Did Salomon Just Drop the Sneaker Industry’s Next Ultraboost?

If foams are the currency of running-shoe brands, Salomon looks absolutely loaded.

Published March 3, 2025

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In the annals of running shoes, history is written in foam. And few chapters read as impressively as the one about Boost.

Developed by BASF (the world’s largest chemical producer) and brought to market by Adidas, Boost technology— comprised of eTPU (expanded thermoplastic polyurethane) pellets — led to several world records and dominated distance running for years.

Now, Salomon is picking up where Adidas left off, namely with the introduction of a Boost-like midsole compound premiering in the brand-new Aero Glide 3.

Foam for days

To be clear, Salomon bills the Aero Glide 3 as a max-cushioned daily trainer. And it has a massive bed of cushion that measures 41mm to show for it. However, you’d hardly notice its chunky profile by feel alone.

A sample exclusively provided to Gear Patrol weighs in 9.95 ounces for a US size 11.5, representing a significant drop compared to last year’s Brooks Glycerin Max (11.92 ounces) and the newly released Nike Vomero 18 (12.25 ounces).

Though all components of a shoe matter when it comes to the overall weight, the foam here is doing most of the heavy lifting in terms of keeping that number low.

Salomon calls it Energy Foam Evo and it’s made of supercritical eTPU pellets, similar to Boost, to inject efficiency, resiliency and bounce with very little to weigh it down.

That said, the Aero Glide 3 isn’t a one-trick pony; Salomon gave the upper some TLC jumping into the third generation, turning to the gloves worn by Formula 1 drivers as a source of inspiration.

In that sense, the breathable 3D mesh upper of the Aero Glide 3 has a seamless construction with no internal stitching, resulting in an overall package that’s not just lightweight but supremely comfortable.

Finally, Salomon’s Road Contagrip outsoles wraps around the entire perimeter of the shoe, delivering grip and durability in ample, equal measure.

More to come

The Energy Foam Evo midsole won’t be exclusive to the Aero Glide 3; Salomon has tailored much of its 2025 catalog around the foam compound, with models such as the Aero Blaze 3 (scheduled for July) already confirmed to adopt it, too.

Until then, the Aero Glide 3 is available for $160. It comes in five colorways — including black, blue and gray (“Alloy”).