Gear Review: Saucony Ride 9
I have been looking for a daily high-mileage shoe for a little while. After a lot of research, I actually went out to our local running shops and tried a few. Three stops later and a lot of whining, I settled on the Saucony Ride series. The Ride 9 is last year's model but shares most features with the newly released Ride 10.
First Impressions
When I first put the shoes on, they felt very similar to my Kinvaras. This should not surprise anyone as the platform and design share a lot of similarities. The Ride has an 8mm heel to toe drop, so not as flat as some racers (or my Kinvaras) but not overly high for a larger high-mileage shoe. One of the notable features is the high level of cushion. It feels plush underfoot but not overly "cloudy" like the Brooks Glycerins. The Ride and newer Saucony shoes benefit from a layer of the new Everrun foam that is supposed to create a long-lasting cushion with little weight. The Saucony Freedom is pretty much entirely built of Everrun, but most of the other shoes in Saucony's line-up have at least some of it built into the shoe. You can certainly feel it when you run. Aesthetically, the Ride 9 in Gray/Red is a pretty neutral shoe. It is not a flashy shoe but it also is not completely bland.
First Run
I did my first run as a 4 miler around my neighborhood. It is a very familiar route. The Ride 9 felt very good on this run. There was more than enough cushioning for longer runs, and I did not feel any difference between my first step and my last step. The upper of the shoe is quite compliant, with the laces having a bit of elasticity to flex as I run. They really feel like a heavier version of the Kinvara that I used previously. The toe box is a bit snug, but as I said, the upper flexes enough that it does not become uncomfortable. Going a size up for a larger toe box, however, would cause the heel area not to fit. I already started having issues with heel slipping in this size. That is perhaps my only complaint with the shoes: heel slip. No matter how I tie the shoe, there seems to be a little heel slipping as I am running. It is not much but it is noticeable. As I said, sizing up would really not be an option and sizing down would completely not fit the length of my foot.
Ongoing Runs
After a few months of marathon training, the Ride 9 still works as my high-mileage training shoe. Recently, the narrow toe box has been causing just a bit of trauma to my big toes. This could also be attributable to my training level since I have increased my mileage in this cycle far more than I normally run for marathon training. Overall, the shoe performs well and nearly 300 miles into the life cycle, I do not feel any breakdown or excessive wear. The uppers and the sole really have managed to handle weeks of high-mileage running.
Overall, the Saucony Ride 9 handles high-mileage marathon training very well. The moderate heel-to-toe drop combined with the Everrun layer keep your feet protected and comfortable throughout many 20 milers. As stated, the only issues are the slightly narrow toe box and heel slipping if you are trying to find the perfect shape shoe. In the end, those are minor issues. Hopefully, future versions will retain the nice features and, perhaps, adjust the shape every so slightly.
First Impressions
When I first put the shoes on, they felt very similar to my Kinvaras. This should not surprise anyone as the platform and design share a lot of similarities. The Ride has an 8mm heel to toe drop, so not as flat as some racers (or my Kinvaras) but not overly high for a larger high-mileage shoe. One of the notable features is the high level of cushion. It feels plush underfoot but not overly "cloudy" like the Brooks Glycerins. The Ride and newer Saucony shoes benefit from a layer of the new Everrun foam that is supposed to create a long-lasting cushion with little weight. The Saucony Freedom is pretty much entirely built of Everrun, but most of the other shoes in Saucony's line-up have at least some of it built into the shoe. You can certainly feel it when you run. Aesthetically, the Ride 9 in Gray/Red is a pretty neutral shoe. It is not a flashy shoe but it also is not completely bland.
First Run
I did my first run as a 4 miler around my neighborhood. It is a very familiar route. The Ride 9 felt very good on this run. There was more than enough cushioning for longer runs, and I did not feel any difference between my first step and my last step. The upper of the shoe is quite compliant, with the laces having a bit of elasticity to flex as I run. They really feel like a heavier version of the Kinvara that I used previously. The toe box is a bit snug, but as I said, the upper flexes enough that it does not become uncomfortable. Going a size up for a larger toe box, however, would cause the heel area not to fit. I already started having issues with heel slipping in this size. That is perhaps my only complaint with the shoes: heel slip. No matter how I tie the shoe, there seems to be a little heel slipping as I am running. It is not much but it is noticeable. As I said, sizing up would really not be an option and sizing down would completely not fit the length of my foot.
Ongoing Runs
After a few months of marathon training, the Ride 9 still works as my high-mileage training shoe. Recently, the narrow toe box has been causing just a bit of trauma to my big toes. This could also be attributable to my training level since I have increased my mileage in this cycle far more than I normally run for marathon training. Overall, the shoe performs well and nearly 300 miles into the life cycle, I do not feel any breakdown or excessive wear. The uppers and the sole really have managed to handle weeks of high-mileage running.
Overall, the Saucony Ride 9 handles high-mileage marathon training very well. The moderate heel-to-toe drop combined with the Everrun layer keep your feet protected and comfortable throughout many 20 milers. As stated, the only issues are the slightly narrow toe box and heel slipping if you are trying to find the perfect shape shoe. In the end, those are minor issues. Hopefully, future versions will retain the nice features and, perhaps, adjust the shape every so slightly.
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