Revision as of 09:40, 5 July 2016

The Saucony Kinvara an extremely popular lightweight running shoe. Compared with a traditional shoe it sheds many of the pointless excesses though it has not been truly optimized. This makes it a great half way house for runners to transition between a traditional running shoe and something closer to an ideal. If you get on well with the Kinvara you could continue your journey in one of three directions:

• You could head towards a more minimalist or even barefoot style of running, perhaps trying the Saucony Endorphin‏‎ and then the Merrell Trail Glove.
• If you want more cushioning, then there is the Hoka Range, including the awesome Hoka Clifton that provides massive cushioning in a shoe that weighs barely more than the Kinvara.
• If you find the Kinvara is giving you a good level of cushioning, then consider something lighter weight like the New Balance RC5000v2 or Asics Gel Hyper Speed. Of course you could continue with the Kinvara ;}

Compared with its predecessor, the Kinvara 6, version 7 is a little lighter, a little firmer, and a little more drop, but the changes are relatively modest. Version 7 is actually a little closer to the Kinvara 5 which is probably no bad thing. The Kinvara is one of my top picks for runners looking to transition to a better running shoe from something more traditional, and is a worthy shoe in its own right, so I've rated it as "The Best of the Best." (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 Kinvara 7 top	Saucony Kinvara 7 bottom
Saucony Kinvara 7 inside	Saucony Kinvara 7 outside

1 Characteristics

• Why you’d buy it. The Kinvara will appeal to runners looking for something that's quite close to a traditional running shoe rather than either a true minimalist shoe, an optimally cushioned shoe, or a Minimax shoe. I'd recommend considering the Hoka Clifton, New Balance RC5000v2, or Asics Gel Hyper Speed as better shoes, but they are also further from the traditional design.
• Cushioning . The Kinvara is softly cushioned and comfortable, though it's not as soft as a Minimax shoe like the Hoka Clifton. In fact, it offers almost exactly the same cushioning as the New Balance RC5000v2 while weighing roughly twice as much.
• Drop. The Kinvara has 4mm of drop, which I think is a good compromise for somebody transitioning from a traditional, high-heeled shoe. In fact, if you're transitioning from a shoe that has 10+mm of drop you may need to look for something in the 6-8mm range as part of your transition.
• Structure. This shoe uses single density of foam, which is Saucony's "power grid" that's claimed to be 15% lighter and 30% more durable than standard EVA. Of course, every manufacturer claims that their phone is better than the "standard" so take this with a huge pinch of salt.
• Flexibility. The Kinvara reasonably flexible, and perhaps more flexible than you might expect from its thickness. However, don't go expecting the kind of flexibility you get in a minimalist shoe.
• Outsole. There is hard rubber covering only a few patches of the contact area. You can see these patches as the orange and green color in the photographs above. This means that the Kinvara has a rather more exposed midsole than I'd like in a shoe of this weight and cushioning.
• Shape. The shoe is does not match the shape of the human foot, so it's worth considering cutting open the toe box for comfort. (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 seamless in the forefoot, with just a few modest reinforcement overlays on the outside. There is a seem where they've added extra cushioning around the heel that's a little more noticeable than some other competitor shoes. Sadly, Saucony have continued to add their "Pro-Lock", which is intended to create a tighter fit around the midfoot. I didn't find this made any difference, either positive or negative. The upper is inflexible and padded only around the heel, with good padding around the ankle opening.
• Tongue. The Kinvara has a sock style tongue that is attached to either side of the upper. I found that this worked remarkably well, as it felt like a conventional tongue that stayed in place perfectly. The tongue has thick, soft padding.
• Lacing. The flat laces work well and remained tied.
• Heel Counter. The Heel Counter is quite firm and pronounced, but fairly small. It has relatively hard edges, but I did not find any problems with the edges digging in.

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 Kinvara 7 at Zappos Buy Saucony Kinvara 7 at Road Runner Sports Buy Saucony Kinvara 7 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Saucony Kinvara 7 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 Kinvara

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

4 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.