Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL Review: Seeing Double

Introduction to the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL

TAYLOR: Is this whole gravel thing going too far? From a marketing perspective, maybe? Perhaps it’s riding the coattails of cycling a little too hard. In terms of practicality, I absolutely love it. It’s the line rider that attempts to make multiple surfaces viable in one pair of shoes. Sure, any pair of shoes could surf between pavement and a light trail, but would it perform equally well on both? That’s the question.

Salomon is one of the brands that has leaned into the category about as hard as anyone else. From our experience, it seems to be working out pretty well! They’ve utilized the old trail shoe formation model: take a road shoe and slap a little extra rubber on it.

Okay. It’s a little more complicated than that. Salomon goes ahead with reinforced uppers, a new outsole, and a few other minor details to boost the shoe’s gravel cred. The Aero Glide 3 GRVL is the latest success story in their cross-over pursuit.

Based on how much the Dirt Division loved that shoe, it would make sense if we also like the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty details about it, but it’s basically a lower stacked version of the shoe we just mentioned, and that’s something to get excited about!

RENEE: My first look at the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL was at TRE in 2024, and the boom of the gravel shoe was apparent that year. Capitalizing on the popularity of gravel bikes, many brands began introducing gravel-specific shoes. And, as someone who runs on mainly rural (and not always maintained) gravel roads, one would think shoes like this would be perfect for me. However, I’m not totally sold on the idea. If I can wear a road shoe, I will. Besides, it doesn’t even seem like everyone can agree on a name — call ’em gravel shoes, hybrid shoes, road to trail shoes, whatever.

Salomon’s other gravel shoe, the Aero Glide 3 GVRL, wasn’t a shoe I continued to wear after my review. The midsole is comfortable but too soft for uneven terrain. While it’s fine for smooth, wide paths, it was too dicey for my roads.

MATT: As my Dirt Division partners above mentioned, gravel shoes have burst onto the scene in the past couple of years, and 2025 seems to be the year when most brands finally have their entries ready. Gravel shoes are a tricky category to really nail, because you are trying to blend features from road and trail together, and if that blend leans too heavily one way or the other, you just end up with a clunky road shoe or a flimsy trail shoe.

Salomon has already nailed that blend once for me this year, with the aforementioned Aero Glide 3 GRVL. My preference for a softer midsole foam made the shoe a favorite of mine, and long after we published our review, I’ve continued to lace them up for road runs, trail runs, and everything in between.

I loved the Aero Glide 3 GRVL so much that I was really excited to test out the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL, as I hoped Salomon retained all of the good stuff they nailed the first time around.

What we like about the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL

TAYLOR: The lower stack seems to be the anti-movement of today’s shoes. In this case, for the cross-over department, I really appreciated it. Trust me, I love the bouncy, cushioned, and fun sensation that the Aero Glide 3 offers. Even though the GRVL edition moderated that sensation marginally with a little more structure/stability, I prefer that shoe for longer, easier miles.

Thanks to the lower stack, the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL felt like an option that’s more appropriate for the day-to-day miles. The more moderate stack of softer foam retained some of the cushioned and bouncy character traits, but it felt more relaxed. There’s simply less material to bounce with. Also, less stack means less of a rocker action.

I’m not mad about it because, even though it boasts the same Optifoam² (or EnergyFoam Evo) midsole as the Aero Glide 3, having less foam made for a more responsive ride. I use ‘responsive’ in the sense that it felt like it could keep up with changing paces better. It’s a lighter, more versatile ride that can handle everything from easy days to picking up the pace for tempo workouts.

The upper was quite relaxed, too. It ran true to size for me and accommodated my very average foot nicely. Even though I had the more tightly woven Gore-Tex version, the upper felt relaxed yet secure enough to traverse between pavement and dirt, feeling mostly confident.

Grip is one of the hallmarks of this category. We’re looking for not too much and not too little. I was satisfied with the 2.5 mm lugs. It was just enough to claw nicely in the dirt, but it certainly wasn’t intrusive on paved miles either. I think this will be the type of outsole that also helps out with winter training when there are bound to be some wet and slick spots hiding about.

I never doubt Gore-Tex because it’s one of the few materials that actually keeps my feet dry. I ran through puddles and stood in streams. As long as the tongue of the Salmon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL Gore-Tex didn’t get wet, neither did my feet. So, this shoe is effectively waterproof up to the top of your toes. I’ll definitely be reaching for this throughout the shoulder seasons and in the dead of winter.

RENEE: The Blaze 3 GRVL arrived right at the beginning of harvest, and my first outing with the shoe eventually became driving the grain cart and not running. After DNFing a flat 100-mile race at 73.5 miles (not with this shoe), I didn’t mind taking a few easy days.

The shoe didn’t seem exciting on foot until I started running. This is a shoe that I liked more and more run after run, and it’s a good example for not judging a shoe on initial step in.

