Customer Reviews Saucony Kinvara 4

This is my new favorite running shoe. Hands down. I was tired of the typical shoes with large heels that dictated my running gait. I am working to transitioning to a zero drop shoe and this has been the perfect shoe for that. I am already running faster, and longer than I was on Mizuno WaveRiders. Its a different type of shoe so everyone's experience will be different. But I love them. The 4mm drop is really noticeable when you come from something like 12mm+ or so. If you want to go minimalist/zero drop this is a great start. Do some reading and train before you jump into long runs though!

I've been a Saucony fan for 10 years - specifically the Hurricane. I decided to try the "natural" shoe in the Kinvara but after three runs I am suddenly having pain in my Achilles tendons. I'm sure is due to the different style of running I'm not used to. Otherwise the shoes are great. Extremely light and comfortable. Saucony's have always been made with quality materials and craftsmanship. I love the thin extremely breathable upper material. This is really a good shoe but for personal reasons they just don't work for me.

This review is for the Kinvara 3 in 2E. It was impossible to find a low drop shoe made for someone with a wide foot except the Saucony. I probably tried over 20 quality running shoes before coming across these. They fit like a glove and are all day comfortable. I wish there were more color choices in the 2E but I'll take what I can get. They are very thin which is excellent for breathability but makes me worry about the durability. They're great so far though. I'll order the 4's next.

These shoes are wonderful. I am so impressed with the professional service I recieve from Zappos. I ordered my shoes on Wednesday and was running in them by Friday afternoon. I wanted a pair of these new "minamalist" shoes and they are just what I expected.

When I first put them on, the toe box seemed a little tight & I have narrow feet. But after a couple runs I haven't noticed it & it doesn't bother me at all. Very comfortable & lightweight - love that - yet moderate cushioning under my forefoot. If you've not run in lower-platformed shoes, ease into this 4mm drop shoe...but it's worth it!

As with so many other reviews I have read on this shoe, I found the newly designed upper to be a little flimsy. I've put 200 miles on these and have not experienced the tears that others have but I could see how it might happen. Overall the shoe is good. Lightweight and really good for long distances (I usually run about 10 to 12 miles on the weekend). Anxious to see the changes in the Kinvara 5. I hear they have made improvements.

Great shoe for running - esp if you are looking for a more minimalist shoe. Also particularly great for people who run on their ball of the foot rather than heel. Kinwara 4 is the closest to Kinwara 1 in terms of feel (Kinwara 1 was a run away success as it has the perfect balance of firmness and support.

Narrow toe box busted open on pinky toe on both side after only 200 miles or so on the shoe. Other than the subpar upper, the rest of the shoe felt nice underfoot. Did not feel like a lower profile shoe, but had the durability of one. I am 6'2, 150 lbs, and run 7:00 pace.

A great running shoe, and I remain a loyal customer, despite the fact that my previous pair ripped along the outside after only six months' use. I got some decent mileage out of them, but I don't expect this to happen so quickly, especially because the terrain I'm on is almost always asphalt and I wear them only for running. My previous two pairs of Kinvaras (the 2s and the 3s) did not do this, so I'm inclined to believe it's a fluke with the 4, which has been my favorite of the Kinvaras.

I noticed a huge difference as soon as I put these shoes on. Great support, lightweight, and great through the whole run. I run 3 times a week on average, 3-6 miles per run.

I've read reviews where people talk about the shoe tearing at the right pinky toe, and I always wanted to write a review where I said - "listen, people - not sure what you're doing with your Kinvara's but you should probably just wear them only for road runs, and not as everyday shoes, etc" ... because that is what I do: I take care of my running shoes, and wear other kinds of shoes for other things. so, lo and behold, I look down at my shoes last night, and there are rips at the pinky toe on both shoes! I would estimate that I probably only have 100/maybe 150 miles on these, and the soles are still in great condition so the shoe is nowhere near "done." I mean, seriously, these shoes could not be taken better care of anymore than what I do. And there are holes at the pinky toe...on both shoes. Now, this being said, I don't think it will affect the performance of the shoe (which, by the way, I find a little clunky as I run "races" in the New Balance ME00), but is an otherwise more protective shoe for training runs. I still give it 4 stars because I like the shoe, but there must be some way to stop them from ripping. Otherwise there is no way you're getting 200 miles out of these, and you're going to just throw them away when you're done (i.e. I use my old running shoes as casual shoes on walks, etc...not these).

This is my 4th pair of Kinvara's. I used to wear the 3's and moved onto the 4's last year. Great, lightweight shoe that I used to train and complete multiple marathons in. They still haven't figured out the wear and tear problem with the fabric near the toe, so don't plan on putting extreme miles on these without needing another pair down the road. I hope to see more colors come out as these are apparently very popular!

This is my 2nd pair of these shoes. I had plantar fasciitis and I got them to transition to a minimalist running style without going all the way barefoot, which worked well for me. The 2nd pair I got for traveling and city walking. Equally good for that. I put Superfeet insoles in both pairs. I wear size 9 in street shoes, but those were too small, so I got size 10 and they fit well. The uppers developed a small tear on the outside edge of the 1st pair, so they are not the most durable - doesn't affect my running or the utility of the shoe though.

