For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the cold, wet days of winter are approaching fast, and if you plan on running through the season, there are some benefits to buying a specialist set of running shoes for it.

The two features I look for in the best running shoes for the winter are an outsole that grips well in wet conditions and a water-repellent or waterproof upper.

Both boxes are ticked by the Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX, which has a Gore-Tex membrane in the upper, is fully waterproof, and has a gravel-ready outsole that works well on a wide variety of terrain.

I’ve used the shoe for a mix of runs on roads, light trails and grassy hills and it’s impressed me as a winter-ready daily trainer. If you don’t need its waterproof upper or versatile outsole, though, you’ll get a better ride from some lighter, bouncier road options like the Asics Novablast 6.

The Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX launched in fall 2026 and costs $160 in the U.S. and £145 in the U.K., which is $20/£20 more expensive than the standard model of the shoe without the Gore-Tex upper.

Salomon also released the Aero Glide 4 GRVL in its line-up, which is a slightly softer and more cushioned option than the Blaze, which some runners might prefer for easy long runs in particular.

The Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX is currently available in four colors, including Vanilla Ice, the model I tested for those who want to show off the dirt they run through, and an all-black design for those who don’t.

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