Unlike the Glide 3 GRVL, the Blaze’s midsole is a bit firmer. The midsole is the same EnergyFoam Evo, but the Blaze midsole is denser and has less stack. The shoe does seem a bit unexciting and perhaps a bit blocky in the heel at first. Not so when running. The shoe is not heavy, and it has enough stack to be protective at my size (I don’t weigh myself regularly, but I’m currently 120 lbs). I consider the ride to be diverse. Strides felt good, slow paces felt good, distance runs felt good. The Blaze is a simple shoe, and that’s why it works.

MATT: I think Taylor and Renee nailed the central themes around what makes the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL stand out. I agree, despite my love of soft foams, that the lower stack height compresses the foam just enough so that you feel like you can really turn your feet over and pick up the pace when you want to. The key is that it’s not as firm as the Aero Glide 3 GRVL, which makes it feel rough and uncomfortable underfoot. I actually prefer the upper on the Aero Blaze to the Glide; it has a more sock-like fit and strikes the right balance of secure lockdown, breathability, and flex through the toe box.

While not recommended, I took the shoe out of the box and went on a 20-mile run. The route was perfect for this shoe, as it covered a blend of paved roads, gravel fire roads, single-track trails, and various dirt and grass paths. This felt like the perfect mixed terrain test for a Gravel shoe, and the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL held its own across everything I threw at it that day.

What we don’t like about the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL

TAYLOR: While I praised the Salomon Aero BLaze 3 GRVL for enhanced stability, it’s really only compared to its chonky cousin. I enjoyed the ride, especially in smoother conditions, even on the trail, but the forefoot did tend to be a little unstable. There were multiple occasions when my ankle rolled over the outside of my forefoot. The geometry of the midsole, toe box shaping, and looser upper all seemed to play a minor role. It’s a very neutral shoe otherwise. So, if you typically have Robbe syndrome, be wary when taking this for true trail scenarios.

Picking up right where I left off, the Gore-Tex upper did its job, but it’s only really the bottom half of the shoe that will keep you protected. The tongue is very much like the standard one. It’s a puffy one that will certainly take on some water when it has the chance. Now, I know the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL Gore-Tex won’t likely be the shoe of choice in truly crappy weather conditions, but it would be nice if I didn’t have to worry about that tongue potentially ruining the party.

RENEE: I’m not sure most gravel terrain warrants a trail shoe, and while a “gravel” specific shoe seems to fill this niche, it’s about as personal a choice as choosing a trail shoe.

The outsole has minimal lugs, so the shoe won’t provide traction for hilly, uneven running, especially when the terrain is rutted with clumpy gravel/dirt clogs (i.e., my rural roads). The outsole features a substantial amount of exposed midsole, which helps reduce weight. I have several little chunks of midsole missing from running on sharp, thick gravel and through the fields (soybean stalks are sharp!).

Initially, the heel cup and collar felt too high and restrictive around my ankles, although I didn’t notice an issue while running. The upper fit is fine for the shoe’s purpose, but not as secure as I would like for single track. This is a gravel though, so for its purpose, the upper is comfortable. I don’t notice the upper while running, and that’s what I want in a running shoe.

MATT: I don’t have a lot to complain about with the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL, as I think Salomon has found a really good formula with its hybrid models. That said, I found it a bit puzzling that Salomon would develop two gravel versions that are not too dissimilar, especially for a running segment that is so niche.

I bring this up because if I had to choose a gravel shoe from Salomon, I would opt for the Aero Glide 3 GRVL, so it just feels like the Blaze 3 GRVL is a bit unnecessary; however, much of that is a matter of personal preference. The main factor was that with a gravel shoe, if all other components are equal, I would want the shoe that is more comfortable underfoot so that it can keep me fresh over mixed terrain for long days, rather than sacrificing that comfort for a slightly lighter and quicker shoe.

Final thoughts on the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL

TAYLOR: Salomon keeps churning out positive numbers with its GRVL editions. The Aero Blaze 3 GRVL is an option that strikes a balance in many ways. It will serve as a solid day-to-day trainer that has the option of sticking to the paths or crossing over to light trail. Even picking up the pace was well within its abilities.

I had the Gore-Tex version that brought the expected amount of weather protection. This could easily be a shoulder-season workhorse or a substitute for your trainer in the winter, offering moisture protection and extra grip to boot.

RENEE: So simple it works. I’ll likely need a more hardy outsole for gravel running once winter weather arrives, as the Blaze’s outsole isn’t much different than a road shoe meant for daily miles. I could just as easily run with a road shoe featuring a full-coverage outsole. The asset of the Blaze 3 GRVL is the light weight and relatively reasonable price point. I can wear the shoe for most anything, from slow long runs of 20-plus miles to speed work. For hill repeats on thick gravel and mud/snow/slop, I still prefer a trail-specific outsole. I recommend this shoe for runners who prefer simple and lightweight options.

MATT: At the end of the day, if you’re in the market for a shoe that can do pretty much everything for you and you won’t need to finance it in four easy payments, you really can’t go wrong with the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL. My preference for the softer, higher stack Aero Glide 3 GRVL is more personal, and I still really loved the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL. If you tend to gravitate more to a firmer and lower-to-the-ground ride, then the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL is the show for you.

You can pick up the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL for $140 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.