An Unbiased Review of Salomon’s Latest Gravel Shoe

Are trails calling your name? Want a shoe that can handle pavement and dirt in equal measure? Salomon’s Aero Glide 4 GRVL might be your Cinderella moment – Ella explains.

Since when were gravel shoes a thing? The running industry has apparently borrowed a page from the cycling handbook, rebranding the road-to-trail hybrid into the much trendier ‘gravel’ category. 

Much like the gravel bikes that inspired the name, these shoes are designed to bridge the gap between suburban pavement and unpaved adventure without the traditional compromises. Because yes, we can have it all. Most of us don’t live at the trailhead, so it makes sense to create a shoe that’s as versatile as we are. 

Gravel shoes usually offer the high-stack comfort of a road runner paired with relatively low-profile lugs that provide security on dirt, and extra stability. Let’s see how these stack up. 

At 41mm high they literally stack up too | @_somekindofblue_

Why am I the right person to do this review?

After a lengthy hiatus, I returned to running to escape the winter blues last year, using the sport as a crowbar to pry myself out from under the covers. One impulsive sign-up for the Hounslow Classic later, and a trail runner was born. Since then, I’ve been seeking out every section of gravel and trail in my local area of Marrickville, making these Aero Glide 4 GRVL’s the perfect companion to my midweek trots. 

Trail missions are keeping me outside this winter too | @_somekindofblue_

Quick Specifications

Weight: 230g
Heel stack height: 41mm 
Forefoot stack height: 33mm 
Drop: 8mm
RRP: $259.99

$225.95 on Wild Earth at the time of publication using the links below.

Womens

Mens

Performance

I’ve been taking the Aero Glide 4 GRVL’s out on my training runs throughout the inner west (shoutout to Wolli Creek Track), lunchtime runs at Barangaroo with the bossman, and some heavenly gravel trails up in the Blue Mountains. They have been a pleasure. 

Going from the New Balance Hierro V9s, the foam took a little bit to get used to, it felt less ‘squishy’ initially, but after a couple of hours underfoot, the optiFOAM2 broke in and became incredibly comfortable, while still feeling fast and light. 

optiFOAM2 is a supercritical foam, meaning tiny air bubbles have been pushed through the foam to increase softness and bounce in the responsive TPU foam  (Thermoplastic Polyurethane – yes I Googled that), but there’s still a snappy feel compared to an EVA foam.

The only note on performance here is the barely-there lugs (2.5mm). I really love these on champagne gravel and groomed trails where they’re stable and grippy, but for anything muddy, steep, or technical, I would be swapping out for something with a more aggressive grip. 

Minimal lugs and a large cutout take the ‘GRVL’ moniker seriously | @_somekindofblue_

We recently tested these out on the Mount Gingera track and while they felt solid on the smoother part of the track, I was sliding a bit on the descents and ascents on loose rock. The rubber is Salomon’s ContaGRIP, designed for durability and all weather performance, but not necessarily maximum gripping power.

Again, they feel like the perfect everyday door-to-dirt runner, even if they aren’t quite the right shoe for a technical run in the ACT or chunky sections on race day.

Design

First and foremost, these are a pretty sexy looking shoe. I have them in the Vanilla Ice / Black / Iron colourway and they feel really fresh, bright, and fun with the tiny neon accents. I like how Salomon has chosen to move away from the muted colourways we all expect with trail shoes. 

One note on the QuickLace system – I’m not sure if I’m missing something but I’m still figuring out how to tighten these effectively without creating a blood-flow stopping vicegrip on the top of the foot. To get the right fit with these, I’ve had to manually adjust the laces first by pulling the bottom ones tight, then tightening the QuickLace.

QuickLace is alright but I’m not sure it’s any quicker than regular laces | @_somekindofblue_

Comfort

Although the 41mm stack offers maximum cushioning, I’ve found the Aero Glide 4 GRVL’s to be surprisingly stable. Unlike other maximalist shoes that can make you feel like you’re a baby giraffe taking its first steps, the wider base and firmer foam mean I don’t feel like I need to have my eyes glued to the trail looking for every minor hole or bump. 

Plus, at 230g, they feel noticeably more nimble than the Hierros when I want to pick up the pace on the flats.

Minimalist gravel shoes like these let you use your true road running form on the asphalt | @_somekindofblue

Sustainability

While Salomon has made waves with their fully recyclable INDEX series, the Aero Glide 4 GRVL sits further down the green spectrum. While the shoe is marketed with recycled material in the upper, the lack of a specific percentage transparency has me a tad sus. 

The optiFOAM2 has a TPU base that’s more durable and resistant to packing out than some other types of foams, making it more durable, and therefore more sustainable, but the 2.5mm lugs are quite short and risk wearing down prematurely.

Overall, Salomon Australia’s sustainability page isn’t that inspiring for such a large and successful company. There’s a link to their sustainability report from 2019, and a commitment to ‘reduce our carbon emissions by 30% per million € annual revenue (compare to 2018 level)’ [sic]. 

Salomon is owned by Anta Sports, the third-largest sportswear company after Nike and Adidas by revenue | @_somekindofblue_

Heading overseas to the US version of the page, there’s a 2030 list of priorities including circular or ‘eco-designed’ products, 30% absolute reduction in carbon footprint, and supporting the Salomon Foundation (which is about inclusivity in mountain sports, not sustainability). There are no third party assessments or giving like B Corp or 1% for the Planet.

There are impact reports up until 2024, but the most recent one chronicles increasing carbon emissions and mostly talks about what they’re going to try and do to fix it. Hence their rating of ‘It’s a start’ by consumer site good on you is quite fitting.

Price

The Aero Glide 4 GRVL sits at the more expensive side of the gravel spectrum at retail price. You’re paying for innovation and the trendy GRAVEL subcategory for shoes. That being said, with many shoes going north of $300 these days, and modern TPU foam, $260 isn’t outrageous, and you’ll probably find them for sale on Wild Earth.

I’d say they’re worth it if you’re like me and choose to run a mix of road and gravel during your runs. Better to use these and save the rubber on your trail runners for some bigger days out bush. 

Final Thoughts

Guys, I’m a fan! The Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL is a genuine Swiss army knife for anyone treating suburbia as a trail map. They transition seamlessly from Marrickville bitumen to Wolli Creek bush, handling the mixed terrain with ease. 

They’re good for the coffee shop post-run too, like all good Salomons | @_somekindofblue_

Just a warning for the Wolli locals: while the 2.5mm lugs provide enough bite to dodge the organic landmines (bat poo) from the flying fox colony, no amount of tech protects you from a direct hit from above. A top-tier door-to-dirt choice, just keep one eye on the sky.