With Spring upon us and summer right around the corner, it's time to refresh your footwear for the season ahead. Whether you're hitting the pavement, exploring trails, or upgrading from everyday style, the 2025 Spring Shoe Guide has you covered. This year brings a perfect blend of innovation, comfort, and style, with top brands rolling out shoes that cater to runners, casual walkers, and lifestyle enthusiasts alike. Expect cutting-edge materials, eco-conscious designs, and bold aesthetics that will keep you ahead of the game. Get ready to step confidently into the new season with shoes tailored to your needs and preferences.
We gathered testers from all over the country, including veteran runners at ACTIVE, to extensively test the shoes in this guide. Our testers put their shoes through at least 20 running miles (some way more than 20 miles) while paying attention to comfort, fit, weight, breathability, flexibility, and ride.
From updates of old favorites that had our feet singing to new releases that will ensure you'll find something to motivate your miles well into summer, you're guaranteed to find a shoe you'll love. We know money might be tight, but if you can, treat yourself! You deserve it.
Spring Shoe Guides
AHNU | Asics | Brooks | Craft | Diadora | HOKA | KURU | La Sportiva | Merrell | New Balance | Nike | The North Face | Reebok | Rossignol | Salomon | Saucony | Scarpa | Skechers | Speedland | Under Armour
Why Trust Us?
ACTIVE.com's editorial team relies on the knowledge and experience of fitness and wellness experts, including competitive athletes, coaches, physical therapists, nutritionists, and certified trainers. This helps us ensure the products we feature are of the highest standard. Collectively, the team has spent countless hours researching equipment, gear, and recovery tools in order to create the most accurate, authentic content for our readers. Customer satisfaction is also a key part of our review process, which is why we only feature products that are highly rated.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide
Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL
Salomon Aero Glide 3
Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide
About: Built for trail runners pushing their limits, the Salomon S/LAB Ultra Glide is a revolution in long-distance trail running. Created with professional athletes in mind, these shoes deliver comfort, durability, and exceptional grip over the roughest terrains. Featuring Salomon’s innovative Energy Surge midsole, the S/LAB Ultra Glide offers lightweight cushioning and responsive energy return, ensuring your steps are both soft and powerful across miles of trails. Combined with its Contagrip outsole for unparalleled traction and a streamlined design for reduced foot fatigue, this shoe ensures you stay focused, driven, and supported through every twist, turn, and challenge the trail throws at you.
With a moon-crater outsole and a cloud-like ride, this shoe gives pure sky energy - smooth, light, and ready for liftoff.
Things We Liked:
"These shoes have cloud-like soles that would be very desirable on up and down runs. "
"My favorite thing about the shoe is the cushioned, responsive ride—it feels smooth and energetic, especially on long, rolling trails with big climbs and steep descents."
Areas for Improvement:
"The heel and ankle padding is too thick and causes blisters after every session. "
"If I could change one thing, I’d redesign the tongue to prevent it from bunching near the toes by making the laces easier to adjust for a cleaner fit."
Final Thoughts
The S/Lab Ultra Glides are a fast-looking shoe with cloud-like soles. The outsole technology provides superior traction for all terrain and conditions. The fit is as expected, with plenty of room in the toe box.
Unfortunately, the positives end there. This shoe is heavier than expected and is very clunky on the trails. The quick-lace system worked better than anticipated; however, once tightened, there is 2-3 inches of excess "lace" with nowhere to put it, other than weaving it through the laces. The upper sock-like shoe material is less breathable. However, it provides a comfortable fit. The ankle and heel padding is way too thick and immediately causes blisters. Even after several attempts to break in the shoe, blistering occurred.
Specs:
- Drop: 6 mm
- Weight: 10.2 oz
- Price: $250
- Category: Neutral
- Type: Running - Trail
- Fit: True To Size to 1/2 Size Big
- Ideal for: Long Distance, Race, Trail
Buy:
Unisex
Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL
About: If you’re seeking unmatched performance for adventures that combine gravel roads and light trails, the Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL is designed just for you. These shoes feature Salomon’s revolutionary lightweight construction and enhanced stability, providing all-around support on various terrains. Its specialized grip outsole sets the Aero Glide 3 GRVL apart, providing reliable traction and agility as you transition between packed gravel and uneven paths. Engineered with breathable materials for optimal foot comfort and featuring high-energy rebound technology for an effortless stride, this pair is a go-to for anyone passionate about versatile, high-performance trail exploration.
