We published our men’s Kinvara 5 review, now it’s time for the women’s review.
I have never owned a pair of Saucony Kinvara. There is a ridiculous amount of hype around this shoe, so I jumped at the opportunity to review a pair. Although this is the 5th version of the Kinvara, I won’t be comparing it to its predecessors.
As soon as the Kinvara 5 arrived, I couldn’t get them on my feet fast enough. The color way is ON POINT. I received the blue/slime variation. Why Saucony decided to call the neon green laces ‘slime-colored’ is beyond me. But, needless to say, they look awesome. Right out of the box, my feet were loving these shoes. They’re amazingly comfortable, super light (6.5oz) and come with the perfect amount of cushioning. After recently reviewing the Saucony Virrata 2 and Mirage 4, I would say the Kinvara fall in the happy-medium place for cushioning. The Mirage are a little stiff, the Virrata are a little soft… but the Kinvara are jussssst right. The pillow-like tongue and soft padding around the heel and collar give it a super cushy feel. The toebox is nice and wide and the Powerlock lacing gives you plenty of control over the fit. They feel super secure once they’re all laced up. My longest run in these shoes was a 15 miler, but I’d feel pretty confident taking them some 20+ milers.
The BadI don’t have any legitimate complaints about this shoe. I did find the shape of the tongue a bit odd. I honestly thought I was sent a faulty pair based on the cut. The tongue is generally U shaped with two drastic, deep cuts at the base. It’s not noticeable when the shoe is laced up, but it seems like a weird design. I assume it helps with the fit and flexibilitY?
I wouldn’t consider myself a Kinvara fanboy (yet), but I’ll probably be chomping at the bit when the next version comes out. This is one of those shoes I can recommend to just about anyone. It’s great for short or long distances, its comfortable right out of the box, and I think it could work for just about any foot type. Plus, at a price point of $100, it falls on the less expensive side of today’s running shoes. Although I can’t compare this shoe to the earlier versions, I’d say Saucony has done a great job to create a well cushioned, low drop trainer.
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