Salomon Aero Blaze Review: (B)lazing on a Sunday Afternoon

The Intro

SAM: I think every time we review a road Salomon shoe, there’s some kind of reference, usually in the first few paragraphs, to how this quintessential technical trail brand is still nailing down the finer points of its road line. Can you blame us? Salomon is such a stalwart in the trail scene that its road shoes have always seemed to exist in the long, award-winning shadow. But I’ll be damned if they don’t keep trying to shine a light through that shadow. Salomon has shown that it still has some of that good, snappy magic in its trail line this year with shoes like the Pulsar Trail Pro 2, so can it bleed over to the tarmac?

It’s only the first quarter of 2023, but we have several brand new models in for testing as Salomon tries to inch further into the frothing, shark-infested pit that is road running. This review tackles the Salomon Aero Blaze, a lightweight neutral trainer made from at least 56% recycled materials. It has a moderate stack height at 32 mm/24 mm for an 8mm drop, and is loaded down with the best of Salomon’s proprietary technology, like an Energy Foam midsole and a Contagrip outsole.

RENALDO: From what I hear, Salomon is the go-to brand for all things trail (hey, look, Sam was right). The “Trail-Runners Trail Brand,” if you will. So imagine my surprise when I saw my name on the docket for a Salomon review and my further surprise when I discovered it was a road shoe. Being the city-slicker that I’m not ashamed to call myself nowadays, I figured my unfamiliarity with Salomon would be better handled by our more knowledgeable and much more gritty trail team here at Believe in the Run.

Maybe that’s why I’m the right guy for the job to lay some thoughts down on Salomon’s newest venture into the road scene with the Aero Blaze — a lightweight daily trainer built for just about any session you can throw at it.

LINDSAY: When Salomon comes up in conversation, most people think of a high-quality, outdoor performance line ranging from trail shoes and boots on our feet to jackets and hiking packs on our backs (oh, look, Sam was right again). What most people don’t think of is a traditional daily trainer made to rack up the road miles, but that’s what you get with the Salomon Aero Blaze.

Similar to other Salomon running shoes, the Aero Blaze rides on the Energy Foam midsole and Contagrip rubber outsole. Although it has a firmer platform on the initial step-in feel, it’s on the lighter side and makes a great daily trainer option.

Speaking of other Salomon running shoes, the Aero Blaze is actually one in a saga of Salomon Aero running shoes available this season which also includes the Aero Glide and Aero Volt. I didn’t try the Glide or Volt, but I can tell you from a quick Google search how they differ, so we’re all on the same page. The Glide is the max-cushion shoe of the trio, the Volt is described as the “faster and bolder” choice, and the Blaze is the daily trainer.

Salomon is making big strides in the road running department, but there are still some areas for improvement. Now that we understand who we’re talking about, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

The Good

SAM: You might think that Salomon would have to alter the nimble, sleek DNA of its shoes to make a daily trainer that competes in a market padded with high stacks and soft cushy foam (pun intended, of course). It turns out that if you stick a few more millimeters of foam underneath a more or less typical Salomon upper, it makes for a decent road ride.

The Salomon Aero Blaze has a similar fit and lockdown to many of the company’s trail shoes. There’s an appropriately padded heel counter with good structure, which hugs the midfoot very securely. It’s narrow through the toe box but not so narrow that my moderately wide feet feel cramped for style. There’s no side-to-side slippage at all, and the gusseted tongue is padded just enough for comfort. While the mesh upper is free of characteristic Salomon toe guard overlays, and the zig-zag midfoot overlay is shrunken down some, the engineered mesh is thick and durable.

Down below, the thick slab of Energy Foam is comfortably firm, but that firmness is helped some by a large heel cutout, which allows the foam to spread and offer more comfortable shock absorption for heel strikers. The firmness of the midsole offers more stability than I expected. It seems to have plenty of durability after my test miles, and the R. Camber technology allows for a smooth heel-to-toe transition through your side.

One thing that I think Salomon has worked out with its road shoes is the application of the trail-proven Contagrip outsole rubber for pavement. Contagrip isn’t the most spectacularly impressive rubber for trails, but it always works well enough, and it’s incredibly durable. Salomon has adapted this rubber to roads, but with judicious application across the bottom of the shoe. You’ll get lots of miles out of the underside of this shoe.

RENALDO: Right out of the box, the first thing you’ll notice about the Aero Blaze is how light it is. We’re talking 8.2 oz. for a US M9. That lightweight feel sticks with you while out on the road, too. The upper itself is made of 56% recycled materials and practically feels like it’s not there. Salomon’s Energy Foam holds all of this together, and the 8mm drop blends with R. Camber technology for a smooth transition on the run. I could definitely see this being the pick for those speedier runners that don’t like a lot of weight on foot and want that firmer ride when popping off the pavement. But if I’m being honest…

LINDSAY: The 56% recycled, single-layer mesh upper is lightweight and breathable. You know how they say, “it’s easier to get warmer because you can always put more layers on, but you can only take so many off to get cool before you’re in your birthday suit?” No? Just me? Well, anyway. This upper gives you that range of versatility. I’d throw on thicker socks for cooler days and not be bothered with a steamy foot on warmer days in thinner socks. Speaking of socks, if you’re the type to run without them, that’s ok here, too, because the textile lining is extremely comfortable. The tongue isn’t gusseted, but it didn’t seem to shift all that much, and it was just the right balance of cushion without being too bulky.

Other than the midsole being lightweight, I don’t have too many other positives to bring to the table for that one. Moving on.

