Have any minimalists tried the Saucony Kinvara?

I'm currently alternating between the Lunaracer 2 and the AdiZero Rocket. The Rockets are fairly new, but I feel beat up if I go on longer runs on the road in them. They are great on the treadmill and soft surfaces, but I feel better in the LR2 on the roads.

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immodest proposal wrote:

[quote]Precious Roy: I heard that Steven Reich likes them, but Phillip Glass is not impressed with them.

Terry Riley for the tiebreaker?

La Monte Young can be the mediator.

Why do people ask what shoe they should get? Just go to the store and try them out. Asking what shoe they should get is like asking what their favorite color should be. Its an individual decision.

I'm not asking what shoe I should get. I'm asking for opinions on a particular shoe. There is more to it than going to a store and trying them on. If that was the case, most shoes feel great. I'd like to know about how people like them after they run in them a while.

I don't find them too soft. Used them for easy runs to a marathon. If anything, because of their wide base and flat outsole I find them a bit 'slappy'. A bit wide for my foot, but I like them.

I'm not a pure minimalist, but I've always trained lightweight and do use NB100's for trails.

I bought the Kinvaras to train in before a marathon and ended up liking them so much I raced in them. At first I thought they were way to soft for racing, but once I did a couple tempos in them I realized that the faster I ran, the smoother/better the Kinvaras felt. You definitely don't have much of a "feel for the ground" and they are a bit wide. On the other hand though, I think the minimal heel-toe drop helps promote a very smooth ride that eliminates the "cushy" feeling when you are running fast. I also noticed that my feet felt much better after the marathon compared with the previous two which I had run in more traditional racers. In the end you'll just have to buy a pair and try them out. I never thought I would race in a shoe like the Kinvara (I've always preferred the lightest, low profile racers), nevertheless they felt too damn good in my workouts not to wear them at Chicago.

The only problems I've had with them are a bit of chafing on the right ankle bone and on my pinky toes. They are definitely worth a shot if you are looking for a "cushier" lightweight trainer.

Who seriously puts this much thought in a pair of shoes? Just find the color you like and get them already. Can you even break 8 minutes in a mile?

Precious Roy wrote:

I heard that Steven Reich likes them, but Phillip Glass is not impressed with them.

This post made my day. And its been a shitty day. So thank you.

[quote]txRUNNERgirl wrote:

The thing about the Kinvara's is that the forefoot is similar in cushioning to a training shoe, without the high heel. Which is a great idea. The big problem with racing flats for the minimal folk is that there is still a big heel to forefoot drop(ex. brooks t6). So then you have a clunky heel and zero padding in the front. So if you want small heel to forefoot drop ratio with lots of cushioning, then Kinvara is about the best option.

Having said that the kinvara is very "mushy" more so than the lunarracer, and has a much roomier fit. So the shoe feels a little sloppy (if you are used to snug fitting shoes). My gf who loved the old lunar racer(she trained in it) and does not like the kinvara, is going with the saucony type a4 and alternate with the brooks launch.

So, I ran in the kinvara on trails this afternoon. It was great on the regular trails (crushed limestone, mulch) and was definitely out of its element on the singletrack type trails.

So, great for roads, good for 'nice' trails, bad for technical trails.

nope

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

I'm not asking what shoe I should get. I'm asking for opinions on a particular shoe. There is more to it than going to a store and trying them on. If that was the case, most shoes feel great. I'd like to know about how people like them after they run in them a while.

i'm an extreme forefoot striker and try to train in the lightest, most neutral shoes possible without going straight to racing flats (piranhas are my favorites), although many people race in the shoes i train in. i like the kinvaras--i'm on my second pair--though you might want to try the asics speedstars as well. only problem, at least with me: neither are very durable (i tried the kinvaras to see if they'd be more durable than the speedstars. they weren't).

hope this helps,

cush

Tx runner girl,

Will you go out with me?

Signed,

Jason Phillips

Would a soft orthotic work in the kinvaras?

I love the Kinvara. I'm a fan of the Lunaracer 1 and the old Mizuno Idaten distance flat. The only thing with the Kinvara is that it doesn't hold up for squat. It's just foam for the most part, so my totally forefoot, slightly supinating footstrike toasted mine in less than 100 miles. Still, for a marathon shoe or a speedwork shoe that you'll use maybe 1 or 2 times a week, it's great.

VF Runner wrote:

If anything, because of their wide base and flat outsole I find them a bit 'slappy'.

I agree with this comment. Couldn't have said it better myself!!! Slappy!