In production · road · Tempo / Daily · $140
Saucony Kinvara 16: 29 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 207 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for tempo, daily, at a target pace of 6:30–8:30 /mi on road.
The midsole is PWRRUN, tuned firm (2/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 29 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 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 low 4 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
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 $0.35 per mile at $140.
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
198 g / 7.0 oz
77 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
29 mm
7 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$140
20 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
2 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Saucony line it is lighter 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.
Altra Experience Flow 3
246 g / 8.7 oz · 32 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $150
Altra Experience Flow 3: 32 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 241 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Adidas Adizero RC 5
210 g / 7.4 oz · 28 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $90
Lightweight, firm budget racer for track work and 5Ks.
Saucony Freedom 4
269 g / 9.5 oz · 28 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $180
Saucony Freedom 4: 28 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 227 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Topo Athletic Fli-Lyte 6
210 g / 7.4 oz · 23 mm · 3 mm drop · — · $110
Low, nimble shoe balancing ground feel with a touch of cushion.