Saucony Guide 9

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By NicoleK

Saucony Guide 9 Review Facts

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Running offers an individual, usually no matter their environment, a means of cardiovascular activity that improves health, decreases high blood pressure and improves skin tone. Another advantage to choosing running as your physical activity type is that running requires minimal equipment. Running really only requires a proper pair of running shoes. When trying on running shoes the majority of people simply look for a comfortable shoe that offers decent cushioning throughout the bottom line of the shoe. Stability isn't always considered when looking for running shoes. Stability and support are very important in running shoes because this is what will not only help avoid injury but will also help with the alignment of the foot. When a foot properly fits in a shoe and the proper stability is available to the foot, the step is a lot more natural for the runner. A natural step allows the runner to step down with proper alignment and makes each step much easier for the runner. This allows the runner to focus on other aspects of the run and it also helps avoid rolled ankles. Proper stability will also improve the performance of the runner due to less drag and correction. Overall, though the comfort of the runner is important it is also very important to consider the level of support and stability offered in order to get the most out of the product you, as the runner, are purchasing.

This article is a single product review on the Saucony Guide 9. Saucony, pronounced sock-a-knee, is an experienced company with a conservative business model. Saucony tends to focus on the products are effective and improves on them rather than continually adding new models. This is the 9th of the Guideline offered by Saucony. We looked at consumer reviews in order to put together a comprehensive review of this product for those looking for new runners. We also looked at the materials used in order to determine the product's breathability, flexibility, and performance. Finally, we looked at the construction of the product in order to determine its durability and overall quality. This is our in-depth review of the Saucony Guide 9. We hope that this article serves you in your next running shoe purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

This product is true to size
This product offers a higher level of cushioning throughout its midsole and insole
This product doesn't require breaking in
This product offers a decent level of traction throughout its outsole

Cons

This product seems to have a fair amount of complaints about its durability
This products cushioning seems to break down faster than comparable products
This product causes some pain across the upper of the shoe and foot

BREATHABILITY

This product offers a decent amount of mesh across its upper which allows for better ventilation of the product. The upper is almost entirely mesh which means it would allow more cool air in and push hot air out. The more mesh the better the ventilation, plain and simple. This product seems to offer a superior level of ventilation and therefore breathability. The upper is lightweight but does have some durability concerns according to some reviewers. The upper also has some restrictive areas which rub against the top of the foot causing some irritation and hotspot. Though this is an issue with several reviewers, this does not impact the breathability of the shoe. Those who wore this product found that their feet stayed cool and dry throughout their run which is positive. Proper ventilation of a running shoe also helps keep moisture levels down within the shoe and can assist with the safety of it. Sweat build-up can cause slippage and can not only affect the runner's performance but can also cause some tripping. Proper ventilation is very important when considering running shoes. Luckily this product seems to be mostly mesh which would assist in keeping the runner's feet cool and dry along their runs.

COMFORT

This product offers EVEREN responsive cushioning throughout the insole of the product. This helps reduce force and aids in impact reduction when in motion. Impact reduction is also a very important aspect of a running shoe because this ultimately helps decrease wear and tear associated with running. This type of stress usually happens along the bones and across the joints of runners. This product seems to offer a high level of cushioning which is positive, however, those who wore the product found that it wore down fast which would impact the comfort of the shoe in the long term. This is discussed in more detail below. This product offers open mesh throughout the shoe, mentioned above, which assists in keeping heat levels low in the inside of the shoe. This product also offers a ComfortLite sockliner which is supposed to contour to the heel and arch of the shoe. Those who wore this product found it to be quite comfortable in regards to its cushioning, however, there were complaints that the upper of the product rubs in critical areas of the shoe and causes some irritation and hotspots when running which is an issue.

DURABILITY

This product offers a full length stitched HRC Strobel Board which adds a higher level of responsiveness and durability when in motion. The midsole is supposed to be made of a premium material (EVA) and though EVA is a common material used in running due to its durability, this product seems to have a few complaints about its durability. Though the outsole seems to be made of a quality material that offers a high level of traction, the insole and midsole seem to be a cause of concern for many runners. Those who wore this product found that it broke down relatively quickly which is an issue. This product is also not exactly cheap and durability is a big factor considered when attempting to justify the price of a runner. The mesh across the upper also seems to be a point of contention for some runners as it not only rubs and causes some pain across the top of the foot but it does seem to be very strong. This should be considered before buying this product.

