For the past couple of weeks, I have tested the Saucony Ride 13. It is my first ever pair of Saucony running shoes, and I have truly found a pair of shoes that fit my style of running. Read more here, then I will tell you why!
Saucony is the oldest, American running brand, and for several years, it has been the Americans’ preferred running shoe brand.
If you do not know much about Saucony’s running shoes, then you might be interested to hear this. Because not only does Saucony make super comfortable running shoes, but RunningXpert.com also offers you 60 days of satisfaction guarantee on Saucony running shoes. If this does not sound promising, I surely do not know what else would!?
VIDEO REVIEW
WHAT HAS CHANGED…
Saucony Ride 13 is the successor to the Ride ISO 2. It may sound a bit confusing, but I promise you that will be the only thing in this review that will make you frown.
The release of the new Saucony Ride 13 presents several new improvements: an improved fit, a new midsole material, and a brand-new upper. The improvements of this latest edition revive the Ride series, which makes it a great competitor to shoes like Asics GEL-Cumulus, Mizuno Wave Rider, and Nike Air Zoom Pegasus, as it is a versatile running shoe that will perform on any kind of run.
COMFORTABLE FIT
The most visible and noticeable difference between the Saucony Ride ISO 2 and the Saucony Ride 13 is, without a doubt, the upper – in particular, the lacing system.
Despite ISOFIT’s flexible and roomy upper, it lacked support around the midfoot, compared to the Ride 13. The upper of the Ride 13 feels significantly more close-fitting and is padded, so it hugs around your foot – without squeezing my feet. This tight fit helps towards the stability of the shoe. What I mean with that, I will return to later in the review!
My foot feels locked-in and safe around the midfoot, while the fit at the front is a bit wider to fit the widest part of the foot; the forefoot and the toes. In terms of sizing, this shoe is true to size when I compare it with my other running shoes. I would say that the width of the shoe is quite average, as I do not have particularly narrow or wide feet. If you need extra width in your running shoes, the Saucony Ride 13 is actually also available in a ”Wide” version, which you will find right here: Saucony Ride 13 WIDE.
The Saucony Ride 13 has a comfortable fit that will feel great for the majority of foot shapes and foot positions. This is thanks to the FORMFIT technology, which is located under the insole. Inside the shoe, the shoe is anatomically designed to follow the natural curves of the foot and, thereby, support the full-length of the foot.
The combination of a close-fitted upper and the anatomically shaped sole provide a comfortable feeling of being at one with the shoe. It gives a natural rolling action of the foot from landing to the toe-off!
The upper – and, in particular, the padding – may seem a bit warm, but I have not had any problems with wicking away sweat. It may, however, make a difference if the temperatures are above 30 degrees. But let us be honest, it is probably rare that we are seeing these kinds of temperatures on these latitudes, and, also, I think any everyday trainer would start to feel a bit warm in those temperatures anyway.
COMBINED MIDSOLE
The midsole comprises Saucony’s PWRRUN material, which combines EVA foam and TPU. This provides the Ride 13 with a light and responsive comfort.
Also, there is now even more foam underfoot, as the shoe’s stack height has gone from 28 mm/20 mm in the Ride ISO 2 to 32 mm/24 mm in the Ride 13.
Nevertheless, Saucony Ride 13 still has the same familiar heel drop of 8 mm, which seems to be characteristic for Saucony’s everyday trainers.
On my runs in the Saucony Ride 13, I experience an exceptional return of energy, which makes my rolling action of the foot feel fast and effortless. This way, I can easily pick up the pace without feeling weighed down by the weight of the shoes or an unnecessary loss of energy.
This extra amount of foam makes the Saucony Ride 13 a bit heavier than its predecessor, but that is no tragedy because the foam adds better shock-absorption and bounce without compromising with the speed of the shoe.
The PWRRUN material is a bit softer than the previous EVERRUN material, so you can expect even softer and greater comfort than before – not least on the long runs.
The heel has also gone through some improvements, so now it delivers a smoother landing and, as a result, reduces the load on your body. I can feel this reduced burden on my body, and I am pleasantly surprised about how comfortable the landing feels in spite of the relatively firm sole.
DURABLE OUTSOLE
The outsole of the Saucony Ride 13 is made from a durable rubber material.
While the material under the forefoot provides a good grip for the toe-off, the material is a bit more durable under the heel. This makes sense, as many runners will typically land on their heel and, therefore, need a bit more durability (and comfort) around this area. This is also why a classic running shoe has more foam under the heel than the forefoot.
The durable material ensures a long-lasting life and buying the Saucony Ride 13 will therefore be a reasonable and economic purchase.
COMFORT AND SUITABILITY
The Saucony Ride 13 is an outstanding running buddy for your daily workouts, whether you are going for a short run, long run, fast or slow run. It will deliver enough shock-absorption for the long-distance runs and also provide flexible spring for speed.
To me, the Saucony Ride 13 is the ideal running shoe because it performs perfectly in my work-out, which includes various runs with a mix of slow kilometres and sprints. I will not need to change shoes on my run if I wish to pick up the pace, as the Ride 13 can do it all.
When I am simply running in a calm tempo, the Ride 13 is sufficiently soft and shock-absorbing. This is irrespective of the surface I am running on; asphalted roads, gravel roads, or in the forest.
With the Saucony Ride 13, I get a safe and confident feeling when I am running – even when I have a fast rolling action of the foot. Frankly, the Ride 13 is surprisingly one of the most stable neutral running shoes I have tried. This is thanks to the tight-fitted upper and the great combination of firmness and springiness in the midsole. The fit of the shoe is simply just phenomenal! I have a feeling of full control over my strides, which allows me to focus on my tempo or my surroundings instead.
Even though the Saucony Ride 13 is not a stability shoe, I believe that runners that tend to slightly pronate would benefit from this shoe.
CONCLUSION
The Saucony Ride 13 is a brilliant running shoe for any runner that wants a shoe for the majority of workouts and running distances. Even though the Ride 13 is an everyday trainer, you can easily use it for your tempo workouts or the short interval training if you want a fast running shoe without investing in a race-day/tempo running shoe
Can a shoe be both soft and firm at the same time? In any case, that is how I experienced the Saucony Ride 13. The midsole feels responsive and firm without compromising on the shock-absorption. As a result, the Saucony Ride 13 can definitely perform on both the slow and fast runs.
Overall, the Saucony Ride 13 is a versatile running shoe, which fits like a dream to provide flexible comfort and a degree of stability (without being a true stability shoe).
The outsole has a nice grip with the surface and the upper keeps the foot in place while delivering great support around the heel.
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