It’s no surprise that the outsole falls under the good stuff, given Salomon’s reputation for trail gear. Its Road Contagrip is nothing short of ideal for road running; with solid grip and durability, this one is sure to last even the roughest roads. I’m looking at you, Baltimore.

The Bad

SAM: You’ll see that we’re mostly in agreement here when you get to Renaldo and Lindsay’s sections, but the most glaring issue with the Salomon Aero Blaze is a lack of excitement and cohesion in the Energy Foam midsole. The heel has some comfortable squish, due mainly to the oversized cutout and despite the overall firmness of the foam, but the forefoot feels a little blocky and doesn’t break in much over time. Midfoot strikers only get this, none of the cush in the heel.

Around the still very narrow toe box, the engineered mesh is stiff and restrictive, which isn’t my favorite on a road trainer. This mesh is also very warm and doesn’t breathe quite as much as I’d like — unlike what Lindsay said.

Visually, I find this shoe a little hard to get behind. It’s not the worst look, and I’m a fan of the two-toned gradient Salomon has been using in their releases this year, but that gradient is used to a more striking effect in shoes like the Ultra Glide 2 and the soon-to-be-reviewed Glide Max TR. Here, the coloring of the midsole continues from the upper is relatively localized, and the gradient looks more like a mistake in manufacturing than something purposeful, like someone ran highlighter down the shoe, but the midsole got wet and the highlighter diffused.

RENALDO: Y’all, I really wanted to like this shoe, but outside of its lightweight feel, I don’t see myself going back to the Aero Blaze. Firstly, having never tried Salomon’s Energy Foam, my introduction to it left me really underwhelmed. On the first slip-on, the shoe feels fine. But once you start running in it, the firmness of the foam REALLY screams at you. At first, I thought I needed to break it in by wearing the shoe around the house (something I don’t particularly like doing with new running shoes in general, so already points off there), but after a 3 miler and then a 10 miler in the shoe, that lingering firmness turned into absolute discomfort.

For being marketed as a daily trainer, I would have expected more give to the shoe. During the long run, I found myself heel striking more to alleviate the discomfort from my forefoot, midfoot, and knees. Don’t make me change my gait mid-run, Salomon…

On a less “performance” related note, this shoe has… a look. Now, I don’t wear many trail shoes, but if you TOLD me this was a trail shoe, I’d certainly believe you. It’s rather plain while still giving that “outdoorsy” vibe with the deep blues and a splash of neon yellow. It’s almost like the shoe is saying, “Yeah, get me dirty; it’s alright.” Road shoes, while oftentimes boring, usually don’t give off that same vibe. The laces are also really long. Like, comically so.

A lot of this shoe makes me believe that this was a prototype for some trail shoe that never was. Or is it soon to be? A pretty big miss for me when it comes to my first time in a Salomon shoe.

LINDSAY: I’ll admit this is not my favorite shoe. It just felt sort of flat to me. There was no energy return or propulsion factor, and it just wasn’t really all that fun to run in, which is something I look for, given the number of miles I find myself taking on per week. I attribute most of this to a bit of lacking in the midsole foam cushioning. It sort of felt close to a Saucony Kinvara, which is a tough shoe for me to run in, as well, but is great for more trained legs that don’t mind feeling the road.

The shoe laces didn’t really lock down the upper, though I’m not sure if that was more due to the material of the lacing with little to no grip or the fact that the laces were a mile long. The instability of that made the wider toe box more apparent too. If it wasn’t for the more narrow fit in the midfoot, I wouldn’t have thought my toes were slipping around.

Big sigh on this next point because this is something I’ve been noticing lately (see the Brooks Levitate 6 Stealthfit review). The women’s colorway options for this shoe are limited to pink/white or pink/black. Not a whole lot of options and a whopping zero options if you’re like me and not a fan of pink.

Salomon Aero Blaze Conclusion

SAM: My personal visual issues aside, I don’t think this is a terrible daily trainer, especially for a heel striker who likes a light shoe and a firmer midsole. It picks up the pace pretty well, takes slower paces just fine, and Salomon’s characteristic lockdown keeps your midfoot where it should be. It’s priced reasonably, especially for the weight and the amount of recycled content in the shoe.

Contemporaries on the market now would be the Brooks Levitate 6 (the Aero Blaze is cheaper, lighter, but less recycled) and the Reebok Floatride Energy 5 (the Aero Blaze is more expensive, lighter, firmer, and more recycled). A cushy, responsive, easy miles shoe, this is not, and neither is it a shoe to turn heads, but if you are on that firm, fitted, recycled trainer kick, this could be the shoe for you.

RENALDO: So Salomon is a trail shoe company that’s trying to break into the road scene. That’s cool. But this shoe just isn’t it for me. I almost kinda wanna take it out to trail itself and see how it performs under those conditions rather than the road where I had such an uncomfortable time with it. Gotta say, save your money.

LINDSAY: I think Salomon is onto something here. A few minor tweaks to make the shoe more true to size and a bit higher energy return, and we’ve got ourselves a solid daily trainer. I would compare this shoe to a lighter version of the Brooks Ghost 15, but not quite as fitted and without as much cushion. It’s also similar to the Hoka Mach 5 with its length, so if you noticed that as well, we’re having a case of deja vu.

Overall, $140 is pretty reasonable for this style of running shoe. If you’re someone that is not a fan of the max cushion direction a lot of road shoes are taking, and you just want something simple and well-made, this is the shoe for you.

You can pick up the Salomon Aero Blaze for $140 from Salomon’s website using the buttons below.

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