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Saucony Ride vs. Guide vs. Triumph vs. Kinvara: Differences and Reviews 2025

Saucony Ride vs. Guide vs. Triumph vs. Kinvara: Differences and Reviews 2025

    Saucony is one of the oldest running brands in the United States.They produce high-quality, high-performance running shoes that cater to a variety of different types of runners.And today I’ll be looking at four of their most popular and longest running models:Ride,Guide,Triumph and Kinvara.All of them are well-cushioned running shoes that will provide you with good comfort, shock absorption, and a pleasurable ride.The four models are great daily trainers and are good for racing, too. They’re also quite similarly priced.So which Saucony model is right for you?Which Saucony shoes are best for standing all day?What is the difference between Saucony ride and Saucony Guide?What's the difference between Saucony Triumph and Saucony Guide?What is the difference between Saucony Guide and Kinvara?Is Saucony Guide better than Triumph?Saucony Ride vs. Guide vs. Triumph vs. Kinvara: which is best running shoe?In this article,I'm going to be comparing the Saucony Ride vs. Guide vs. Triumph vs. Kinvara and highlight the key the differences among them to help you make a clear decision.

Cover Photo:saucony.com
 

Saucony Ride 15 Review

Google Users Rating: 4.6/5

The Saucony Ride is one of the brand’s most popular neutral models, thanks to its reliable comfort and moderate cushioning. It’s best known for its versatility, as it performs well during just about any run you throw at it.The Ride 15 is the most changed version to date. Version 15 is a big improvement over version 14: it's much lighter, much softer and has more cushioning thanks to its increased stack height.It is more versatile, more comfortable, and more energetic than any previous Ride.

The Ride 15 uses Saucony’s FORMFIT technology that has three layers of cushioning to adapt to your unique foot shape, weight and stride. Instead of the dual-density set-up of the older models, the Ride 15 has a thicker footbed that’s comprised of 100% Pwrrun+ (E-TPU) foam.Though the new midsole is thicker, the firmness of the EVA blend foam makes the Ride 15 a versatile shoe for daily runs of various pace and distance ranges.The new upper is excellent too. The full sleeve secures the foot in soft and seamless comfort, and the open-pored mesh breathes well. If you’re in the market for a new pair of regular running shoes, Saucony Ride 15 has the attributes to achieve just this and look good doing it, too. 

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Source:saucony.com

What are Saucony Ride Good for?

They’ll work well for the bulk of your mileage, from easy recovery runs to long slow runs, and maybe a few faster paced miles as well.Whether you’re a new runner looking for an “entry level” shoe, or a seasoned marathoner searching for a do-it-all daily trainer, the Saucony Ride 15 has you covered.

Customer Reviews from Saucony

Great all around trainer for cross country and track, enough cushion for longer runs but light enough for speed workouts. - By Alden C

Great everyday trainer! Not too soft, not too firm. Upper feels amazing and very lightweight. Best version of the Ride ever and I’ve tried them all since version 1. - By Sentz on Shoes

Amazing Ride. Very comfy with a great power response. - By Ankush

These shoes are amazing!! Great fit and support. - By dsolis

Saucony Ride 15 Pros and Cons

ProsCons
  • Stable and versatile shoe.

  • Well-fitting.

  • Much lighter weight than in the past.

  • Lightweight and breathable.

  • Excellent foot lockdown.

  • Reflective elements.

  • A smooth and pleasant run.

  • Great comfort.

  • Gets firmer in cold.

  • Little bounce.

  • Signs of wear on outsole.

  • Not for fast runs.

Saucony Guide 16 Review

Google Users Rating: /

The Guide is one the most popular shoes in the stability category that Saucony makes. These shoes have been around a while with a lot of people that love running in them.Before last year, it acted as the sibling to the Hurricane series, which was higher cushioned in comparison. 2022 brought a major update to the Guide. Saucony removed the Hurricane from its lineup altogether and elevated the cushioning in the Guide to maximal territory. Now the signature daily training stability shoe for the brand - with the Tempus as its performance-oriented cousin - the Guide continues the slowly-fading legacy of posted stability.

