Saucony Loyalists: Another Kinvara?

I just don't understand this attachment some runners have with Kinvara. The shoe is archaic.

I would say the kinvara is pretty unique compared to the other models I have tried. Have you looked at the A9? I have never tied them.

Them's fighting words around here

I used to buy the grid stabil for 10+ years. Then they started emailing me about social justice causes. Will never buy from them again. Better shoe companies out there that focus on selling a great product and not on what a white liberal woman in the marketing department wants to spam customers with to make her feel superior.

ick. didn't realize this. that said, when I can pick up a pair of endorphin pros for $100, I will buy them, regardless of their causes.

Good shoe for any price. Great shoe at that price.

Love the Kinvara. No bells, no whistles, lightweight and just enough substance to still be forgiving. And They’ve never beefed it up thank goodness, which is more than I can say for Brooks’ lightweight trainers of yore (RIP OG Ghost and Launch). Interested to try the upcoming Kinvara Pro.

"Archaic." This is false sophistication that the shoe companies wish we'd all subscribe to, so that we buy their annual crap that the changes they made since last year mean something. Of course, most of the time they don't. Quick history:

- For decades, it was mostly about cushioning and weight. The old foams weren't very good compared to the new ones. And while most shoes were fairly heavy, some companies got good about making them lighter a long time ago (see, NB 620, if I'm remembering the number correctly). Although, I think that the lower weight came from airier foams, reducing the well-cushioned life.

- Upper never meant squat, and still largely doesn't. An outsole can be heavier and wear longer, or lighter and wear quicker.

- It was probably useful that, fairly recently, more attention was paid to how much a shoe dropped from heal to toe.

- A few years ago, they finally got much better foam, and were able to make very well cushioned shoes that were quite light. (despite this, amazingly, many training shoes AND racing shoes are STILL heavier than they were decades ago)

- Plus plates.

- The Kinvara has pretty nice foam and is pretty light. Simple. In no way "archaic." But yeah, I guess that sounds cool to say.....to some people.

Oh how I wish to own another pair of Saucony Kinvara 8.

I bought that one 4 times. Good times.

I tried the Kinvara a few years ago and hated it. It felt completely minimal to me like I was running barefoot, which I think is what some people liked about it. The Kinvara 14 is supposedly nothing like that and much bouncier.

never tried the kinvara, but i feel the same way about the zoom streak, and am i highly disappointed they don't make it anymore.

as much as I like these newer shoes like the endorphin line, i still place nothing above my old streaks for a good track workout.

The Kinvara 14 is a great combination of more modern construction but not overbuilt. Some Kinvara purists might not like the slightly higher stack and less minimal feel. But I love its versatility.

Probably the closest more substantial shoe in the Saucony line is the Ride 16. They have the same pwrrun midsole foam and pwrrun+ insole. The Ride is a little stiffer and has an 8mm drop vs 4mm for the Kinvara.

Saucony Ride 15/16

Saucony Kinvara Pro (soon to be released).

I've been running in Kinvaras, in part, for a long time. I never remember them feeling "minimal," but the current version (and the last 1 or 2....it's hard to keep track) have certainly seemed better cushioned/softer.

The short-lived Viratta (spelling?) was quite similar, but noticeably thinner....more to me like what you described above.

I hate the Kinvara, but the FastTwitch was the only shoe I ran in for over a decade. RIP...