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7.7 oz. (218 g) for a US M9
7.1 oz. (201 g) for a US W8
33 mm in heel, 25 mm in forefoot (8 mm drop)
Progression runs and faster workouts
Single-layer mesh upper, solid energyFOAM midsole, R.Camber geometry
$150
RUBY: For decades, Salomon has dominated the trail running space with incredibly reliable and durable options. So much so that I’ve had the same trusty pair of Salomon Speedcross for eight years, dating back to my start in cross country and trail running (Maybe Salomon’s durability surpasses its business savvy since I’ve not had to buy another pair since).
After getting on so well with Salomon on the trails, I’ve been curious about its emergence on the roads and jumped (or should I say sprinted) at the chance to test-run the Salomon Aero Volt. The Aero Volt is part of Salomon’s Aero range of road shoes, engineered with the same lightweight responsive energyFOAM midsole as the Aero Blaze and Aero Glide.
With a super light, breathable upper, the Aero Volt is designed with summer in mind. The mesh upper helps the feet stay cool as the temperatures rise while also keeping the weight down. The Aero Volt is Salomon’s lightest daily trainer coming in at 7.6 oz for a US M9, compared to the 8.7 oz Aero Blaze and 9 oz Aero Glide.
RUBY: This is a good-looking shoe. Straight out of the box, the Aero Volt made me excited to lace up and run. No doubt this is a summer shoe, feeling even lighter underfoot than the scales reported, with a single-layer mesh upper perfect for letting your feet breathe in the heat and humidity. Say goodbye to sticky, sweaty socks.
Salomon clearly prides itself on durability on and off the trails, with the Aero Volt’s full rubber outsole designed to go the distance. While a lot of its competitors are shaving weight by removing the outsole and leaving foam exposed, I believe Salomon’s choice to be different rewards it with superior value for money.
This shoe tempts you to pick up the pace, with Salomon’s R.Camber technology making for smooth and fluid heel-to-toe transitions kinda like Hoka’s rocker technology. The relatively low heel stack height of 33 mm, compared to 40 mm in the Hoka Clifton 9, combined with an 8mm drop, gives the Aero Vault extreme versatility for handling a variety of terrains — road, trail, and grass — as well as for navigating sharp corners and uneven surfaces.
Before I go on to the bad, I owe Salomon an apology: I’m sorry; I was wrong. After my first run, I was ready to retire the Aero Volt in favor of the cushioned spring of other daily trainers, but I’m so relieved I didn’t. Remember the days of breaking in shoes? Don’t worry, I almost forgot them too.
Unlike most modern shoes, I found that the Salomon Aero Volt needed time to break in, making for a pleasant surprise as I logged more miles in them and picked up the pace. The firm midsole gives the Aero Volt a snappy and responsive ride at higher speeds, and this could be a great shoe for faster easy days and progression runs, especially on unstable surfaces when wearing higher stack shoes risk a broken ankle.
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RUBY: I have Goldilocks-shaped feet — not too wide, not too narrow — so shoe width isn’t usually something I think much about. Until now. While the Aero Volt fit true to size in terms of length, I found it very roomy in the toe box, which was much too wide for me. The lacing and upper lock most of the foot down nicely, but I couldn’t resolve the loose feeling of the toe box. For runners with wider feet or fans of the “anatomical fit” that the likes of Altra have made popular, this could be a shoe for you.
Again this comes down to personal preference, but if you prefer a soft and pillowy feel beneath your feet, like the Hoka Clifton or Asics Novablast, the Aero Volt is probably not the shoe for you either. I’m used to securing my feet above super squidgy and thick layers of foam, so the Aero Volt was a bit of a shock. The dense energyFOAM midsole makes for a firm ride with a good ground contact feel. That said, it’s certainly not dead or lifeless.
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RUBY: The Aero Volt has both style and substance, and with its stand-out durability and versatility, the $150 price tag seems like incredible value for money. I would compare the Aero Volt to the Altra Escalante or some of the older models of the Asics Gel Cumulus. However, with most companies favoring highly cushioned, super soft rides, there really isn’t another shoe on the market quite like the Aero Volt, and this may play to Salomon’s advantage.
Personally, I enjoy a softer ride underfoot, something with a bit more squidge and less ground contact feel. But overall, I’m impressed with Salomon’s foray into road running and think that it certainly has potential.
Watch out, I think Salomon’s presence on the road is only beginning.
You can pick up the Salomon Aero Volt for $150 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) using the buttons below.
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Ruby is an NCAA Division 1 student-athlete, running shoe geek and all-around exercise science nerd, originally from the United Kingdom. An aspiring pro runner, Ruby currently competes on all terrains– road, track, and cross country– from the 3000m distance up to the half-marathon. A true mileage junkie, Ruby has plenty of opportunities to test out different shoes and properly put them through their paces.
All-time favorite shoes: Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next%, Hoka One One Clifton 6, Nike Zoom Vomero 14
More from Ruby
So interesting to see the difference between the way the Aero Volt and Aero Blaze were talked about (albeit by different reviewers) given that the midsole is essentially identical and the Blaze is just a heavier upper. The Energy Foam was a weak spot for reviewers of the Blaze and yet here, it seems to be a perk. Have to wonder what reviewers of each shoe would say about the other, or if it’s just a difference in opinion/preferred ride/harshness of judgement.
Found a pair of these deeply discounted recently and want to echo Ruby’s conclusions. It’s very comfortable and hits my preferred sweet spot of response over cushion. But to give my perspective as a very narrow-footed runner…the toe box fit is baffling. I normally go a half-size below TTS in order to get as solid a heel lockdown as possible, but even that in these shoes my toes were swimming, and the whole front of the upper folds in on itself when I’m up on my toes because there’s just so much extra room, both vertically and horizontally. I suspect I could have probably gotten away with a whole size down on this model and fit comfortably.