MIDSOLE

The midsole of this product is made of an EVA material that is supposed to contour to the foot. Those who wore this product did find that it contoured well to the foot which added to the runner's support and comfort levels when in movement, however, it seems to break down relatively easily, unfortunately. Outside of the durability concerns, those who wore this product did praise its stability and support when in motion. They felt that the midsole hugged tight enough to the foot to offer a more natural step which is positive. This assists with the runner's performance, as mentioned in the opening paragraphs of this article. The material used is also quite light in weight which means that despite its support it does not weigh down the runner's foot which is positive. Overall, the midsole seems to be lacking in this product in regards to durability but does offer a decent level of stability and support which is positive.

OUTSOLE

The outsole of this product offers an SRC Landing Zone which assists in impact reduction. As mentioned earlier, running shoes need to provide impact reduction in order to be effective as well as protecting the body long term. Those who wore this product do praise the shoe's impact reduction which is positive. The outsole also offers a decent transition and traction which numerous runners found was great in both wet and dry conditions. The outsole of this product is made of a rubber material and offers a design that is conducive to a high level of stickiness when in motion. Those who wore this product had very little negative to say about the outsole of it which is positive. A good outsole offers traction, durability, and support to a runner. It is important that those looking for new runners consider the runner's outsole especially when it comes to performance. Proper traction will propel a runner further, faster which improves the runners time and accuracy when running. This product seems to offer a pretty decent outsole which is positive.

PRICE

This product is actually quite expensive in price. The two factors usually considered when attempting to justify the price of the runner is the durability of the shoe and the versatility of the shoe. Those who wore this product found that the shoe isn't quite durable enough to wear long term. Those who wore the product found it to break down relatively easily in the heel cushioning which affects the shoe's long-term impact reduction. They also found that the upper of the product broke down easily as well which is an issue both functionally and aesthetically. The other aspect is versatility and though the shoe is attractive in design it definitely looks like a road or gym companion and probably couldn't easily transition to an every day or fashion accessory, unfortunately. It doesn't really seem that this product is worth the cost when considering those two areas. There were a fair few positive reviews about this product though and these positive comments should also be considered when considering the shoe's cost.

SUPPORT

This product does offer a decent amount of support across the upper, throughout the midsole as well as throughout its insole. The issue with the shoe is that the cushioning seems to break down relatively quickly into the life of the shoe which is a cause of concern. Those who wore this product did find that the midsole properly contoured the foot with assistance from the products contoured sockliner which is positive. The outsole is also supportive of the heel and arch of the shoe as well (before it starts to break down). The upper fits close to the foot but almost too close as there seem to be some issues with rubbing in critical areas. So, though there are issues with the comfort of the shoe it does not seem to lack support immediately. Another advantage is this product fits true to size and requires no breaking in which is positive.

STYLE

This product is an attractive running shoe. It is offered in numerous colors and designs which is adaptable in suiting individual styles. This product is quite sporty in appearance, very much looking like a road shoe or a gym companion and many not easily transition to every day or fashion accessory, unfortunately. The upper of the product, as well, breaks down relatively easily which would affect the products general aesthetic as well. Those who wore this product did appreciate its color options and designs. Many reviewers found that this product to be an attractive shoe. This is all positive, however, the lack of versatility does sort of effect the cost justification of the shoe. This was discussed earlier in this article.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is that this product is an ok one. Though the product offers decent cushioning and support, there seems to be a fair amount of complaints about the products comfort level. Those who wore this product found that it rubbed weird areas of the foot and caused some blisters and hotspots throughout the top of the foot. Though the shoe offers decent stability, the heel support and cushioning seem to break down relatively easily which is an issue. There also seems to be some complaints about the upper breaking down quite quickly which does affect the product aesthetic, unfortunately. There were a fair amount of compliments about the product aesthetic before the wear and tear though, many saying they appreciated the bright colors and the different style options available to them. They also found that the shoe fit true to size and didn't require breaking, both of which are positive. This product should probably be taken for a test drive before buying due to the concerns listed in this article. We also want to also point out that the product is quite expensive for what the consumer is getting.