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Saucony Guide 18(2025)

In production · road · Daily / Long run · $145

Center-path stability with a soft, non-intrusive frame.

Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.

The spec sheet

Weight
272 g / 9.6 oz
Heel stack
35 mm
Drop
6 mm
Midsole foam
PWRRUN
Plate
—
Cushioning
4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Rocker
3 / 5
Flexibility
3 / 5
Stability
4 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~450 mi
Price
$145

How it rides

The foam

The midsole is PWRRUN, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 35 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.32 per mile at $145.

For the foams and plates Saucony uses across its line, read the Saucony brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

272 g / 9.6 oz

3 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

35 mm

1 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

6 mm

Level with the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$145

15 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

3 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

4 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

3 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~450 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Saucony line it is heavier than the brand's median (269 g / 9.5 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (36 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Saucony Guide 19

275 g / 9.7 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150

Center-path stability that feels neutral until you need it.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v16(2026)

280 g / 9.9 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150

Dependable neutral trainer with genuine width options.

Hoka Constant

285 g / 10.1 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150

Accessible support trainer with a broad, planted platform.

On Cloudstratus 3

296 g / 10.4 oz · 37 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $170

Double-layer Cloud pods for long, supported miles.

Hoka Arahi 7(2023)

272 g / 9.6 oz · 34 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $145

J-Frame support built into soft foam — stability that doesn't feel like a brace.

Lineage & siblings