Quick verdict
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX is a fast, low-slung GORE-TEX shoe for people who move quickly across the road-to-gravel mix rather than plod. It runs a GORE-TEX membrane inside a lightweight engineered mesh upper, a Gravel Contagrip outsole for wet and dry firm ground, an 8mm heel-to-toe drop on a 37mm heel stack with responsive optiFOAM cushioning, and Salomon's Quicklace system, at around 478g per pair. Best for dry-foot fast walking, run-commuting and gravel-track days on British paths, downland and canal towpaths; the low cut means it is not for deep bog or ankle-deep water. Price is £145.
Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX: 4.5/5
A light GORE-TEX shoe with a Gravel Contagrip outsole, 8mm drop and optiFOAM cushioning, built to move fast across the road-to-gravel mix while keeping feet dry.
The full review is below.
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX is what happens when a road running shoe grows up enough to handle a gravel track and puts a GORE-TEX membrane in to keep the wet out. It is low, light and quick, built for the sort of ground that blurs the line between pavement and path: canal towpaths, forest fire roads, hard chalk tracks and the firm-packed sections of the coast path where a chunky boot would just slow you down.
If you already know Salomon's Aero line, this is the gravel-leaning, waterproofed version of it. The GRVL tuning firms up the outsole and adds grip for loose stuff, and the GTX build seals it against the wet British half of the year. It sits at £145, which is fair for a GORE-TEX shoe from Salomon and puts it right in the thick of the best waterproof trainers roundup.
Who the Aero Blaze 4 GRVL is for
This is a shoe for people who move at pace. If you walk fast, run-commute, or want something that can trot the last mile back to the car without feeling like a brick, it fits. The low weight, the 8mm drop and the responsive optiFOAM cushioning all point at speed rather than load-hauling.
It suits the drier, firmer end of British walking: downland in summer, gravel tracks, towpaths, forest roads, and coast-path sections that are packed chalk and hardcore rather than churned mud. Pair it with a light waterproof trainers setup for day walks where you are not carrying a heavy pack.
It is not the shoe for a peat-bog crossing or a full winter fell day. Anyone wanting more foot protection and a burlier ride should look at the Mammut Aenergy Hike Low GTX, which trades some of this shoe's road pace for trail sturdiness.
Waterproofing: the GORE-TEX membrane
The Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX uses a GORE-TEX membrane bonded inside the engineered mesh upper. That is the version you want for Britain. It keeps splash, puddle spray, wet grass and dewy morning downland out while still letting the foot breathe, which matters on a shoe built to move fast and generate heat.
On firm wet ground it does exactly what a GTX shoe should: through drizzle, over soaked chalk, across the shallow run-off that sheets over a towpath after rain, feet stay dry. The membrane also cuts wind chill through the mesh, which you notice on an exposed downland ridge in a cold snap.
The limit is the low cut, and it is worth being straight about it. A GORE-TEX membrane only protects up to the collar of the shoe. Step into water deeper than the ankle, or spend an hour ploughing through bog and long soaking grass, and water comes in over the top. Once it is in, GORE-TEX slows it draining out again. Keep this on firm and shallow ground and it stays dry all day. Ask it to wade and it will disappoint. That is true of every low GTX shoe, not a fault unique to this one.
Grip and outsole
The GRVL tuning is the reason to pick this over a plain road shoe. It runs a Gravel Contagrip outsole with a shallow multi-directional pattern designed to bite on loose gravel and hold on both wet and dry firm surfaces. On packed chalk, hardcore, gravel and forest road it grips confidently, and it rolls smoothly enough on tarmac that road sections do not feel like walking on studs.
Where it gives up ground is deep mud and wet grass on a slope. The lugs are too shallow to clear thick clag or to dig into a greasy chalk incline the way a proper trail outsole will. On the wet, polished chalk of the South Downs after heavy rain, treat any camber with respect. This is a firm-ground grip pattern, and it is very good within that remit.
Cushioning and fit
Underfoot you get Salomon's optiFOAM, tuned here for rebound rather than plush softness, sat on a 37mm heel stack with an 8mm drop. The result is a responsive, connected ride: enough cushioning to take the sting out of miles on hard tracks, but firm enough that you still feel the ground and can move quickly. It is a shoe that rewards a brisk cadence.
Fit is Salomon's regular last, which tends to run slightly narrow through the midfoot, typical of the brand. If you have a wider foot, size up or try before you commit. Length is true to size for most people. The Quicklace system pulls the whole upper snug in one tug and tucks away into the tongue pocket, which is fast and secure, though replacing the cord is fiddlier than swapping a standard lace.
At around 478g per pair it is properly light for a GORE-TEX shoe, and that low weight is the headline. It disappears on the foot in the way a good fast shoe should.
Colours
Buy the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX (Black) at Salomon
Buy the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX (Vanilla Ice) at Salomon
Buy the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX (Maritime Blue) at Salomon
Maritime Blue is down to very limited sizes at the moment, so if it is the colour you want, check availability before you set your heart on it. Black is the safe all-rounder and the easiest to find in a full size run.
Specs at a glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Membrane | GORE-TEX (waterproof, breathable) |
| Outsole | Gravel Contagrip |
| Drop | 8mm (37mm heel stack) |
| Cushioning | optiFOAM, responsive tuning |
| Lacing | Quicklace |
| Weight | Around 478g per pair (reference size) |
| Price | £145 |
| Best for | Fast road-to-gravel days on firm ground |
Pros and cons
- Light for a GORE-TEX shoe, disappears on the foot
- GORE-TEX keeps feet dry on firm, shallow wet ground
- Gravel Contagrip grips well on gravel, chalk and hardcore
- Responsive optiFOAM ride rewards a fast pace
- Quicklace system is fast and secure
- Low cut lets water in over the collar in bog or deep puddles
- Shallow lugs struggle in deep mud and on greasy slopes
- Regular last runs slightly narrow for wide feet
- Quicklace cord is fiddlier to replace than a standard lace
Verdict
The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX earns 4.5 out of 5. It does one job very well: moving fast and dry-footed across the firm, mixed ground that makes up a lot of real British walking and run-commuting. The GORE-TEX build, Gravel Contagrip outsole and light, responsive ride are a coherent package, and the low weight is the thing you will notice most on the foot.
Buy it if you want a quick, waterproofed shoe for towpaths, gravel tracks, downland and packed coast path, and you are honest about keeping it off the bog. If your ground is deep mud, wet grass and steep greasy chalk, or you want ankle protection, this is the wrong tool and a burlier trail shoe will serve you better. For its intended remit it is one of the better fast options on the market.
Buy the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX at SalomonFAQ
Is the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX waterproof?
What size should I buy?
Is it a trail shoe or a town shoe?
How does it compare to the Merrell Speed Strike 2 GORE-TEX?
For more fast, dry-footed options across the range, see our best waterproof trainers roundup, or compare this against the Salomon XT-Pathway GORE-TEX if you want the same brand with a more everyday, travel-friendly slant. The Merrell Speed Strike 2 GORE-TEX is the closest rival for lightweight speed.
