Tested | Salomon Ultra Glide 4

A Versatile Trail Shoe Balancing Comfort and Performance

The Ultra Glide 4 has a very distinctive look straight away, especially underneath the shoe, where the unusual dimples immediately catch your attention. Mine came in the all-black colourway, which gives the shoe more of a functional trail look than a flashy or race-focused one. It feels well-built and trail-ready, with a protective upper and a shape that leans more toward comfort and long-distance running than outright speed. In my size (EU 45), the shoe weighed in at 301 g.

Straight away, the shoe felt easy to get along with. Comfortable without feeling sloppy, but still secure enough once the trail became rougher and more technical. The shoe felt comfortable and secure at the same time, without leaning too far toward either a tight race fit or a loose hiking-shoe feel. The lace pocket is a nice feature, but tucking the excess lace away felt slightly fiddly and a bit bulkier over the top of the foot than I would want. One thing worth flagging: this shoe suits a narrower foot best. The lacing system and upper feel quite restricted, and the midsole is noticeably wider through the forefoot, so runners with wider feet may find the fit harder to dial in.

Underfoot, the Ultra Glide 4 uses a high-stack setup with roughly 41 mm in the heel, around 35 mm in the forefoot, and a 6 mm drop. The dimples underneath the shoe looked a bit strange initially, but the longer I ran in them, the more I started to appreciate what they were doing. The ride seemed to feel smoother over rough terrain, and repeated impacts felt slightly softened rather than harsh or jarring.

I mixed everything into my runs with this shoe, including tar, gravel, mud and rocky trails, and it handled the transitions surprisingly well. Downhill gravel and sandy sections were honestly where I had the most fun in the shoe, where it felt smooth, stable and easy to open up the pace a little.

I kept expecting the shoe to lose me a bit once things got wet and rocky, but it never really did. The outsole grip impressed me throughout and consistently felt planted and predictable underfoot.

After a while, I stopped thinking about the shoe completely, which, honestly, is probably one of the best compliments I can give it. It felt like a shoe I could happily spend hours in, but still open up a bit when the trail allowed for it.

Verdict: For me, this is a trail shoe built around comfort, confidence and versatility. It’s the kind of shoe I’d reach for when the route includes a bit of everything, and I simply want to enjoy being out on the trails. After a couple of runs in them, this has quickly become one of the trail shoes I’d most likely grab first before heading out the door. – Justin Howes

RRP R3 599 | https://salomonsports.co.za/