I’ve been a runner for nearly a year now and I’ve tried an array of shoes- especially since after being fitted last year, my fickle limbs couldn’t decide what kind of shoe would do them justice- I ended up trying a lot of shoes (God bless you Fleet Feet!)
I got to test out the fabulous Saucony Virratas last month (plus a review of Men’s Saucony Virratas) and it’s going to be tough to top one of my favorite new shoes. The Virratta is lightweight and different from any shoe I’ve tried- it’s a minimalist, lightweight shoe and worked really well with my normal pronation/sometimes toe/sometimes mid-striking foot.
I got these highlighter yellow Saucony Kinvara 4s to run in (seen above with my Swiftwick compression socks) and after doing two runs in them, I have some feedback.
Saucony Kinvara 4 Shoe Specs:
– Weight: 7.7 oz (AKA super lightweight)
– Colors: multiple, 5 unique colorways for both the men’s and women’s models
– Drop: 4mm
– Uses: Road Racing, Triathlon, Lightweight Road Trainer
– MSRP: ~$100
– Release Date: May 1, 2013
The Saucony Kinvara 4s are designed to aid in speedwork. The tops of the shoes now have a vertical flexifit reinforcement that will ensure breathability while maintaining stability on the top of the shoe. Additionally, around the shoe, adjustments have been made from the previous model to create a better fit around the shoe, and the tread itself has been adjusted with those cute little triangles to not only aid in cushioning but create a “piston effect” for speed. Personally, I just like how much traction the shoes had on the rainy day I tested them out- but being “piston fast” is great too.
Here’s what I loved about these shoes- the grip, the color and the visibility. Not only are the shoes comfortable, but they keep you safe if you’re running in the wee morning hours or into the evening. Great thing is, even if you buy the shoes in a non-highlighter color (they come in other great shades that are totally drool worthy) the shoes are highly reflective and really help you stay safe with reflective heels for all our roadrunners out there!
Here’s where I wasn’t so happy about these shoes- My joints are fickle. I fell in love with a previous fit, a pair of Gel Asics a few months back- problem was, they didn’t fall in love with me. After running in these shoes twice, I wasn’t sure if the decoupled and beveled heel was causing odd pronation or simply using new muscles I didn’t get on the last pair, but my ankles were a bit sore each time after running just a mile. I’m still at the stage where I’m learning the difference between “getting stronger” pain and “back it off” pain. These shoes, like most lightweight shoes, are intended to help you work new muscles and increase speed- I’m not sure if they’ll work well for my body. The jury is still out on these shoes, but aesthetically, I love the darn things.
Disclaimer: Saucony sent me the Kinvara 4 shoes as part of the Fitfluential Ambassador Program, but this review/opinions herein is all me baby!
