Best Salomon Running Shoes 2026: 8 Tested Picks

This guide is built to help you put together a complete Salomon rotation, or simply help you lock-in on the right pair of Salomon running shoes for your personal running requirements.

You obviously don’t need every shoe on this list, just pick the ones that fit your training and where you run.

Updated August 2026: the trail racing pick moves to the new S/Lab Genesis 2, the Genesis 2 joins as the technical all-mountain pick, and the daily trainer slot updates to the Aero Blaze 4. All three launched this summer.

Each recommendation includes:

• My YouTube review (subscribe here)
• A quick “why this one” summary
• Price + key specs (weights shown are for my US men’s size 9 pairs)

I recommend purchasing Salomon shoes direct at Salomon.com for all the colorway options, the most competitive prices + often sales up to 40% off • S/PLUS loyalty rewards • Free ground shipping for S/PLUS members • Easy 45-day returns • New email sign-ups get 10% off

Best daily trainer (the versatile everyday pick): Salomon Aero Blaze 4

Price - $140 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon Aero Blaze 4 review: smoother, and it shows

Salomon tuned the optiFOAM² midsole, and the Aero Blaze 4 runs smoother and livelier for it. Still $140, still versatile, now better.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Key specs: 8.3oz (235g) US M9 | 8mm drop (35mm / 27mm) | Tuned optiFOAM² with reverseCAMBER rocker | Road Contagrip | New zoned engineered mesh upper | True to size, medium width, spacious toe box

If you want one Salomon road shoe that handles most of your weekly training without any drama, this is it, and the 4 is a clear step up from the version it replaces.

Salomon tuned the optiFOAM² midsole, and the ride is smoother and more responsive for it: still controlled, planted, and connected to the ground, but with more give-back through the stride and a more willing toe-off when you lift the effort.

At 8.3oz it stays light enough to cover long runs, daily mileage, and uptempo efforts in one shoe, the new zoned mesh upper locks down with zero heel slip, and there's welcome arch support underfoot. At an unchanged $140 it's one of the best-value daily trainers from any brand, and it's become one of my most-reached-for road shoes this summer.

Worth knowing: it's the practical, dependable option rather than the flashy one. If you want a softer, higher-stack, livelier ride in the same family, that's the Aero Glide 4 below.

Best max-cushion road shoe for long easy runs (comfort + protection): Salomon Aero Glide 4

Price - $160 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon Aero Glide 4 review: the polished upgrade I wanted

Salomon keeps the lively, lightweight max-cushion ride of the Aero Glide 3 and refines it into an even more complete daily trainer.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Fit: True to size | Width: Medium with good volume | Weight: 8.9oz (252g) | Drop: 8mm

The Salomon Aero Glide 4 is a max-cushioned daily trainer built for runners who want plush comfort, a lively ride, and a shoe that stays surprisingly light on foot.

Its optiFOAM² supercritical midsole delivers soft, deeply cushioned landings with a nice bit of rebound, while the Reverse Camber rocker helps keep transitions smooth and effortless.

With its breathable upper, easy step-in comfort, and versatile ride, it’s a great choice for daily miles, recovery runs, and longer efforts when you want protection without the shoe feeling heavy or dull.

Best race-day shoe (carbon / top-end racer — half + marathon focus): Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2

Price - $250 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon S/LAB Phantasm 2 Review: Speed, And Comfort

Here’s how the super lightweight Salomon S/LAB Phantasm 2 performs with its carbon fiber plate, breathable upper, and responsive cushioning.

Trail & KaleAlastair

Key specs: 7.4oz / 210g (US M9) | 9mm drop (37.5mm / 28.5mm) | full-length carbon plate | narrow midfoot fit

This is my current Salomon road racer pick because it hits that sweet spot of lightweight speed + genuine comfort over longer efforts. The carbon plate and responsive midsole give it a fast, efficient feel when you turn it over, but it doesn’t feel harsh underfoot like some racers can.

Worth knowing: It’s true to size in length, but the midfoot runs noticeably narrow, and the collar can bother some runners with lower-set ankles (I mainly notice it more when walking after a run). Also… the laces can work loose unless you double-knot.

Update note: I’ve got Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 in for review, right now, and I’ll update this section once I’ve tested it properly.

Best road-to-trail shoe (door-to-trail, park paths, light trails): Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL

Price - $160 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL review: the hybrid daily trainer that does it all

Is this the most versatile max-cushion trainer of 2026? After weeks of road, gravel, and mixed-terrain running, here’s my full verdict on the Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Key specs: 9.7 oz / 275 g | 8 mm drop | 41 mm heel / 33 mm forefoot | optiFOAM² midsole | Gravel contaGRIP outsole with 2.5 mm Chevron lugs

If your running week mixes pavement, gravel, park paths, hard-packed dirt, grass, and light trails, the Aero Glide 4 GRVL is one of Salomon’s easiest shoes to recommend.

It keeps the soft, lively, long-run-friendly feel of the Aero Glide 4 platform, but adds a gravel-specific outsole and a more protective upper, so it feels much more confident when the surface gets loose or uneven.