Guide 16 is the newest version.The Saucony Guide 16 is remarkably similar compared to the Guide 15, likely because the Guide 15 was a major overhaul to Saucony’s bestselling stability shoe.The Guide 15 featured more cushioning, less weight and new stability system to create a smoother ride, and the Guide 16 continues to trend in the same direction. Guide 16 features a thick stack of PWRRUN cushioning, Saucony’s signature EVA-based midsole foam, that provides a soft underfoot sensation. A carved-out footbed allows your foot to sit inside the cushioning rather than on top of it, creating a cozy, supportive sensation.The Saucony Guide 16 is designed for runners craving extra support and stability because the HOLLOW-TECH design in the shoe’s midsole helps reduce the effects of overpronation.It offers a mix of rigidity in the heel and midfoot with flexibility in the forefoot, resulting in stable landings and smooth toe-offs.

Source:saucony.com

What are Saucony Guide Good for?

The shoe is firm and responsive, yet still cushioned in all of the right places.It is a great shoe for those who are looking for a bit more stability without adding the extra weight,and those who need extra arch support or for those who may have an unsteady gait.If you are a person who loves to go on walks or even cross train in the gym the Guide is a great choice.

Customer Reviews from Saucony

If you like the 15, the 16 is a very different fit. The toebox is very different and it is a more snug fit across the whole shoe. In addition, the heal fit is very different as well. I love the guide 15 and I am sure I will get used to this 16. While the sole looks similar, it does feel like an overall softer experience. I think that is because of the insert. - By Alshamu1

Saucony Guide 16 Pros and Cons

ProsCons
  • Well cushioned.

  • It is the best Saucony running shoes for everyday training.

  • Moderate simple pronation support that does not get in the way of transitions, even for neutral shoe fans.

  • Incredibly secure performance type fit.

  • Stable and secure all arounder.

  • Smooth and tempo-friendly transitions.

  • Excellent upper with high-quality support.

  • Snug and secure foot wrap.

  • The traction on wet terrains needs improvement.

  • Outsole can slip on greasy surfaces.

  • Learning curve needed for heel strikers or slower paces.

Saucony Triumph 20 Review

Google Users Rating: 4.6/5

The Saucony Triumph series is a long-standing premium daily trainer line that features plush materials and a softer ride. The Triumph series continues its lineage with some big updates. The Saucony Triumph 20 keeps all of the features that made the previous versions so popular, while adding some key updates. The two big updates would be new PWRRUN+ foam cushioning that is softer and lighter and a newly updated geometry. This gives you a more cushioned underfoot and a slight rocker feel.Made with new PWRRUN PLUS cushioning, Saucony’s softest midsole foam yet, the Triumph 20 serves up a luxuriously smooth ride with every stride. A new upper provides a secure and slightly snug fit while allowing a little bit of adjustable stretch. While the softer ride and increased midsole height put it more squarely in the neutral category, the Saucony Triumph 20 has returned as one of the lightest and bounciest premium daily trainers on the market.If you want a leg-saving ride that will keep you feeling excited, the Saucony Triumph 20 will do just that.

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Source:saucony.com

What are Saucony Triumph Good for?

These shoes are made for the runner who is looking for daily comfort. You’ll find that they are perfect for everyday jogs to those long-distance runs where you need that extra support. A great choice if you’re looking for a max-cushioned walking shoe as well.

Customer Reviews from Saucony

Lovely shoe, using it as a daily trainer, its soaking up the miles and puts a spring in your step. - By Leo Krikhaar

Awful quality, had these shoes for 2 months and the bottom split in half. - By Will 32

Perfect daily trainer for high miles. - By Martin 1212

Saucony Triumph 20 Pros and Cons

ProsCons
  • Durable outsole rubber.

  • Comfy as expected.

