Only in its second iteration, the Ride ISO 2 is Saucony’s latest neutral daily trainer. The original Ride ISO was essentially the Ride 11, but with a new upper they decided to change the name. Although I haven’t run in either since the Saucony Ride 9, I’ve done enough running in other models (like the Freedom ISO 2 and Kinvara 10) to gather my thoughts on this new-ish model.
Meaghan: As I said, the Saucony Ride 9 was the last iteration I tried (back in 2016), so quite a bit has changed since then. The first thing I noticed is the fit– it accommodates my wide feet well. The upper is designed with a double layer jacquard mesh that’s fairly breathable (a must-have in Baltimore’s 90 degree, 100% humidity days this summer).
The collar and tongue are super cushioned and the ISOFIT, a stretchable mesh with updated lacing eyelets, make it really comfortable. Despite all the plushness of this shoe, the heel counter is a little stiff. People say this is a good thing for anyone who tends to supinate.
Underneath the foot is a combo of PWRFOAM and an EVERUN topsole. It’s not bouncy or overly squishy, but somewhere in between. It’s definitely a versatile shoe that can handle lots of miles.
The outsole is designed with triflex grooves to allow for natural movement and Saucony added Crystal Rubber (the stuff that covered the bottom of the ISO Freedom) in the forefoot for durability and responsiveness. It’s well-cushioned with some decent stack height: 27mm in the heel and 19mm mm forefoot, for an 8mm drop.
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Meaghan: While the plush collar and tongue add to the overall comfort of this shoe, it also acts like a sponge to sweat. Not good for the shoe’s overall weight nor the odors coming from my shoe rack.
It’s also not the lightest shoe in the neutral trainer lineup. My W7.5 came in at 8.7 oz. That’s over 2 ounces more than the comparable New Balance Beacon, and at least 1 ounce over the super-cushioned HOKA Clifton 6.
Also, I can’t help but mention how much I hate my black/gold colorway. If Saucony was being honest they would have named it black/somewhat-gold-but-more-like-a-dirty-sand-color, colorway. That cover photo does it too much justice.
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Meaghan: If the Saucony ISO Freedom and Kinvara had a baby, this would be it. The Ride ISO 2 is a solid, durable neutral trainer. Its versatile design makes it good for short, easy runs and even some longer tempo runs. It’s highly cushioned, comfortable right out of the box, and will withstand several hundred miles without issue.
Where it falls short for me is the weight. It’s not the lightest neutral trainer on the market. However, if you’re headed into fall marathon training and don’t mind an extra ounce or two underfoot, the Saucony Ride ISO 2 is a solid option.
You can pick it up for $120 at Running Warehouse, (on sale through July 8 for $102) using the shop link below.
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