Saucony Kinvara 15
To train properly, professional athletes and experienced runners require a very specific set of characteristics from their running shoes. Brands often try to convince us that the key lies in extremely bouncy foams, carbon plates, or exaggerated uppers. However, with this review of the Saucony Kinvara 15, you will understand what is truly needed and why these shoes are genuinely superior.
First and foremost, these shoes offer the best comfort on the market. I’m serious—no other brand can offer anything close to what Saucony delivers. Their Formfit technology is unmatched. It’s important to understand that comfort comes in different forms. For example, some shoes offer a soft and plush feeling, like a sofa. However, this type of comfort is not ideal for fast runners, as the additional elements tend to be limiting. The other kind of comfort makes the shoes feel like a second skin—everything fits perfectly, everything is snug, but there’s no discomfort or blistering. This is the kind of comfort you’ll find in the Kinvara 15. Even though there’s no extra puffiness on the heel collar or tongue, the fit feels exceptionally good.
A part of this great fit is how well you can adjust the lockdown. In some shoes, pulling the laces too tight results in discomfort or a feeling of being overtightened. But with Formfit, the shoes feel like a second skin, allowing you to control and adjust the lockdown exactly how you want it. In terms of design, the heel counter is of average size, and there are reasonable amounts of additional elements on the sides and front. While these might not seem extraordinary on their own, they come together as a holistic system. It may not be the absolute best I’ve experienced, but it’s still deserving of five stars for its superior performance.
On the other hand, these shoes do have some drawbacks. One of them is the cushioning. The shoes are designed to be lightweight, which they indeed are. However, the stack height is reduced, which may not provide sufficient shock absorption for new runners. For experienced runners, this isn’t an issue; in fact, it’s how they train their legs for upcoming races. Shoes with extra cushioning don’t allow experienced runners to get the necessary training load, while these shoes help them become stronger. So, while this could be a drawback for beginners, it’s actually an advantage for experienced runners.
The same applies to the transition. These shoes don’t offer any extra push through special geometry or a carbon plate, so they might not seem as fast as modern racing shoes. However, they are very flexible, which means that experienced runners can train all the foot muscles they don’t normally use. Again, this could be seen as a drawback for fast running, but it’s an advantage for training experienced runners.
Interestingly, the outsole of these shoes only features two small inserts of firmer material, while the rest is the same EVA material used for shock absorption and propulsion. This generally means slightly less grip and durability, but since the core material is quite stiff, the reduction is not that significant.
Stability in these shoes is quite high, thanks to the low stack height of firm foam material and the substantial sidewalls, which you can easily measure by the size of the insole curvature. Combined with the exceptional lockdown mentioned earlier, you really feel in control when wearing these shoes.
The mesh used here is double-layered, which generally reduces breathability. However, the upper layer has large ventilation holes, which provide a high level of airflow. A fair score for breathability would be 3.5, but I’ll round it up to 4 to emphasize how impressive the Formfit technology is.
A final comment on the bounce level: it’s not high, as the foam is quite stiff and doesn’t incorporate any new, resilient materials. However, we’ve identified that these shoes are best suited for training by experienced runners, and bounce isn’t necessary for that purpose.
In conclusion, these shoes are incredibly light, flexible, and extremely comfortable, with an upper that feels like a second skin. This combination of characteristics will be highly appreciated by experienced runners for training, as the shoes help them become even stronger. For example, shoes with bouncy foam or a carbon plate do not provide such benefits during training. However, these shoes are not suitable for beginners—they lack sufficient cushioning for training and aren’t fast enough for race day. Personally, I love them, and they are my go-to shoes daily.
First and foremost, these shoes offer the best comfort on the market. I’m serious—no other brand can offer anything close to what Saucony delivers. Their Formfit technology is unmatched. It’s important to understand that comfort comes in different forms. For example, some shoes offer a soft and plush feeling, like a sofa. However, this type of comfort is not ideal for fast runners, as the additional elements tend to be limiting. The other kind of comfort makes the shoes feel like a second skin—everything fits perfectly, everything is snug, but there’s no discomfort or blistering. This is the kind of comfort you’ll find in the Kinvara 15. Even though there’s no extra puffiness on the heel collar or tongue, the fit feels exceptionally good.
A part of this great fit is how well you can adjust the lockdown. In some shoes, pulling the laces too tight results in discomfort or a feeling of being overtightened. But with Formfit, the shoes feel like a second skin, allowing you to control and adjust the lockdown exactly how you want it. In terms of design, the heel counter is of average size, and there are reasonable amounts of additional elements on the sides and front. While these might not seem extraordinary on their own, they come together as a holistic system. It may not be the absolute best I’ve experienced, but it’s still deserving of five stars for its superior performance.
On the other hand, these shoes do have some drawbacks. One of them is the cushioning. The shoes are designed to be lightweight, which they indeed are. However, the stack height is reduced, which may not provide sufficient shock absorption for new runners. For experienced runners, this isn’t an issue; in fact, it’s how they train their legs for upcoming races. Shoes with extra cushioning don’t allow experienced runners to get the necessary training load, while these shoes help them become stronger. So, while this could be a drawback for beginners, it’s actually an advantage for experienced runners.
The same applies to the transition. These shoes don’t offer any extra push through special geometry or a carbon plate, so they might not seem as fast as modern racing shoes. However, they are very flexible, which means that experienced runners can train all the foot muscles they don’t normally use. Again, this could be seen as a drawback for fast running, but it’s an advantage for training experienced runners.
Interestingly, the outsole of these shoes only features two small inserts of firmer material, while the rest is the same EVA material used for shock absorption and propulsion. This generally means slightly less grip and durability, but since the core material is quite stiff, the reduction is not that significant.
Stability in these shoes is quite high, thanks to the low stack height of firm foam material and the substantial sidewalls, which you can easily measure by the size of the insole curvature. Combined with the exceptional lockdown mentioned earlier, you really feel in control when wearing these shoes.
The mesh used here is double-layered, which generally reduces breathability. However, the upper layer has large ventilation holes, which provide a high level of airflow. A fair score for breathability would be 3.5, but I’ll round it up to 4 to emphasize how impressive the Formfit technology is.
A final comment on the bounce level: it’s not high, as the foam is quite stiff and doesn’t incorporate any new, resilient materials. However, we’ve identified that these shoes are best suited for training by experienced runners, and bounce isn’t necessary for that purpose.
In conclusion, these shoes are incredibly light, flexible, and extremely comfortable, with an upper that feels like a second skin. This combination of characteristics will be highly appreciated by experienced runners for training, as the shoes help them become even stronger. For example, shoes with bouncy foam or a carbon plate do not provide such benefits during training. However, these shoes are not suitable for beginners—they lack sufficient cushioning for training and aren’t fast enough for race day. Personally, I love them, and they are my go-to shoes daily.