The ride still feels smooth and cushioned on the road, helped by that Reverse Camber rocker, but the full-contact Gravel contaGRIP outsole gives it enough bite for mixed routes without feeling clunky on tarmac.

Worth knowing: v4 has a narrower midfoot than the previous version and works best once it has had a short break-in period. It’s also not built for technical trails. If you’re regularly running rocky, rooty, steep, or muddy singletrack, jump to the proper trail picks below.

Best technical all-mountain shoe (the do-it-all trail pick): Salomon Genesis 2

Price - $150 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon Genesis 2 review: the do-it-all trail shoe, refined

I’ve been testing the Genesis 2 on local trails; it’s livelier, still stable/controlled, and only $150: here’s how it improves on the original Genesis.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Key specs: 10.3oz / 292g (US M9) | 8mm drop (34mm / 26mm) | optiFOAM with integrated activeCHASSIS | All-Terrain contaGRIP, 4mm lugs | Matryx upper | Quicklace + lace garage

The Genesis 2 is the shoe I'd point most trail runners to first in Salomon's lineup. The firm, balanced midsole, excellent chassis-guided stability, very good traction, and hard-wearing Matryx build make it a true quiver-killer for everything from daily trail training to ultras on mixed terrain, and at $150 it undercuts most shoes offering this level of capability.

The toe box gained real room over the original, so it fits far more feet than the S/Lab version below.

Worth knowing: the ride is firm and connected by design; if you want plush comfort for cruisy days, that's the Ultra Glide 4 below. And if you're choosing between this and the S/Lab Genesis 2, my Salomon Genesis 2 vs S/Lab Genesis 2 comparison settles it in five minutes.

Salomon Genesis 2 vs S/Lab Genesis 2: which one should you buy?

Salomon Genesis 2 vs S/Lab Genesis 2 compared before their Aug 1 launch. My tested specs, the fit difference, and what the extra $50 buys.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Best cushioned trail cruiser (comfort-first mixed terrain): Salomon Ultra Glide 4

Price - $160 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon Ultra Glide 4 review: max cushion that still feels in control on real trails

Relieve Sphere smooths out rocky miles, contaGRIP stays trustworthy, and the updated upper keeps long runs feeling comfortable.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Key specs: 9.7oz (275g) | 6mm drop - stack height of 41mm heel / 35mm forefoot|

This is the Salomon trail shoe I like when I want one reliable workhorse that can handle a huge range of trail running, day after day.

In my review, I describe it as a polished comfort cruiser that feels smooth, protective, and confidence-building, especially when you’re not trying to run “knife-edge precise” every second.

Best ultra trail shoe (comfort + protection for long hours): Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide

Price - $250 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide Review: Pacman Ghosts For Feet

Comfort-focused and ultra-ready, the S/Lab Ultra Glide is built for long miles—just don’t expect race-day speed if you want to gun it.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Key specs: weight: 10.6oz (301g) | Drop: 6mm | Fit: True to size with a medium width

For long, slow-to-steady days where comfort matters as much as performance, this is the shoe I point people to in Salomon’s lineup.

The whole point here is staying comfortable, protected, and mentally “okay” deep into an ultra, when your form starts to fade and the ground starts to feel extra sharp.

Best trail racing shoe (fast, secure, and confidence-building): Salomon S/Lab Genesis 2

Price - $200 at Salomon (For the best price and colorway options)

Salomon S/Lab Genesis 2 review: my technical trail favorite, refined

Same precise, low-stack control that carried me through Speedgoat by UTMB, now with more pop, better stability, and improved durability.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Key specs: True to size (precise midfoot) | Weight: 9.3oz / 264g | Drop: 6mm (31mm / 25mm) | Midsole: dual-density optiFOAM² with reengineered activeCHASSIS + profeelFILM | Upper: Matryx Micro + EndoFit + integrated gaiter | All-Terrain Contagrip, 4.5mm lugs | Quicklace + lace garage

The S/Lab Genesis 2 is my technical trail favorite, refined.

The original carried me through Speedgoat by UTMB, and this version delivers the same quick, precise character with more energy return from the new dual-density foam and more composure at speed.

The revised 4.5mm lug geometry specifically targets wet rock, which was my one real complaint about the original, and the Matryx Micro upper with the integrated gaiter keeps the lockdown and debris protection that make this shoe so confidence-building on descents.

Worth knowing: the S/Lab fit remains snug and precise through the midfoot; wide feet should go for the standard Genesis 2 above instead. Full head-to-head in my Genesis 2 vs S/Lab Genesis 2 comparison.

Final tips for choosing the right Salomon shoe

• If you want one shoe for most road training: Salomon Aero Blaze 4
• If your priority is soft, protective road miles: Salomon Aero Glide 4
• If you want one shoe that handles road + light trail in the same run: Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL
• If you're racing roads and want Salomon's fastest feel: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2 (with the narrow midfoot caveat)
• If you want one do-it-all technical trail shoe: Salomon Genesis 2
• If you race technical trails: Salomon S/Lab Genesis 2

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