It's been a month since we received the Saucony Kinvara 4, a neutral shoe with a tendency towards "natural running". After 200 km we can offer you our impressions as always from a particular point of view and without wanting to democratize our opinion on the matter.
To begin with, I think you should know that until now I had never worn shoes with less than 8 mm drop. Given the problem that I have not having fibulae in my legs, I have always been recommended to run with shoes with maximum cushioning. It had its logic, the impact in the fall was minimized with the cushioning and that could help my knees and ankles. However, also on medical advice I have had to change the way I run.
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Much shorter strides to reduce impacts, which in the same way was going to condition the way I landed. I went from landing with my heel to landing with my midfoot. That's why I decided to review the new Saucony Kinvara 4, which has a 4 mm drop.
Feelings
As soon as we open the box, the aggressiveness of its design catches our attention. It is clear that this is a fast shoe and the American brand has wanted to imbue it in its flashy colors, in its extreme style and in its stylized shapes.
There are no seams, the upper conveys an extreme feeling of lightness, almost gives the feeling of being able to tear the fabric with your fingernail, which at first raised some doubts about the durability of that area. Something that already happened to me with the Asics Nimbus 14 that broke on the big toe after only 150 km with them.
The reality is that after these 200 km that we have been testing them, the upper is still intact.
Maybe because wearing this Kinvara 4 is like putting on a neoprene sock. The foot does not adapt to the shoe, but rather the shoe literally "sticks" to the shape of the foot, allowing it to move without limitations.
This sensation increases when you start running. They are very light shoes and I had a clear idea of what I wanted to use them for. Fast training and competition (I have done 2 half Ironman distance triathlons with them). And as the idea is not to tell you about my adaptation to running with a 4mm drop shoes but to tell you about my experience with this model. The reality is that it has been a real discovery.
And now to run
It has enough cushioning to not completely unprotect the foot from impacts and minimizing the weight of the shoe to make it a real flyer.
That era one of my fears. Running with limited cushioning. And its cushioning, let's not kid ourselves, is little. Little, but enough to land with the midfoot. That's the goal of a 4mm dro, isn't it?
The transition in the stride is very fast. The flexibility of the shoe is very good and the upper is very ventilated which makes it perfect for running in hot weather.
And some things we didn't like
Being used to running "so protected" I did miss some stability. Maybe the problem is not the shoe's problem and it's mine, having used them in triathlons where the running part of the race you get tired and you don't execute the running technique as you should. But maybe with a little more support they would become without any doubt my ideal shoes to compete in triathlons.
And who I recommend them to
However, if you are looking to "fly" in races of up to 10-15 km or if you are looking for a shoe for quality training like series, the Saucony Kinvara 4 are for you. If you also have a good running technique and want to start running in a more natural way, this shoe will be the perfect transition to 0 drop models.
Where can I buy them
Buy now the Saucony Kinvara 4 with a 10% discount CLICK HERE
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