Saucony Men's Kinvara 13 Running Shoe

Product Information

The big question will be what happens next with the Kinvara. Will the Kinvara 14 be welcomed into the modern world with Saucony’s super-lively PWRRUN PB midsole foam and its SpeedRoll geometry? Time will tell. But for now, the Kinvara 13 remains a reliable everyday trainer that’s as light, comfortable and versatile as it has always been. I even compared them to a pair of the Saucony Triumph that I have in my rotation, and they are visibly longer even though both shoes had the same size printed on the tag. Simple, fast, light, nimble, it feels minimal in all the right places. The firmest and lightest of Saucony daily trainers, it makes a great speedwork option.

Saucony Kinvara 13 | Fleet Feet Shoe Review: Saucony Kinvara 13 | Fleet Feet

Fleet Feet reviewers tested the Saucony Kinvara 13 for easy runs and up-tempo workouts. Here's what you need to know. All applicable customs and import duties and any other charges are the responsibility of the customer. This graphic highlights most of the positive aspects of the Kinvara 13. Besides its speed-oriented road behavior, the firm cushioning is stable and forefoot-strike friendly. Willy RW, Davis IS (2014). Kinematic and kinetic comparison of running in standard and minimalist shoes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 46: 318–323.

As with all foam-based outsoles, the traction isn’t as great as rubber-clad running shoes. SHOES SIMILAR TO THE SAUCONY KINVARA 13 You’ll need something more rugged to go off the beaten path and explore the forests and mountains. Here is an overview of the brand’s dedicated trail shoes. David: The Kinvara 13 performs like many would it expect it to. This is a lightweight performance trainer with a flexible sole throughout that lets you do you. The PWRRUN midsole is an EVA blend that has a little bit of suspensiveness and responsiveness to it but it isn't anything overly bouncy or powerful. This is a shoe that gives you what you put into it. For the most part the sole is relatively flat throughout with a lot of flex grooves throughout the exposed EVA outsole. There is a heel bevel that has a slight decoupling in the heel that does seem to be beveled well. There is a slight toe spring but this shoe relies more on the natural flexibility of the shoe. For those that have stiffness through the metatarsals and through the great toe this may be a challenging shoe, but fore those that like a flexible low riding shoe this could be a great option. The shoe only weighs 7.2 ounces size 9 and that lightweight feeling is certainly present when running in the shoe. Similar to previous models the shoe has a relatively narrow last and outsole through the midfoot and so for those that are sensitive to narrow platforms they won't be getting too much stability from this shoe. For the purpose of the shoe this shoe hits the spot though. It is a nice hybrid for those that like a more minimalistic shoe but just need a little bit more on it. The only thing I might like to see would be creating a little more outsole coverage through the forefoot to stiffen the ride up ever so slightly without adding too much weight. This would make the shoe a little less slappy through the forefoot when running fast. Outside of that the performance of this shoe is quite good and will still please the Kinvara following. Another study out of Australia (Ryan et al 2013) found an increased incidence of injury in runners using partial minimalist footwear. They randomly assigned 103 runners with neutral or mild pronation one of three shoes: the Nike Pegasus 28, Nike Free 3.0 V2, or the Vibram 5-Finger Bikila. The runners completed a 12 week training program for a 10k race. At the end of the 12 weeks, 99 runners remained in the study. 23 runners sustained an injury, with the Nike Free group having the most injuries (12) and the Pegasus the least (4).

Saucony Ride vs Saucony Kinvara | Running Shoes Guru Saucony Ride vs Saucony Kinvara | Running Shoes Guru

It will be delightfully welcomed by the runner who especially doesn’t care for a maximally cushioned shoe. Overall it is a great choice for an affordable daily trainer. Well done Saucony. I wish Saucony could have carried the design principles of the tongue over to the exterior of the heel cup. If you liked the Kinvara at any point over the past 12 years, you’re bound to like the Kinvara 13. It can still be your do-everything daily trainer or a speed-day shoe for faster workouts. It can even be a light-duty racing shoe, if you’re willing to concede that its simple foam architecture isn’t going to provide the energetic pop that modern racing shoes do. You might find the Kinvara 13 less appealing than you did in the past, if only because running shoes as a whole have evolved and there are many models that are more responsive, more cushy and more durable. It is incredible breathable which made for some cold toes as I tested the K!2 at the end of winter. Printed graphic overlays add some structure to the upper, but keep the shoe lightweight.

The Peregrine 13’s outsole is a beast. It provides incredible traction—thanks to its almost full-coverage outsole complemented with 4.8 mm lugs that are patterned to shed mud. Snow, mud, dirt, and gravel—the Peregrine 13 breezed through. Instead of a narrow waist – like how many speed shoes have– the Kinvara’s midfoot is bridged with foam for stability. The flared insole also produces a comforting sensation of under-arch support. RECOMMENDED ROTATION Andrea: The Saucony Kinvara 13 is for runners with neutral mechanics who are looking for a lightweight, cushioned, and responsive trainer. The Kinvara is a rare shoe that can handle both easy runs and intervals. Runners should not expect that the Kinvara will result in changes to their gait mechanics that may occur in a true minimal shoe or with barefoot running. Like the earliest models, the Kinvara 12 was a no-nonsense, lightweight trainer with a specific use case. Its firm ride made it an ideal candidate for runs of a slightly faster kind.

Kinvara | Saucony

While not the stiffest model in our lineup, there is no denying that there are more comfortable shoes out on the market, especially for long-distance running. However, we are constantly impressed with this shoe's ability to offer a minimal responsive cushion in such a lightweight design. It is subtle but firm compression that is noticeable but doesn't feel squishy or like you sinking into the footbed. This cushioning requires a bit more effort to stay on top of when compared to the most responsive models, which is why it is our short-distance favorite. The Saucony Kinvara 13 is Saucony’s lightweight, mildly cushioned, neutral trainer. I have run (and raced) in many versions of the Kinvara and for me, the 13 has the best fit and most natural ride. The PWRRUN cushioning is soft enough for easy runs and responsive enough for strides and intervals. The redesigned mesh upper disappears on the foot and gives the Kinvara a slipper-like feel. The Kinvara 13 is definitely in the running for the best lightweight neutral trainer of 2022. Personal: A- (I am a huge Kinvara fan and this one is such an improvement with regards to fit and ride. Felt like I was running with an old friend the second I put them on. Not for longer distances, but )David: The Saucony Kinvara 13 does really well serving its purpose. I think the upper was a step in the right direction for sure. My only recommendation really lies in the transition through the forefoot. For nearly all uses it does well the way it is but the shoe can come off a little bit slappy through the forefoot when running fast. Because of how much flexibility is in this shoe the forefoot can get that slapping sensation upon loading and then you would flex through it into toe-off. I would like to see it get a slightly firmer forefoot while still maintaining some flexibility by just increasing the outsole coverage a tad through that region. That wouldn't affect the weight or flexibility too much but could make the shoe a tad more snappy.