Salomon, widely regarded as an industry leader when it comes to trail running apparel, gear and shoes, has in recent times extended their offering by entering the road running space.
We wear tested their latest DRX-Bliss and the AeroGlide 2. Both were designed with the intent of creating “grab and go” shoes for everyday running.
DRX-Bliss
With the launch of the new DRX-Bliss, we were eager to get our hands on, and our feet into, the eye-catching, brightly coloured new daily trainer.
Designed as a cushioned daily trainer which offers extra stability, the DRX-Bliss hosts the following key features:
Secured fit: extra comfortable collar zone for plush hold and a breathable plus an, engineered mesh upper that helps keep your feet in place.
Dynamic cushioning: features the Salomon lightweight and responsive EnergyFoam™midsole.
Guided ride: the Salomon ActiveChassis™ system which brings support to a guided stride.
Drop: 8mm, 34mm/26mm
Weight: Mens UK8.5 266gm
Contagrip outsole
RRP: R3799
On first appearance you cannot ignore the lumo colour-ways, which might not be for everyone, but we certainly enjoy the striking look.
When putting them on there was an immediate discrepancy on the sizing and these shoes seem to be sized a little bit bigger than industry standards so if you are usually a UK10 you may want to go down a half size and try a UK9.5.
Regarding fit, there is a really nice cushioned heel cup which makes for a secure and comfortable fit in that area. The mid to forefoot felt a bit loose which we thought may give trouble but then when we actually started running in them it surprisingly didn't create any unwanted or alarming attention.
The main feature of the shoe is the inclusion of the Salomon ActiveChassis system which helps guide your foot through each stride and offers runners a more stable running experience. With noticeable guiding rails on either side of the shoe, the ActiveChassis assists those runners most who overpronate or those of us who start to lose form at the later stages of long distance runs when our bodies really start to fatigue. We enjoyed the extra support and felt stronger in BLISS for longer.
With fit, there is a really nice cushioned heel cup which makes for a secure and comfortable fit in that area. The mid to forefoot felt a bit more loose which we thought would give trouble but then when actually started running in them it surprisingly didn't create any unwanted or alarming attention.
The midsole is made up of the Salomon EnergyFoam™ and comes in a stack height of 34mm/26mm creating a 8mm drop. We felt the midsole was still pretty rigid for a “cushioned” shoe compared to likes of an ASICS Nimbus 26, but where this did benefit was in the longer distances where it didn't feel like our feet were sinking into the tar on every step.
The outsole is made of Contagrip and during some really rain runs the shoe managed to stick to the surface. Also, perhaps inherited from the trail DNA, the outsole seems to have a decent amount of rubber that will last for quite some time.
As a shoe made for the everyday run we felt like it did its job. This is by no means a racing shoe but for someone who is looking for a durable and dynamic daily trainer we feel this shoe can work.
At a RRP of R3799, this is not an entry level price so we would highly recommend trying this shoe on before making a purchase.
AeroGlide 2
Made for comfort, this could become your favourite go-to shoe if you enjoy hitting the road 2 to 3 x per week.
The Salomon team have managed to balance maximum cushioning and light weight by using their Energy Foam high stacked midsole. The ladies shoes size 5 weighs in at only 230g yet still provides good shock absorption.
The Upper
The upper fabric is light and breathable with few overlays outside of the heel counter which is still flexible. A small toe bumper won’t prevent damage in a fall, but rather designed to offer a little protection.
The upper combines a wide toe box and a foot hugging heel collar with a soft, thickly padded tongue. As a narrower foot runner, I tend to be picky about wider toe boxes but the thicker upper fabric still offers a snug fit.
Some design aspects of modern shoes which I’ve come to appreciate are an integrated/gusseted tongue and a heel tab to pull on. The Glide has neither but since it is low cut around the heel/ankle area, it’s a non issue and is easy to put on.
The Midsole
The midsole is all about the guidance system and additional cushioning which the Energy Foam offers. I tend to be fairly light on shoes and found these to be super cushioned over my relatively longer 15km runs.
The Outsole
The Salomon Contragrip rubber offers decent traction on wet and dry roads and it had enough flex around the midsole.
Technical Details:
* Drop - 10.0mm
* Inlay sole - Textile
* Lining - Textile
* Heel stack height - 37.4mm
* Forefoot stack height - 27.4mm
* Outsole - Rubber
* Upper - Synthetic / Textile
* Weight - 230 g (Female)
* Lacing system - Flat laces
* URL - DRX BLISS (salomonsports.co.za)
If you are looking for an every day running shoe, the Aeroglide2 brings comfort with great mid sole cushioning. But like the DRX-Bliss, at RRR 3400 you'll want to try it on first.
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