  • Fits like a glove.

  • Excellent traction.

  • Lighter than before.

  • For runners who want a bit of everything.

  • Plush yet breezy upper.

  • Max cushioned comfort.

  • Pricy.

  • Rocker geometry isn't as pronounced.

  • Shoe laces cause light pressure on top of foot.

Saucony Kinvara 13 Review

Google Users Rating: 4.7/5

The Saucony Kinvara is the quintessential lightweight trainer. It is one of Sauconys top sellers. It’s light as a feather and designed for the runner who favors a natural running position.The Kinvara 13 is slightly lighter with a roomier fit and a softer feel than the previous two versions.The shoe’s major update is the new, single-layer engineered mesh upper. The Kinvara 13 fits true to size with a bit more wiggle room in the forefoot, but the breathable, stretchy and stripped-down design of the upper provides a more locked down fit.

While the Kinvara 13 is lighter and fits better for most runners, it’s not as snappy and fast as previous editions. Although it can suffice for tempo runs, fartlek workouts and track sessions, its soft demeanor is not an even match to the modern race shoes with carbon-fiber plates or even modern performance trainers with advanced foams.This model is found at a great price point and could be a great addition to your shoe quiver for faster tempo outings.

Kinvara 13, Mist | Black, dynamic 5

Source:saucony.com

What are Saucony Kinvara Good for?

The Kinvara 13 from Saucony is a must-have for: 

  • Beginners who want a moderately-priced uptempo shoe.

  • Kinvara fans who want a lighter, more responsive version of the Kinvara 12.

  • Runners who want a stable, more minimal running shoe.

  • Those who want a springy ride for short to mid-distance training runs.

Customer Reviews from Saucony

Super light and comfortable. Take a few runs to wear them in but very happy with them. - By Tim Higgs

Good solid overall runner.Light weight, slightly narrow fit, comfortable, excellent stability. - By Greg

They are comfortable and lightweight, a balance most shoes can’t manage. The offset allows my foot strike to feel natural. Great shoe so far! - By DBAD

Love the kinvara model. Show was extremely light but still had good support! The forefoot was slight narrower, compared to previous models. I would need to get a half size larger for the perfect fit, but overall still a fantastic for my runs. - By Toby

Saucony Kinvara 13 Pros and Cons

ProsCons
  • Affordable.

  • It's light, relatively fast and versatile.

  • Comfortable enough for up to half-marathon distances.

  • Soft and responsive cushion.

  • Smooth and just-right upper fit

  • Reflective elements.

  • Roomy toebox.

  • Breathable for warm weather.

  • Secure lockdown.

  • It’s not as bouncy, cushy or durable as many of its modern contemporaries. 

  • Too roomy for narrow feet.

  • Minimal support.

  • Lacks outsole rubber.

Where to Buy Saucony Shoes?

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Saucony Ride vs. Guide vs. Triumph vs. Kinvara: Comparision Side by Side

1.General Specifications


Ride 15Guide 16Triumph 20Kinvara 13
Width OptionsRegular/Vizipro/WideRegular/WideRegular/WideRegular/Vizipro/Wide
Support LevelNeutralStabilityNeutralNeutral
Heel-to-toe Offset8mm (35mm heel/27mm forefoot)8mm (35mm heel/27mm forefoot)10mm (37mm heel/27mm forefoot)4mm (28.5mm heel/24.5mm forefoot)
WeightMen’s 8.8 oz. (249g);Women’s 7.8 oz (221g)Men's 8.8oz (249g);Women's 7.8oz (221g)Men’s 9.7 oz. (274g);Women’s 8.8 oz (249g)Men’s 7.2 oz. (213g);Women’s 6.2oz (184g)
CushioningSoft, Comfortable, EasySoft, Smooth, SteadyMaximum ComfortSuper light and fast
Best ForAll Purpose Running/
Everyday Walking
All Purpose Running/
Everyday Walking
Everyday Training/
Long Distances
Speed Workouts
Races Days
Price$104.95$140$160$89.95

2.Construction and Material

  • Upper

Ride 15 - The Ride’s upper is made up of a double-layered engineered mesh with multiple perforations to facilitate breathability in the shoe.The design has few overlays but provides a precise and comfortable foot lockdown.It has a tongue which is lightly padded and sleeved so there’s no tongue movement during runs. 

