Salomon just launched the GRVL Concept; a super shoe built for when the road runs out
PEBA foam, dual carbon blades, and a gravel-tuned outsole in one shoe. Limited availability from May 6th.
Salomon has just unveiled the GRVL Concept ($250), and it's arguably the most interesting shoe they've released this year.
The premise is simple but the execution is genuinely ambitious: take the energy return and propulsion stack of a road super shoe, and tune it for gravel, dirt, and mixed terrain without asking you to sacrifice the cushioning or spring underfoot.
Available from Wednesday May 6th with limited availability at salomon.com and select retailers.
If you purchase through links in this article, we may earn a small affiliate commission.
Specs
- Price: $250
- Weight: 9.2 oz (unisex)
- Stack height: 43mm heel / 37mm forefoot
- Drop: 6mm
- Midsole: PEBA supercritical optiFOAM+
- Plate: Dual full-length energyBLADE carbon
- Outsole: Contagrip Gravel, 1.5mm lugs
- Upper: Knit gaiter construction
- Sizing: US 4–14 (unisex)
Running training plan generator (5K to 100-mile ultra)
Build a personalized half marathon, marathon, or ultra training plan around your race date and current mileage. Road and trail, any distance, any level.
Alastair Dixon
What's inside
The midsole is PEBA-based supercritical foam; the same material category used in some of the fastest road racers on the market right now, known for soft landings and high energy return.
Salomon pairs this with not one but two full-length carbon blades, delivering a snappy, propulsive ride with smooth heel-to-toe transitions.
The result is a stack that sits at 43mm heel / 37mm forefoot, while the dual carbon setup is more aggressive than most single-plate road racers.
The outsole is where the gravel brief comes in.
Taking visual and functional cues from gravel bike tires, it uses a shallow 1.5mm lug geometry tuned for dirt, gravel, and mixed surfaces.
Deep enough to grip off-road, shallow enough not to kill your efficiency on the road sections in between. The rubber compound is Salomon's Contagrip Gravel; different to the more aggressive Contagrip used on their trail shoes, and different to the road-optimised Contagrip on shoes like the Aero Glide 3 GRVL.
The upper
The knit gaiter construction is one of the more distinctive design choices here.
Rather than a traditional collar, the upper integrates a light knit gaiter that wraps around the ankle, keeping grit and debris out on loose surfaces without adding meaningful weight.
It gives the shoe a clean, almost bootie-like silhouette that's immediately recognizable. Salomon's quickLACE system handles lockdown, with a roomy toe box for comfort on longer efforts.
At 9.2 oz for a unisex size, it's light given the max-stack cushioning underneath.
What is Trail Running? The Complete Beginner’s Guide (2026)
How to start trail running like choosing your first trail, knowing what gear you need, running safely on uneven ground, and building confidence without chasing pace.
Alastair Dixon
How it fits in Salomon's lineup
The GRVL Concept sits at the top of Salomon's gravel running range; this is their performance answer for the growing number of runners whose routes don't stay neatly on one surface.
It's more aggressive and more expensive than the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL ($140), which covers similar mixed-terrain territory at an everyday trainer level.
And it shares the PEBA + carbon plate philosophy of the S/Lab Phantasm 3 — Salomon's road super shoe but redirected off-road.
If you've been eyeing the road super shoe trend but find that a lot of your miles happen on gravel paths, fire roads, or park trails where grip matters, this is the shoe Salomon has been building toward.
Colorway at launch is Iron/Black/Knockout Pink — a muted base with a shot of pink that suits the technical aesthetic well.
The Salomon GRVL Concept is available from May 6th at $250 with limited stock.
If you haven't already, signup for our free newsletter, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more quality content like this. -Alastair
Written by
Subscribe to new posts
and discover the best gear, healthy foods, and life outdoors.
Member discussion