Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL review

Following our thorough testing of the Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL, we found that:

• Those looking for the characteristic bounciness of a road maximalist shoe will love this gravel-oriented model.
• Fans of the Aero Glide 3 shoe who want a similar model for winter training should definitely consider this model.
• Those who are looking for a durable outsole are going to be very pleased with the Aero Glide 3 GRVL.
• Runners training for a longer race during the winter on dirt roads or gravel paths should definitely look into this model!

We found in the lab that the Aero Glide 3 GRVL delivers a somewhat tighter fit that might not suit every runner. If you prefer a bit more room, we suggest looking at the Topo Ultraventure 4.

The Aero Glide 3 GRVL also surprised us on the negative side with a very low-durability upper that might quickly rip apart and offer little protection against gravel debris. Some good alternatives are the HOKA Challenger 8 and the ASICS Gel Trabuco 13.

Shock absorption is slightly above average for the Aero Glide 3 GRVL. With 144 SA in the heel and 117 SA in the forefoot, you will definitely have enough protection for your longer runs on gravel and dirt road routes.

The Aero Glide 3 was a complete turnaround from Salomon, and we expected something similar from the GRVL edition. The EnergyFOAM EVO in this midsole scored 69.8% in the heel and 68.6% in the forefoot.

Due to this, this shoe will feel bouncier during faster efforts and more up-tempo longer runs.

Salomon advertises 41 mm of stack height at the heel for the Aero Glide 3 GRVL, but our measurements show it is slightly lower, at 39.1 mm.

You'll find a smaller heel stack height compared to the Aero Glide 3, but it is still high enough for those who desire plush landings or for runners on the heavier side who want extra joint protection.

The forefoot stack height measured very close to what was listed by Salomon, at 30.7 mm. This means that forefoot and midfoot strikers who want impact protection will feel very pleased with this shoe.

Again, it seems Salomon wanted to keep the same structure as the Aero Glide 3, and the forefoot stack height of the GRVL edition is about 1 mm lower than that of the AG3.

Using our digital calipers, we measured an 8.4 mm drop, just slightly above the 8 mm stated by Salomon.

Same as with the AG3, Salomon changed the midsole compound from Energy Foam to Energy Foam EVO. This change from EVA foam to an eTPU blend gives the AG 3 GRVL version a smooth and bouncy ride.

We tested the softness and got a 40.0 AC reading, exactly what the AG3 version measured! Another piece of evidence that Salomon used the same midsole compound for both versions.

The absence of a pronounced rocker on the Aero Glide 3 GRVL made our transitions feel more natural. We think it's a great option for runners who want a high-stack shoe but don't want the assisted running feel of an aggressive rockered shoe.

When we tried the Aero Glide 3 GRVL, we immediately felt that the shoe was not on the roomier side.

After we performed our series of measurements, we confirmed our suspicions. The 94.5 mm width places this shoe on the narrower side compared to shoes in the same category. 

Interestingly, this fit is about 2 mm larger than the Aero Glide 3, which helps on gravel or dirt roads.

The Aero Glide 3 GRVL features a tapered toebox that measures only 71.6 mm, confirming what we felt about the fit of this shoe. It has a medium-sized toebox, but we didn't find much extra room to splay our toes.

What we didn't get in toebox width, Salomon gave us in toebox height. Measuring 28.0 mm, it feels spacious enough to prevent any cramped feelings for most runners.

The Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL earned a solid 0.58 coefficient of friction, proving that its gravel-inspired design doesn't sacrifice road performance. We found that it delivers reassuring traction on wet concrete while offering enough extra grip to confidently handle light gravel sections and mixed-surface adventures.

The Aero Glide 3 GRVL was built as a hybrid shoe for both tarmac and gravel. With 2.3 mm depth lugs, we enjoyed this shoe's traction over various terrains while testing, only being subpar on more technical terrain

The edge part of the outsole of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL uses the same rubber design that is found in its road counterpart. The most prominent difference is in the center part of the forefoot, where Salomon added hexagonal lugs made of the same CONTAGRIP rubber, improving the toe-off on gravel roads.

Also, the outside rubber features large triangular-shaped lugs, as opposed to the horizontal lugs found in the road version, that promote forward momentum. 

The high stack of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL and the outsole design confer it an above-average result of 19.3N. This stiffness with the absence of a rocker, will make this shoe feel a bit more flat on the road.

The GRVL edition of the Aero Glide 3 weighs 10% more than the road edition. Given the added rubber to the outsole, a reinforced upper, and other changes, the 9.7 oz (275g) is a very reasonable weight for a shoe in this category.

The structured upper in this shoe gives it moderate stability during the runs. This will cater amazingly to neutral runners, and while moderate pronators can still use this shoe, we found that there are better options like the Brooks Caldera 8.

The torsional rigidity test produced an above-average result of 19.6 Nm. We were not surprised by this result, especially after looking at the stack height and the single-piece outsole.

The heel counter's stiffness in this shoe also contributes to the supportive feel, earning a 3 out of 5.

While the shoe's fit is on the narrower side, we found that the Aero Glide 3 GRVL sits on a very wide platform, measuring 119.6 mm in the forefoot.

We measured the heel width with our digital calipers and recorded 94.5 mm. This result is significantly broader than average, enhancing stability for heel strikers!

We were expecting the toebox upper of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL to be very well reinforced to withstand damage from gravel roads. When we put it through our dremel test, the upper disintegrated instantly, earning a score of 1 out of 5.

The heel pad of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL, on the other hand, handled the dremel test noticeably better, earning an above-average 4 out of 5.

After testing the Gravel ContaGRIP durability of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL, we found it to be more durable than the road version, with the dremel test leaving a 0.9 mm dent. This result supports the idea that this version of the Aero Glide 3 is the better choice for runners who don't want to sacrifice durability.

The outsole is 1.8 mm thick, which is thinner than average. However, since this shoe is a hybrid between road and trail types, this slim outsole is understandable.

The insole of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL is thinner than average, measuring just 3.9 mm in thickness.

The insole is removable, so you can easily replace it if needed.

Something that was a let-down from an off-road shoe like the Aero Glide 3 GRVL was the absence of reflective elements. Unfortunately, runners who want to be seen in early-morning or late-night conditions have to look for other ways to make themselves visible.

We found that the tongue has light padding (3.1 mm), being the perfect balance between comfort and low weight. 

However, we noticed that the tongue is wide enough to embrace the entire foot, meaning it might not work for every runner.

The tongue features a semi-attached gusset that covers only half of the instep area, just like in the road version. It is directly stitched into the upper and is specially designed to protect the inner shoe from debris. 

Salomon kept the heel design of the Aero Glide 3 GRVL very simple, not adding a heel tab and skipping the inside-out stitching that was found in the road version.

The Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL is an interesting option for its price point. Its above-average energy return, outsole durability and foam behavior in cold weather make it an excellent option in the gravel shoe category.