Guide 16 - The 16 gets a for sure softer more pliable mesh that is equally as supportive.The long, textured laces loop through an extra enclosure on both the medial and lateral sides of the midfoot, providing a secure fit. A handy pull tab on the back of the heel makes sliding into this shoe a breeze.The mesh upper feels sleek and breathable, thanks to perforations in the toe box and heel. Overall, the step-in feel is very friendly and inviting.

Triumph 20 - It’s made with a brand new mesh upper that hugs your foot and fits like a glove, a padded snow glove. It wraps around giving you comfort and support in all the right areas.Saucony’s lacing system gives you some extra lockdown features at the eyelets.

Kinvara 13 - The Kinvara lineup upper has changed very little over all of the model cycles.The upper offers a single-layer mesh that has an enhanced fit, and flexibility and is exceptionally breathable. It’s seamless and hugs your foot in all the right places. It might be the most comfortable upper I personally have ever worn.It gives you more wiggle room up around the toe box area due to the upper being stretchy. It has some overlays that help secure your foot in all the right places.

  • Midsole   

Ride 15 - Saucony markets the midsole of the Ride 15 as PWRRUN.It feels a lot squishier and has much more give than the older PWRRUN midsoles. The midsole of the Ride 15 looks a lot thicker than it actually is because it has raised side-walls that extend the entire length of the shoe, from the heel right up to the end of the forefoot.This gives you the sense that your feet are sitting inside the midsole and not on top of it. Naturally, this leads to very stable ride transitions so the Ride 15 almost feels like a light stability trainer rather than a neutral one.

Guide 16 - The midsole is Saucony’s PWRRUN EVA/TPU blend in the new lighter and softer flavor introduced in 2022. It is unchanged from the Guide 15’s midsole foam as far as I can tell.As the Guide 16 is a “support” moderate pronation control shoe it includes a Hollow Tech TPU arc at midfoot. This arc provides a “thin” vertical sense of support on the medial side. There is a clear sensation of the support and a clear feeling of rolling forward over the arc towards the flexible forefoot so there is no “hang up” at midfoot or overly firm medial side feeling here.

Triumph 20 - The Saucony Triumph 20 features Saucony’s PWRRUN PLUS foam. It’s not new and has been around since the Triumph 17. It helps makes the Triumph a soft and smooth ride.It has a lot of cushion, but you feel the rocker and a push forward.The Triumph 20 has a single-density TPU midsole which is soft and springy at the same time. The Triumph 20 also has a TPU insole for extra step-in comfort.

Kinvara 13 - This performance trainer has a flexible sole that runs the length of the shoe. It’s made up of Saucony’s PWRRUN which is an EVA blend. The PWRRUN is topped with a thin layer of PWRRUN+ to add a bit more pop to each step.

  • Outsole

Ride 15 - The outsole of the Ride 15 takes a page out of the Novablast’s book with its long, deep decoupled groove that extends from the heel, into the lateral side of the outsole. It saves a lot of weight and it makes the heel cushioning softer.There are strategically placed rubber strips on both sides of the rearfoot as well as on the forefoot. There is a lot of exposed midsole foam on the outsole but it’s not a cause for concern because it’s relatively abrasion resistant.

Guide 16 - Thanks to an outsole made with XT-900 carbon rubber, the Guide 16 offers enough traction and durability to last through a couple of training cycles. While the Guide 16 doesn’t have as much grip as a trail shoe, it can certainly hold its own on slick pavement.

Triumph 20 - They have a durable rubber outsole that has a superb grip on all types of surfaces.

