Discontinued · road · Long run / Tempo · $160
Earlier generation of the Saucony Kinvara line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for long run, tempo, at a target pace of 7:00–9:30 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Saucony Kinvara Pro.
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. 39 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 rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. 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 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.40 per mile at $160.
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
297 g / 10.5 oz
22 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
39 mm
3 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$160
Level with 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
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Saucony line it is heavier than the brand's median (269 g / 9.5 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Puma ForeverRun Nitro 3
290 g / 10.2 oz · 38 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150
Dual-density Nitrofoam stability daily with a wide, planted base.
Under Armour Velociti Distance
280 g / 9.9 oz · 39 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150
Tall, cushioned Velociti built for the long stuff.
Asics Gel Kayano 33
298 g / 10.5 oz · 39 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $200
Asics Gel Kayano 33: 39 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 298 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Nike InfinityRN 4
316 g / 11.1 oz · 39 mm · 9 mm drop · — · $160
ReactX stability-leaning cruiser with a broad, planted base.