I was very loyal to another brand for the past seven years and wish I had changed to Salomon years ago!
Things We Liked:
"The shoe perfectly balances lightweight agility and solid support, giving me confidence on technical downhill trails."
Areas for Improvement:
"I’ve had hip pain while running for the past seven years and can’t believe that this shoe has almost eliminated it."
Final Thoughts
The Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL is a game-changer for trail runners. From the moment I slipped them on, I could feel the comfort—plush yet responsive cushioning that made even the roughest terrain feel manageable. The shoe perfectly balances lightweight agility and solid support, giving me confidence on technical downhill trails. I’ve had hip pain while running for the past seven years, and I’m amazed that a simple shoe change has almost eliminated it. I was very loyal to another brand and wish I had switched to Salomon years ago!
Traction is excellent thanks to the grippy outsole, and the breathable upper kept my feet cool even on warmer runs. What impressed me was the smooth ride—true to the “Glide” in its name, it rolls effortlessly with each step. Whether you're new to running or a seasoned pro, the Aero Glide 3 GRVL offers a premium experience that’s hard to beat. Highly recommended!
Specs:
- Drop: 8 mm
- Weight: 8.8 oz
- Price: $160
- Category: Cushion
- Type: Running - Trail
- Fit: True To Size
- Ideal for: Long Distance, Race, Trail
Buy:
Women's | Men's
Salomon Aero Glide 3
About: For smoother strides and exceptional comfort, meet the Salomon Aero Glide 3. Precision-engineered for runners who prioritize efficiency and performance, this road-running shoe delivers unrivaled cushioning, stabilizing your feet across long distances. Salomon’s signature Energy Blade technology enhances forward propulsion, helping runners maintain pace and conserve energy during their sessions. The breathable mesh upper ensures all-day comfort, while the ultra-lightweight build provides maximum speed with no compromise on support. Whether training for your next 10K or tackling long-distance runs, the Aero Glide 3 is your ultimate partner for smoother runs and record-breaking days.
Hard to beat a lightweight trainer with max cushion and rocker geometry that propels you forward into your next stride... the Aero Glide 3 is truly a fun ride that makes almost every run feel effortless!
Things We Liked:
"I like the material of the upper - it is light and quite breathable."
"Their lightweight, max cushion, and rocker geometry are a winning combo that makes almost every run feel fun and almost effortless! "
Areas for Improvement:
"I don't have experience with any previous models of this shoe. It did take me a bit to get used to how cushioned it was."
"It seems it may run at least half, if not full-size big. With the toe box also being spacious, this issue is even more apparent, and would be the only significant change I would make!"
Final Thoughts
The Salomon Aero Glide 3 is very comfortable and light. Although this shoe has a large amount of sole cushion, it doesn't feel that way on the run, feeling lightweight and springy, rather than heavy. The lightweight upper allows for great airflow and fits well around the foot.
This model features standard laces, rather than Salomon's Quicklace drawstring-style cord with a "shoelace garage," which was preferred over other Salomon models tested. Those who prefer or require a wider toe box will appreciate the wide forefoot, but individuals with narrow feet may find it too spacious.
Although this road shoe was tested on some light trail runs in Colorado, it performed well. The only issue was the hollowed-out portion in the center of the sole, which can collect mud in various conditions.
Outside of a few quibbles, this is an enjoyable, lightweight shoe that feels like running on clouds.
Specs:
- Drop: 8 mm
- Weight: 8.64 oz
- Price: $160
- Category: Cushion
- Type: Running - Road
- Fit: Runs 1/2 Size Big
- Ideal for: Speed, Recovery, Long Distance, Race, Cross Training
Buy:
Women's | Men's