Salomon Ultra Glide vs Saucony Pulsar Trail: Which Trail Shoe Wins?

Introduction

The Salomon Ultra Glide and Saucony Pulsar Trail are two of the more interesting cushioned trail shoes of their generation. Salomon, long known for firmer, more rigid shoes underfoot, softened things up and raised the stack height with the Ultra Glide. Saucony answered with a plated midsole in the Pulsar Trail. Put them side by side and you get a surprisingly close contest, with each shoe winning distinct categories.

Weight and Specs

Both shoes scale in at nearly identical weights, around 9.2 to 9.3 ounces, and they share the same heel-to-toe drop. Both also use a similar midsole blend of EVA and olefin, which Saucony brands as its OBC midsole. On paper, these two are nearly twins.

Upper and Build Quality

The Ultra Glide takes the edge here. Its overlay through the toe box does a better job of keeping grime and grit out of the shoe, and the heel counter and heel tab feel noticeably more plush. The Pulsar Trail’s upper shows a bit more creasing through the toe box and slight fraying, suggesting a slightly less robust construction.

Midsole and Ride Feel

This is where the philosophy split matters. The Pulsar Trail adds a TPU energy blade in the midsole. It is not carbon, but it is a plate, and it changes how the shoe rides. The Ultra Glide skips the plate entirely and relies on the foam blend alone.

For pure ride feel, the Ultra Glide wins. It feels springier, with more noticeable energy return, and it avoids the ongoing question of how often you should be training in plated shoes, especially on aggressive trails.

Outsole and Grip

The Ultra Glide’s lug shape and positioning feel more secure on steep terrain, in a slightly old-school Salomon way. On the Pulsar Trail, the grip did not inspire quite the same confidence; it was harder to really bite into the mountain on aggressive descents.

Durability and Fit

Durability leans slightly toward the Pulsar Trail, though it is close enough that a tie would have been reasonable, given both shoes use the same midsole material. Comfort and fit scores came out fairly similar between the two.

Which One Should You Buy?

Both shoes earn their place for long runs on fairly aggressive trails. The Ultra Glide is a strong 50k training shoe, but it is a touch heavy for racing. If race day weight matters, a lighter plated option in the same family is worth a look.

The Pulsar Trail counters with its price point, making it the better value pick of the two.

Conclusion

Across the categories, the Ultra Glide took five wins to the Pulsar Trail’s three, with two ties. The Ultra Glide is the better all-around trainer, while the Pulsar Trail holds its own on durability and price. If the Ultra Glide suits your running, it is worth picking up backup pairs while the line is still available.