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Saucony Type A

Discontinued · road · Race day · $90

Pure racing flat: nothing but rubber, foam and intent.

Built for race day, at a target pace of 5:00–6:45 /mi on road.

This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Saucony Sinister.

The spec sheet

Weight
140 g / 4.9 oz
Heel stack
16 mm
Drop
4 mm
Plate
—
Cushioning
1 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Rocker
1 / 5
Flexibility
4 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Narrow
Sizing
Size up ½
Durability
~150 mi
Price
$90

How it rides

The foam

Saucony tuned this midsole very firm (1/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 16 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.

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 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. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is narrow and performance-oriented; wide-footed runners should try before buying. It runs small; most runners size up a half. Expect roughly 150 miles from the outsole, about $0.60 per mile at $90.

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

140 g / 4.9 oz

135 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

16 mm

20 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

4 mm

2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$90

70 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

3 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

1 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~150 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).

Closest alternatives

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

Altra Golden Spike

155 g / 5.5 oz · 15 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $100

Zero-drop track spike for middle- and long-distance racing.

Topo Athletic ST-6

190 g / 6.7 oz · 18 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $125

Zero-drop, low-stack speed shoe for strides, track and gym work.

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.

Adidas Adizero RC 5

210 g / 7.4 oz · 28 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $90

Lightweight, firm budget racer for track work and 5Ks.

Altra Vanish XC

150 g / 5.3 oz · 15 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $90

Minimal zero-drop cross-country racer for soft courses.

Lineage & siblings