• Overall Rating

  : 4 out of 5

The Salomon Aero Blaze 3 Grvl Gore-tex is a high-comfort hybrid, equally at home on forestry paths and country park gravel.

While I encountered the expected “slide” on slick mud, the outsole really comes alive on firmer surfaces. It offers a tacky, highly connected feel – a ‘soft-tyred’ grip – providing seamless transitions between terrain types. Yet the fit is where things really shine. While the Engineered Mesh upper provides a more natural toe splay while the midfoot is wrapped snugly, so you get vital “duck-foot” freedom without the shoe feeling loose or oversized. The padding is exceptionally plush, though I noticed a bit of extra room in the rear – something to note for those with narrower heel profiles.

Gore-Tex integration is standout, and kept my digits dry during my test over the last of winter. The additional toe chevron is a clever touch for driving through rain-soaked grass, as water simply doesn’t penetrate. Combined with the moulded OrthoLite® insole, it feels very durable and makes for a perfect Park Run trainer. And that midfoot lockdown is the secret sauce for higher intensity workouts where you can’t afford any internal slipping.

Underfoot, the optiFOAM² spared my arches and calves from fatigue while providing enough ground feel to power up steep sections with ease. Aero Blaze 3 is the lightest contender in my selection, and is a well-engineered hybrid shoe that is comfortable enough to run at pace on the day to day, and should prove durable for the hills too.

How we tested

Gemma tested these trainers across East Anglian lowlands and hilly forests, tackling everything from frozen, waterlogged tracks to more technical woodland climbs through winter into spring. She has a wide forefoot and narrower heel. Shoe weights are from her scales. This review was first published in the June 2026 issue of The Great Outdoors. You can compare it to other in our guide to the best trail running shoes.