Great shoe if you are transitioning away from a more supportive traditional running shoe. This shoe feels light and fast. Not a shoe you would hit the trails with, but it is perfect for road training/racing. The only downside I noticed is that the shoe wears slightly faster than other shoes I have owned.

This shoe sits on the spectrum between the Kinvara 2 and Kinvara 3, much closer to the 3. Lacing is the same as the 3, it's slightly softer than the 3, no issue with the tighter toebox that others reported. If anything, this shoe seems to run a bit bigger overall than the 3. That said, since the 2s, I've been buying a full size bigger than I normally would. Overall, a very good shoe. I run 25-30 miles a week, and this is the only one I like wearing.

Kinvara 4's are good shoes for a short amount of time. I've owned version 2 and 4. This iteration is extremely light and flexible. It molds to my foot, doesn't slip, or constrict, and they also come in a multitude of styles which look damn sexy. Unfortunately, near the outside toe box, where the mesh material meets the sole began unraveling after only a few months of moderate use, which was the exact same problem with the K2's. I've owned cheaper sneakers which have held up better after rougher use. I run 1-3 times a week, usually 10 miles max over mixed terrain. My pinky toe is almost showing out of the shoe and they certainly are not that worn out! The other thing about these is I feel like the cushioning, after a while, becomes too soft. My running steps seem too squishy, as if the spongelike quality of the rubber does not expand as much as it compresses after every step. All of this indicates the life of theses shoes is far shorter than your typical running sneak, under average usage, which is why I've switched after my 4's.

To me the shoe is just whatever. Nothing really blows me away about its design. It's sole is made of what seems like a harder type of rubber so the shoe is kind of "clunky". Not a lot of cushion but that might be because of the design. On the good side it doesn't rub any toes or heel. The upper mesh is comfortable. I require some stability in a shoe and this shoe does give some stability but a very small amount.

I bought the Kinvara 3 last year and a pair of Kinvara 4's. The Kinvara appeared to have less room in the forefoot creating a blister on my foot on the first run. I have never had a problem with my Kinvara 3. They ran smooth right out of the box. To be fair, it's a beautiful shoe...just not the right one for me!

They felt much more narrow than the previous kinvara 3 model. Great shoe overall but I'm going back to the 3 which lasted me 6 months and about 600 or so miles - not too bad for a 205lb guy.

Lightweight, the upper is glovelike and looks really sharp in grey. I enjoyed running in these until my pinky toe came through at less than 100 miles. Your mileage may vary based on your foot shape. The Kinvara 5's look like it has a denser pattern of printed on support around the sides of the toe box.

We bought these shoes in January. My husband wears them inside only, 2 times a week for an hour each time during work outs. They are ripping on the sides by his little toe. Not impressed with this shoe!

Not durable: my son has had two different pairs of these shoes develop holes in the mesh uppers. In the second pair, this happened within 2-3 weeks of getting them. He only wears them for running, but does run every day. He likes the shoes in every other respect.

Loved the shoes. Some of the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. The reason for the one star overall is the quality. The material near where my small toe was tore completely apart after two months. I only wore these in the gym. They didn't hold up to lifting weights or riding a spinning bike. I can't imagine they would hold up outdoors. With that being said, Zappos customer service is the best there is. They had no problem refunding my money even after two months.

Absolutely the worst pair of sneakers or running shoes I've ever owned (I'm in my mid-thirties). First, they're super light-weight, which is great, but to cut down on the weight of the shoes, the soles are made of soft EVA (aka foam rubber) which seem too "cushiony" for this runner. As an added bonus, because of a design flaw with the soles (confirmed by Saucony), when walking or running on a flat surface (think wood floors in a gym or tile floors at home), the heel will compress and form suction between the shoe and the ground when you lift your heel you ll both feel and hear a big pop! I called Saucony and they confirmed this was a design problem and offered to review the shoes, if I sent them in at my expense (not gonna happen). Second, the material used for the mesh upper is very frail and somewhat brittle. After a few wears, I've noticed several small holes in both shoes, right around the pinkie toes. I m not rough on the shoes, but these have worn far worse than sneakers I've owned for much longer. Again, worst sneakers I've ever owned. Buyer beware!

I was a faithful runner (of another shoe brand) for over 8 years, that was until the Kinvara 1 came out several years ago. After purchasing, I fell in love with the feel, fit, and look of the shoe. Unfortunately, the shoe had some durability issues as the upper started tearing in less than 50 miles. Even though I was upset, I was understanding. I figured it was "1st Generation" bugs, so I decided to switch back to my other shoe brand, until the future models came out. When the Kinvara 3 came out (the Kinvara 2 had some durability issues as well) I waited about a year before reading reviews about the shoe, which do my delight, I found out the previous durability problems with the upper was no longer an issue. When I started searching for deals on the Kinvara 3, I found out that the Kinvara 4 was only a few months from release! So I decided to wait. Now, I am 2-months into owning my Kinvara 4, with less than 50 miles on the shoe, and the upper is tearing again! Please see attached picture. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. I will never purchase a Saucony product ever again.