Discontinued · road · Daily / Long run · $90
Earlier generation of the Saucony Axon line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Saucony Axon 4.
Saucony tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 32 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 calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
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.
A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
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 $0.20 per mile at $90.
For the foams and plates Saucony uses across its line, read the Saucony brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
276 g / 9.7 oz
1 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
32 mm
4 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$90
70 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 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).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Asics Gel-Contend 9
275 g / 9.7 oz · 31 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $75
The classic first running shoe — durable, affordable, uncomplicated.
Under Armour Pursuit 4
275 g / 9.7 oz · 30 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100
No-fuss entry trainer for new runners and easy miles.
Nike Downshifter 13
267 g / 9.4 oz · 32 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $75
Light, basic and bendable — a starter trainer for easy running.
Nike Revolution 8
270 g / 9.5 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $70
Nike's cheapest running shoe: soft foam, simple build, gentle miles.