Latest revision as of 19:38, 19 July 2016

The Virrata is a light weight, minimal drop shoe with a nicely flexible sole at a reasonable cost. I've been impressed with the level of comfort the Virrata provides, and I highly recommend it. It is similar to the slightly better but more expensive Altra One , the discontinued Mizuno Cursoris and the more expensive Altra Torin. (Note the Virrata 2 is virtually identical to the original Virrata.) (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

Saucony Virrata top	Saucony Virrata bottom	Saucony Virrata inside	Saucony Virrata outside
Saucony Virrata 2 top	Saucony Virrata 2 bottom	Saucony Virrata 2 inside	Saucony Virrata 2 outside

1 Characteristics

• Why you'd buy it. The Virrata is a nicely cushioned, lightweight shoe. Overall, I prefer the Mizuno Cursoris and the Altra One, but the Virrata is easier to get hold of and quite a bit cheaper.
• Cushioning. The Virrata is moderately soft; not as soft a Maximalist shoe, but it's quite comfortable for long distances.
• Drop. The Virrata is a zero-drop shoe. The Virrata tapers gently from the ball of the foot to the front and the rear of the midsole is very slightly cut away. There is a rise under the arch and the ball of the foot is cupped.
• Structure. This shoe uses single density of foam.
• Flexibility. The Virrata is a nicely flexible due to the grooves in the bottom of the midsole.
• Outsole. There is almost no outsole, just some small patches under the big toe and rear of the shoe. Most of the bottom of the shoe is exposed foam, which reduces weight at the expense of longevity.
• Shape. The Virrata is the classic shape that does not match the human foot, and narrows excessively in the toe box. I found that I had to cut the toe box open to prevent toe problems. (I recommend cutting open the toe box of virtually all running shoes, with the exception of a few shoes like some Altra shoes. When you have some worn out shoes, you should try cutting open the toe box. I've found that it's a big improvement, allowing my toes to move naturally and engage for toe off, as well as reducing the possibility of blisters.)
• Upper. The upper is reasonably thin, and while it's not flexible, it's quite comfortable and hard wearing. The upper has excellent padding around the ankle opening.
• Tongue. The Virrata is a hybrid between a classic tongue and a "sock style" tongue. I found that it behaves like a normal tongue other than staying in place much better, which is excellent. The tongue has good padding.
• Lacing. The flat laces work well and remained tied.
• Heel counter. The heel counter is quite strong, and comes as far up the back of the heel as is normal for running shoe.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Saucony Virrata at Zappos Buy Saucony Virrata at Road Runner Sports Buy Saucony Virrata at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Saucony Virrata at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 Cushioning and Shoes

It's intuitively obvious that the cushioning in a shoe will reduce the impact on your body when running. However, The Science of Running Shoes indicates that the reality is rather more complex. While slight cushioning may reduce the effort needed to run by improving your Running Economy, most scientific research indicates that more cushioning does further improve Running Economy. In addition, cushioning does not generally reduce impact and may actually increase it. This is counterintuitive, but is likely to be due to the way a runners mind and body adapts to softer cushioning. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is far from complete and it's hard to give clear recommendations. I believe that some runners will prefer more cushioning, while others prefer less, and typically those running further have a fondness for greater cushioning. I also believe that a shoe should be as light as possible, and a shoe should justify its weight with the cushioning it provides. My advice is to decide what level of cushioning you're looking for, and then find the lightest shoes that also fit well and are comfortable.

3 Visualizing the Attributes of the Saucony Virrata

How Saucony Virrata compares showing rearfoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.	How Saucony Virrata compares showing forefoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How Saucony Virrata compares showing the price against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.	How Saucony Virrata compares showing the loaded drop against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.

4 Comparisons

Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.

• Mizuno Cursoris is similar, but the Cursoris foam is a lot softer, and the Cursoris has one of the best toe boxes of any shoe I've tried.
• Altra One is also softer than the Virrata, but it's also not as hard wearing. The Altra is a better shape than the Virrata.
• Adidas Energy Boost is another light weight, softly cushioned shoe, though not as light weight as the Virrata. The Boost has a much higher heel which I believe can increase the risk of excessive heel strike, but it has impressive longevity.
• Altra Torin is so similar that when I wore a Virrata on one foot and a Torin on the other I found I could feel only minor differences in the sole. However, as the two shoes age the Virrata becomes a little softer, but the Torin does not.

5 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.