Kinvara 13 - The outsole features an underbelly of exposed foam and strategically placed rubber elements. The grip isn’t great on wet terrain or gravel surfaces, but it works well on dry roads and bike paths.

3.Fit and Sizing

Ride 15 - The fit of the Ride 15 is true to size. The midfoot and forefoot are spacious and accommodating but the great thing is that even for very narrow feet , you can still feel locked-in and secure.

Guide 16 - The shoe fits true to size, with about a thumbnail’s width of room in between their toe and the front of the shoe.

Triumph 20 - True to size.The Saucony Triumph 20 uses a brand-new mesh that wraps around your foot, giving you plenty of support and comfort. It feels comfortable and breathes well.You don’t have to worry about it sliding around or hot spots.The only thing to keep in mind is most Saucony shoes are shallow, so if your foot has a lot of volume, it might not feel comfortable.

Kinvara 13 - Like the last model, the Kinvara 13 has a true-to-size fit with excellent proportions,and offered in a “wide” option as well.The fit is amazing and offers a very comfortable gusted tongue with a pull tab, for easy adjustments.

4.Performance

Ride 15 - The Saucony Ride 15 is a shoe for daily running and long runs. The new, lighter, softer construction makes it even more comfortable and smoother.You can plant your feet with confidence and generate a good amount of power as you transition from heel-to-toe, ideal for mid-speed strides. And, because of innovative straps either side of the tongue, it wraps snugly around your feet without causing the upper to bunch, making the shoes feel almost custom-made. While the firm-but-fair foam may lack the responsiveness sought by shorter (5K and below) distance runners, it still provides more oomph than most everyday runners. 

Guide 16 - The Saucony Guide offers everything runners love about the Rides. With the addition of support for higher arches and added upper ankle stability. Making them a good fit for running looking for a stability running shoe. The added support does mean they are less breathable than other models. 

Triumph 20 - With build elements including touches of suede, the Triumph is just a more substantial shoe.Hitting the road in the Triumph is like running on two firm cushions. They take away the road feel and provide a soft stable landing. With a 8mm drop, they manage to feel somewhat quick in spite of their weight and comfort focus. 

Kinvara 13 - Running in the Kinvara they are incredibly responsive. And while they manage to take a lot of the road shock for being so light. Featuring a 4mm drop, you feel like you can run in them forever without them pushing you at max speed. Because at max speed these things can fly. They are so light, your turnover will be faster than ever.However,it is lack of padding for logging a lot of training miles.,and the lightweight materials don’t tend to handle the miles as well.

Conclusion: Which is Best for You?

There is a reason so many runners choose the Saucony brand. And all of these models live up the brands standard of durability and real world performance you would expect.

Runners who overpronate slightly and need a touch more stability and support should go for the Guide.The Saucony Guide is the high arch support version of the Ride.It is considered a supportive shoe. This probably adds to the weight. So if you are looking for a high arch stability shoe the Guide is a great choice.

However, the Ride better suits runners who don’t need extra stability. It’s suitable for daily training as well as racing, although you won’t get the kind of speed out of it as you would some other dedicated speed shoes.

Saucony Triumph has an upgraded cushioning and uses PWRRUN+ in place of PWRRUN. Also, it is lighter than Saucony Guide for both versions. Also, it has a highly durable XT-900 outsole.With the Triumph 20 you get a supremely comfortable upper and a soft, springy midsole which doesn’t firm up in cold temperatures or get mushy in warm temperatures.If you’re just looking at a walking shoe, then the Triumph is the perfect choice. It’s a better fit for the majority of the general runners needs.

Kinvara is a more advanced shoe, for someone that has been running for a while and knows what they want in a running shoe. Light, fast, and responsive with a good amount of road feel. They just scream running fast and are a great race shoe. And if that is what you are looking for then the Kinvara are perfect.

All in all ,shoe fit is a personal thing, You must identify which Saucony model will fit your needs best.

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2023-02-28 19:465343