The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is a lively neutral daily trainer that brings a bit of fun to daily miles. It's especially well-suited to heel strikers, thanks to its amazing heel cushioning and gentle heel rocker, and its firm forefoot helps anchor the ride. The shoe has several sizing quirks, like a narrow arch and shorter than expected length, and the platform isn't as stable as a classic daily trainer. While it's not the cutting edge of innovation, the Aero Blaze 4 offers a good balance of cushioning and energy return that few daily trainers in its price category can match.
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Our Verdict
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is an adequate, but not exactly enjoyable shoe for running a full or half marathon. The unplated midsole and weak rocker leave it short on the propulsion a dedicated racing shoe usually offers, and the cushioning becomes less and less absorbent with each passing mile.
Good energy return.
Forefoot cushioning fades over extended mileage.
Shoe weighs too much for competitive racing.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is a decent option for shorter races. The firm forefoot provides a stable base for quicker turnover, and its overall snap is respectable for an unplated trainer. But the shoe's weight holds it back from being an efficient racer, and the rocker flattens out when the going gets tough, making the ride less fluid at faster paces.
Decent snap for an unplated shoe.
Firm forefoot provides good platform for pushing off.
Flat rocker adds little assistance.
Shoe weighs too much for competitive racing.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is an okay companion for long runs. The excellent heel cushioning keeps the ride comfortable, but the soft foam under it also means a less stable ride. Forefoot protection tapers off noticeably as the miles accumulate, and the flat rocker doesn't do much to help keep your feet turning over.
Excellent heel cushioning.
Flat rocker adds little assistance.
Forefoot cushioning fades over extended mileage.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is a good everyday trainer. Its protective heel cushioning handles routine mileage comfortably, and the firm forefoot keeps transitions stable across a range of paces. That said, the soft foam in the heel makes the ride less stable than a classic daily trainer.
Excellent heel cushioning.
Stable forefoot across different paces.
Less stable than a classic daily trainer.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 31, 2026: Review published.
- Updated Jul 29, 2026: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 16, 2026: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jul 06, 2026: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jul 02, 2026: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
We've bought and tested more than 250 running shoes. Every pair purchased with our own money, never supplied or sponsored by brands. Our data-driven tests are designed to go beyond marketing claims, and since every shoe goes through the exact same methodology, you can directly compare results to find the right pair for your needs.
Test Results
Energy Return
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 has good energy return. Both the heel and forefoot rebound with real spring when compressed, giving the ride an energetic character underfoot. It feels livelier than many classic daily trainers, although it's not energetic enough to be considered a speed workout shoe.
Consistent rebound in both heel and forefoot.
Energetic for a daily trainer, but not a speed workout shoe.
The forefoot of the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 returns energy better than the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 did, giving back almost 80% of impact energy at push-off.
The heel of the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 also returns energy better than the Aero Blaze 3, giving heel strikers a lively assist forward onto the toes.
Stability
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is an okay shoe for stability. The forefoot firms up considerably under load, resisting any wobble at push-off. The softer heel offers less reassurance for heel strikers who land with a lot of force, and the relatively narrow arch doesn't leave much of a platform underfoot when transitioning through midstance.
Firm forefoot provides good platform for pushing off.
Firm forefoot stays planted at toe-off.
Softer heel can induce some wobbles when landing with force.
The heel stays fairly pliant under load, prioritizing cushioned comfort over underfoot stability. It's noticeably less firm than the Salomon Aero Blaze 3.
Cushioning
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 delivers very good cushioning overall, albeit unevenly. Heel protection stands out as a genuine strength, while the forefoot becomes increasingly harsher the more force is applied. The cushioning also degrades as the run gets longer.
Excellent heel cushioning.
Forefoot cushioning fades over extended mileage.
Heel impact protection stays dependable across a wide range of forces, giving heel strikers a soft landing even as the pace picks up.
Bounciness
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 has a reasonable amount of bounce. Neither the heel nor the forefoot compresses that much, giving the ride a controlled, grounded feel rather than a springy one.
Good energy return.
Shallow compression limits any bouncy sensation.
Snappiness
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 has a decent amount of snap for an unplated trainer. The forefoot is quite firm, which helps give a direct response when pushing off, but it's not stiff enough to give much leverage. The forefoot also doesn't return much energy when bent, so it's slow to snap back.
Decent snap for an unplated shoe.
Forefoot doesn't return much energy when bent.
The forefoot is not that effective at returning energy when bent, so the snap-back is rather tame.
Roll
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 has sub-par roll. The rocker flattens out quickly under load, giving the ride a flatter, less propulsive feel than more dynamic trainers.
Heel rocker offers a reasonable heel-to-midfoot transition.
Flat rocker adds little assistance.
Rocker flattens too easily under pressure.
The rocker doesn't hold its shape very well, so once you start to push the pace, the geometry becomes less assistive, and the ride feels less smooth.
The Aero Blaze 4 has a bit more stack than the Aero Blaze 3, which helps the 4th version absorb more impact in both the heel and the forefoot.
True To Size
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 has some sizing issues that make it a bit risky to buy your normal size. The length runs short, so consider sizing up ki[from what you normally wear, but also beware if you have wide arches, as the shoe is very tapered and snug through the middle of the foot.
Enough room in forefoot.
Length is shorter than true to size.
Arch is very narrow.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 runs short, in contrast to the Aero Blaze 3, which was longer than true to size. If you ran in the Aero Blaze 3 and were satisfied with the fit, you will probably need to go up a full size in the Aero Blaze 4.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is heavier than the Aero Blaze 3, which is likely due to the slight increase in stack height. Still, the weight is okay for a classic daily trainer.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 is the French brand's take on a neutral daily trainer, and it delivers good cushioning and energy return for an everyday shoe. If, on the other hand, you want a daily trainer that's lighter and more stable, and you don't need as much heel cushioning, check out the PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO. If you want a shoe that performs similarly to the Aero Blaze 4, but has more consistent sizing and is available in more widths, check out the Saucony Ride 19.
The Salomon Aero Glide 4 is the brand's other daily trainer, and it's significantly more cushioned, which makes it heavier, but also more comfortable for long runs.
For more good long-run shoes, see our recommendations for the best shoes for long runs. If you're after more cushioning, see our picks for the best cushioned running shoes.
The Salomon Aero Glide 4 and Salomon Aero Blaze 4 are the French brand's two everyday road running shoes, each offering slightly different strengths. The Aero Glide 4 is for runners who want amazing cushioning and plan on doing longer runs, while the Aero Blaze 4 will appeal to runners who want a lighter shoe for shorter, daily outings.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 has made several changes since the Salomon Aero Blaze 3. The most important thing is that, while the third version was too long, the fourth is too short, so if you ran in the 3, you'll probably want to size up for the 4. The 4th version also weighs a bit more, but otherwise, it improves on the cushioning and energy return that made the Aero Blaze 3 a lively daily trainer.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 in men's US size 9, as indicated on the label for our pair, in the Bluing/White/Maritime Blue colorway. It's available in several other colorways, depending on your region, but only in one standard width. There's also a GRVL edition with a different lacing system and an outsole that's meant to add extra grip for traction. We haven't tested this GRVL model. The design section applies only to the exact model we tested, but we expect other variants to perform similarly.
