon’s redesigned upper is the biggest change in the new Aero Glide model. Still composed of 3D mesh, the upper is thin but has some noticeable differences in the texture.
It’s hard to tell at first but there are areas of the upper that are see through. This helps with breathability and I could see this shoe being an option on those hot sunny days. All of the colorways appear as a two tone, tie dyed type pattern wrapped in sensiFIT.
For anyone new to Salomon, the sensiFIT design is composed to coverlays strategically placed around the shoe to enhance each runner’s fit and feel. On the Aero Glide they are mainly located on the midfoot and around the heel.
Two areas of enhanced cushion are the heel collar and tongue. The tongue has quite a lot of padding which makes it possible to really tighten up the shoe without causing pain or rubbing over the top of your foot.
Although I liked the design and build of the upper, the shoe felt too narrow for my liking. I don’t see that Salomon is providing additional width options, however I think a wide version might have been more comfortable on my feet. Something to keep in mind if you’re considering the shoe.
Salomon Aero Glide 2 Sole Unit
Salomon sticks with the Energy Foam midsole which served them well in the original Aero Glide. This material is plush, yet energetic and gives runners superior cushion over most distances. Energy Foam is composed of EVA and olefin.
Basically, it’s squishy, lightweight and durable which are three great attributes in any running shoe. The beefy Energy Foam layer and larger ground contact area inherently give the shoe a more stable ride as well.
Contragrip is featured on the Aero Glide 2 outsole. This is a proprietary material made by Salomon. Contragrip has several versions; All Terrain, Mud, Road, Winter and Water.
Each version is different and purpose built for each surface. With the Aero Glide 2 being a road shoe, they naturally utilize Contragrip Road.
I had no major issues with traction on these shoes, however they are noticeably worn. This makes me question the longevity of the shoe and might be the first area to break down.
I really enjoyed the ride of the Aero Glide 2. They transitioned smoothly from foot strike to push off.
Early in runs there was a noticeable energy return and it was easy to transition to faster paces.
Later in the run when my legs started to tire, the midsole acted as a cushion to reduce knee and ankle soreness.
Salomon Aero Glide 2 Conclusions
To conclude, I wanted to like this shoe for what it was designed to do. Be a lightweight, max cushion daily trainer.
And make no mistake, it does all those things well and more. They were not a great fit for my feet because of the narrow upper design.
So for runners with feet on that are more narrow, this option would be perfect. For everyone else, I suggest finding another option.
