Salomon Ultra Flow review

The Ultra Flow is far from the modern trail shoes that disconnect you from the terrain. With just 118 SA in the heel and a notably low 81 SA in the forefoot in our shock absorption test, it’s perfect for runners who enjoy a touch of ground feel without complete isolation.

Energy return is far from impressive, sitting at 57.7%, which is right around the average. However, considering the Ultra Flow’s reasonable price, we believe this result is more than acceptable.

We measured the Ultra Flow with a heel stack height of 34.6 mm, which was surprising since the shoe appears thinner before being cut in half. This is exactly why dissecting running shoes is essential to uncover every detail.

The forefoot is the complete opposite of the heel, coming in below the lab average at 22.4 mm. This is obvious even when walking, as it feels noticeably less cushioned up front, and when running, you can clearly feel the ground as you pick up the pace.

Salomon claims a 6 mm drop, but just by looking at our photo, it’s clear that this isn’t accurate. We measured 12.5 mm (more than double!) which likely stems from Salomon not using the official World Athletics reference points for the heel and forefoot.

The feel on the run confirms this too: the shoe is noticeably steeper than 6 mm and feels more tailored to heel strikers.

This shoe is a great reminder of why honest reviews and fair comparisons (not marketing) matter. Salomon describes the Ultra Flow as “ultra plush” on its product page, but in reality, that’s not the case.

With a 18.4 HA reading, it feels more like an average midsole, neither too plush nor too firm. And that’s perfectly fine, especially for a trail shoe where too much softness can lead to instability.

The Ultra Flow doesn’t feature a maximalist stack height, yet Salomon still equipped it with a noticeably rockered midsole. With a pronounced curve in both the heel and forefoot, it’s best suited for runners who enjoy this type of geometry in their trail shoes.

Typical Salomon sizing tends to run snug, and that’s exactly what we found with the Ultra Flow. It’s not a problem—feet come in all shapes and sizes—but if you’re part of the wide-foot club, this one’s probably not for you.

Our first measurement landed right around the average at 95.0 mm, which isn’t that narrow. But let’s dig a bit deeper into the fit.

What makes this shoe feel a bit more cramped than the average trail model is its toebox width. We measured just 71.2 mm, which falls well below the current lab average.

The height feels spot-on at 27.6 mm, and we believe it won’t cause issues for almost anyone, even on day-long adventures.

The mesh adds a touch of stretch and isn’t overly rigid, but make sure you pick the right size.

The moment we picked up the shoes, it was clear they weren’t pure trail models but rather a door-to-trail option built for versatility across nearly any surface, including roads. That’s why we found small 2.8 mm lugs, any deeper and they’d feel awkward on hard ground.

The outsole of the Salomon Ultra Flow uses Salomon’s All-Terrain Contagrip rubber, applied through multiple independent lugs with diamond and arrowhead shapes. These rubber lugs are segmented across the entire outsole and laid out in opposing directions from heel to toe.

We confirmed that there are no midsole foam exposures, which is cool. Rubber coverage is complete from heel to toe. However, a series of horizontal and V-shaped blue cutouts are embedded between the lugs in order to improve flexibility.

And flexible it is, scoring just 11.0N in our 30-degree bend test. Those cutouts in the outsole combined with the moderate forefoot stack height promote a more natural ride, making this shoe a solid option for hiking as well.

One of the standout features of the Ultra Flow compared to many competitors is its weight. At just 9.1 oz or 258g, it’s a great choice for runners who can’t stand the sluggish feel of bottom-heavy shoes that are becoming more common on the market.

The Salomon Ultra Flow is a great example of how a wallet-friendly trail shoe can feature an upper that ticks all the boxes: durability, comfort and breathability.

We began by using our custom 3D-printed piece to direct smoke into the toebox, testing its heat expulsion compared to other shoes in our lab. The result was impressive, earning a 4/5 score.

A simple light test revealed a thin toebox material complemented by reinforcements around key areas to prevent early wear.

Under our digital microscope, we confirmed that Salomon used a 3D mesh upper commonly seen in road shoes, with abundant ventilation holes and a dual-layer construction.

We believe more brands should take this approach especially for road-to-trail shoes.

While thick, durable uppers often lack breathability and ultra-thin uppers usually lack durability, this one performs well in all scenarios by combining airy zones with heavily reinforced areas where it matters most.

The Ultra Flow provides a slight touch of stability for neutral runners, but we wouldn’t recommend it for runners who genuinely need support due to its compact dimensions. It’s more of a classic shoe, offering a fun and agile ride at the expense of a narrower landing platform.

While the Ultra Flow is flexible in terms of longitudinal bending, we were surprised to record a 4/5 in our torsional rigidity test. That’s slightly more than expected for a shoe of this kind, but on the upside, it does contribute an extra touch of stability.

The heel counter is stiffer than we expected, likely intended to provide a slight stability boost for those landing on this part of the foot. However, for walking or hiking, a more comfortable and flexible counter would have been preferable.

We previously mentioned the compact dimensions of the Ultra Flow, but here are the actual measurements: at 111.9 mm in the forefoot, it falls below the average, keeping agility in its DNA.

As this type of shoe fades from the market, it’s great to see it here!

The heel measured 92.9 mm, further highlighting that, despite Salomon’s misleading official drop, this shoe is designed to work well for heel strikers and offer sufficient support.

Salomon put considerable effort into protecting the Ultra Flow’s toebox, making it one of the most rugged trail shoes we’ve tested in a while. That’s how it earned a strong 4/5 in our first durability test.

The heel counter lining also performed well, earning a near-average 3/5 and ensuring it won’t develop a hole too early in its lifespan.

Our third Dremel test left 1.0 mm of damage. While this isn’t a concerning result or a dealbreaker, given the shallow lugs on this shoe, we had hoped for a slightly better outcome to enhance the durability of the All-Terrain Contagrip rubber.

The outsole is quite thin at 1.2 mm, helping reduce weight and improve comfort on roads, in line with its versatile, multi-surface design. While it may not be ideal for durability, it’s clear why Salomon chose this approach.

One unique feature of the Ultra Flow is its thick insole, which we measured at 7.3 mm... almost double the average we see in the lab! This extra thickness makes it feel like two insoles fused into one.

The thick Ortholite insole is removable, which is a plus. This allows you to swap in a thinner one for increased ground feel or to create extra space in the toebox.

We placed the Ultra Flow in the freezer for 20 minutes and then retested the foam’s softness. The result showed a 26% increase, which is right around the average and exactly what we expected.

We couldn’t find any reflective elements on the Ultra Flow, which was a bit disappointing. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if you often run in low-light conditions, this omission won’t be to your liking.

We were surprised to find the tongue packed with 8.6 mm of padding. It's a sharp contrast to the lightweight focus seen in the rest of the shoe. It does, however, add plenty of comfort, especially for daily wear or hiking.

The lacing system is well-executed, using standard punched eyelets except for one in the middle of the instep, where a loop helps manage pressure more evenly in that area. Definitely a nice touch for a shoe that doesn’t come with a premium price tag.

The tongue is not gusseted, which reflects the true nature of the Ultra Flow: it’s not a pure trail shoe, but a hybrid designed to handle a wide range of situations at an affordable price. And lower prices inevitably come with some compromises.

One of the biggest reasons to choose the Ultra Flow is its price. It comes in cheaper than most road-to-trail competitors, and its versatility makes it a great option for those wanting one shoe for running, hiking, or even traveling.

The heel skips the usual finger-loop pull tab found on most trail shoes, opting instead for an extended heel collar reminiscent of many HOKA road running models.