This is the year of the super-stacked daily trainer, and with Saucony’s introduction of the new Kinvara Pro, we are here for it. Why? Because they feel good.
These popular running shoes are maximally cushioned, with high-tech foams that absorb impact every time you hit the ground and bounce you into your next step. And they feature plates, made of carbon or other rigid materials, that were previously reserved for top-of-the-line, race-day super-shoes. Plus, these types of trainers are also versatile enough for different types of workouts — whether that’s an easy jog, a speed workout or a long run (we’ve even run a marathon in one) — which means you’re getting more bang for your buck.
Saucony’s Kinvara Pro, which was launched last month into this expanding category, is a fast, plush running shoe. And at $180, they ring up significantly cheaper than the brand’s elite racing shoes, which feature similar technologies. Because we love nothing more than a super-shoe that makes running feel easier, we put the Kinvara Pro to the test over the course of a week of running during marathon training. Here’s how it stacks (ha) up.
This new addition to Saucony's running lineup is super stacked, extremely comfortable and best of all? It's more affordable than many of the current, elite racing shoes.
What we liked about it
There’s so much foam
You can easily see how chunky the Kinvara Pro is underfoot. That 42mm stack height under the heel — aka the amount of material that separates the foot from the ground — breaks down in three layers of foam: Closest to the foot is plush PWRRUN+, found in the brand’s maximally cushioned shoes; in the middle is PWRRUN PB, a PEBA foam featured in Saucony’s race-day shoes; and at the bottom is the EVA-based PWRRUN, which is reserved for daily trainers. In between the PWRRUN PB and PWRRUN layers is a three-quarter-length carbon plate that, combined with the shoe’s upturned toe, helps roll you efficiently through your stride. The result is a super-comfortable sneaker with a decent amount of pop. We feared it might feel too firm when we first put it on, but over the course of our first run in the shoe, the foam felt squishy and we were able to pick up the pace for intervals with ease.
It’s nice and stable
The problem you get with high stack heights is instability — and the more unstable a shoe is, the more your ankles have to work to keep you balanced, which can lead to overuse injuries. We didn’t experience any wobbling in the Kinvara Pro, the way we did with the first iterations of the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer, which had a 47mm stack height (and shrunk down to 40mm with version two), and the Adidas Prime X (which tops them all at 50mm). The Kinvara Pro has a wide base and a firmer layer of foam on the bottom, which helps keep the rest of that softer foam above it in check. It was also comfortable all around when we put it on straight out of the box; the fact that the engineered knit upper that kept everything locked down without any points of discomfort helped contribute to that sense of stability and reliability.
What we didn’t like about it
It’s nothing like the Kinvara
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re a fan of the OG Saucony Kinvara (currently on sale for $90), a lightweight, low-stack daily trainer now in its 14th iteration, don’t expect the Kinvara Pro to be some kind of next-level upgrade — despite what the name implies. It’s a whole new shoe. Sure, both are daily trainers, but the Kinvara has a stack height of 31mm, with a heel-to-toe offset (or the difference between the thickness of the heel and the forefoot of a shoe) of 4mm, and weighs in at just 6.2 ounces, compared to the Kinvara Pro’s 42mm, 8mm offset and 8.5-ounce weight. If you prefer a lighter shoe with a close-to-ground feel, you’re going to want to stick with the OG Kinvara.
How it compares
You can welcome the Kinvara Pro to the ever-expanding plated daily trainer lineup, which includes the Hoka Mach X ($180), the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer 2 ($180) and the Asics Magic Speed 3 ($160). The Kinvara Pro felt most similar to the New Balance, although the Kinvara has 2mm more foam under the heel for a slightly higher heel-to-toe drop, which, from a design perspective, reduces stress on the calf muscles and Achilles tendons (especially for heel strikers), though we didn’t notice it in practice.
Unlike the other shoes mentioned above, which all have full-length plates, the Kinvara Pro has a three-quarter-length carbon plate that ends before the heel. Personally, we didn’t find the Kinvara to be as bouncy or propulsive as the SuperComp Trainer, but there’s no “best of” in this category; every runner is different, so it comes down to which feels best on your feet. But all of these are great options for protecting your legs during long, easy runs or picking up the pace during faster workouts (or even race day).
Bottom line
We liked this shoe for short and long runs at an easy pace as well as a moderately paced workout. If you want to race in the Saucony Endorphin Pro ($225) and Endorphin Elite ($275), this is a more affordable option for daily training; if you’re already training in a maximally cushioned shoe like the Triumph 21 ($160), this could be a great shoe for faster workouts. We think it’s a mix of everything: soft but snappy, stable but speedy. And it’s that do-it-all nature that makes the Kinvara Pro’s price tag feel like a steal.