Salomon S/LAB Ultra Glide First Impressions: A Race-Day Trail Shoe With a Twist

Introduction

Salomon has taken a familiar name in an entirely new direction. The Ultra Glide line, known for two earlier generations that marked a real shift for the brand, now has an S/LAB version, and this one leans hard into racing. Salomon S/LAB represents the company’s highest innovation and best performance, and the S/LAB Ultra Glide is aimed squarely at ultra-distance racing.

The idea came from athlete feedback: as races wear on, runners wanted something wider and softer toward the end of the race, and Salomon wanted a shoe that could deliver that feeling at any point. After roughly 10K of running with 2,500 feet of gain on steep terrain, first impressions are genuinely positive and optimistic about what this shoe signals for the brand.

Who This Shoe Is For

This is a shoe for runners who race long. If you are building toward ultra-distance events and want a cushioned, stable platform that does not feel sluggish, the S/LAB Ultra Glide sits in a sweet spot between max cushion comfort and a performance fit.

The ride reminded me of two shoes I rate highly: The North Face Vectiv Ultimate 500, with similar energy return and comfort, and the Brooks Caldera 6, with its cushion and stability in the back half. The S/LAB Ultra Glide lands between them, with a more performance fit and a slightly lighter feel while keeping the cushioning.

Main Strengths

The midsole geometry is the headline. It has a wavy form that extends into the outsole, designed to relieve pressure on the foot at three key pressure points coming from the trail. You can feel that in the stride: the wavy midsole simply makes the run feel smoother.

Underneath that geometry sits a three-piece midsole. Two foam pieces are wedged together from each side and glued in the middle, with Energy Foam Plus from Salomon’s high-end race day super shoes set in the middle under another sock liner. The outer carrier uses the same foam found in the Genesis line, which is very soft, but assembled this way it feels more dense and firm. That is a good thing: the Genesis had some play and softness, while this construction is a lot more stable, helped by the bathtub-style sidewall construction.

Grip is the other clear strength. The shoe uses a full rubber outsole with what looks like 4 mm lugs and Salomon’s known Contagrip compound, so footing feels confident even on steep, loose ground.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Availability and price are the two big considerations. The shoe launches first on the Salomon website in December, with the wider global release following on July 1st. At $250, it is getting up there in price, though that is also the premium race-day price you expect to pay for S/LAB hardware.

It is also worth noting that the firmer ride is a deliberate choice. Runners who loved the very soft Genesis feel may find this construction slightly firmer, though the claimed durometer is the same. If you prefer a plush, playful ride over a stable, dense one, test this carefully.

Buying Advice

For ultra-distance racers, this is an easy recommendation to make tentatively and a genuinely exciting one. The combination of wavy pressure-relieving geometry, layered race-day foam, stable sidewalls, and solid grip makes it feel like a shoe built for the back half of a long race while still performing early on.

If you are shopping in this space, decide what you value most: maximum softness, or a denser, more stable ride with a performance fit. This shoe chooses stability and fit, and it does so convincingly. More miles will tell the full story, but the early signs are strong.

Conclusion

The S/LAB Ultra Glide is a big new thing for Salomon: a racing-oriented take on a comfort-first line, with unique midsole geometry, premium layered foam, and confident grip. At $250 it is a premium purchase, but for runners targeting ultra-distance races, it may be exactly the shoe the category has been waiting for.