M
M. Hossain
November 19, 2011
A true running shoe from the late 80's!!!
I have been searching for a pair of comfortable, casual, retro looking sneakers ever since I can remember. I have bought many pairs over the years; looking for something that was comfortable, stylish and lightweight. The former always gave me some form of pain, and I would go back to using unattractive looking running shoes. After finding out about the running heritage of Saucony; I gave the Shadow 5000 a shot since it looked great to me online.From the minute I put the Shadow 5000s on, I fell in love with them. The toebox is airy, wide and allows your feet to breathe. The sides of the upper are made from synthetic suede and soft fabric, that keep your feet comfy and dry when you are walking through wet grass. I feel this is the perfect combo for breathability and protection from the elements. The lacing is very extensive which provides a tight fit without suffocating your feet.While they are definitely not on the level of comfort offered by my other pairs of ASICS running shoes; they definitely offer superior comfort when compared to the ubiquitous low cut Converse/Puma sneakers.Two of the best qualities of the Shadow 5000 are that they are lightweight, and the outsole offers durable traction. They are so lightweight, they make me want to go out and run. All in all, a great shoe that meets form with function.
✔ Verified Purchase
Amazing. Favorite shoes
I've been running xc and track for 9 years, including some in college and triathlons, and I have to say these are by far my favorite shoes. Fist of all, aesthetically, they look pretty cool. I used to judge people that wore running shoes with jeans but I find myself wanting to. Partly its because of the next point tho.1. Comfort: fits perfectly, like a sock. I have had knee problems and these help and help me feel balanced.2. Form: I feel my running posture improve while wearing these shoes. I also naturally feel led to strike corretly away from my heel.3.Performance: A++ This is the biggest asset. It feels like I am wearing track spikes whenever I run with these. Great traction, and amazingly light. Instead of training with asics and racing in flats, I just use these for both.Summary: a friend of mine told me if I got these, I would fall in love with running again. I took him up on it and I am actually in love for the first time with running. I would recommend the Kinvara's to anyone at ANY running level. Just get em. Seriously. :)
✔ Verified Purchase
Good Shoe
These puppies are lightweight and are minimal but coushiony at the same time.. saucony's are always comfortable..the kinvara have wide bottom soles in the front.. the arch is kinda medium high..and the middle of the shoe can feel narrow so i wouldnt recommend to flat footers but they do work for us.. im a heavy planter ive learned that these shoes can only help me when i race (limited use)..in training i need more coushion and space these dont come in 2e... also make sure and buy one size bigger they run small!!! overall good shoes.. ive ran many races in these shoes no foot problems at all!!!
✔ Verified Purchase
minimalist shoe ... maximum joy
The Kinvara is my second minimalist shoe after the Nike Free 3.0 or 3rd if counting the original Nike Free 5.0. After a couple of runs to get the feel I was confident enough to use them on the half-marathon leg of the Singapore 70.3. 21.5kms on concrete at a temperature near 35ºC and 95% humidity is a severe test for any shoe (not to mention the poor runner). The Kinvara was excellent. A close feel for the ground with enough cushioning to be comfortable. The mesh upper provided plenty of ventilation while the "skeleton" interior kept my feet firmly in place. Oh, that the rest of my body were in the same good shape come the finish!The overall fit is good enough that I'm planning to use them without socks and for triathlons. This revealed perhaps the only shortcoming of the shoe: very narrow lace loops made for a tough time installing elastic laces. With some persistence, it worked out. Minimal hard rubber on the sole keeps the weight down but means durability might be an issue. I haven't run mine out yet and such a reasonable price for a top-brand shoe, I can live with that. Overall, 8.5/10.
✔ Verified Purchase
great road shoe
Like a lot of shoe companies these days, Saucony is focusing on developing a conservative, flat running shoe. I don't completely agree that less is always more, but this shoe is surprisingly cushy and supportive for so little weight. I really feel like I am flying in these butter-ducks. I've run a marathon and logged quite a few half-marathon length or longer runs in my current pair. I don't expect them to last nearly as long as my Glycerins or any of my flat trail shoes. But for the $60 that I spent on them, I am very surprised at how long they have lasted. The sole of the shoe is very lite, having little actual tread, and lots of exposed foam. It resembles a race flat more than a typical trainer, but you can really train in these.The only caveat that I would have for a potential buyer of this shoe: you better have good form! If you don't know what I am talking about, and have never run in a lite training/race flat for long distances, this shoe may not be for you. You may cause yourself injury if you go from a heavy, cushy, supportive trainer straight to this shoe.Overall, my favorite road shoe of the past few years!
✔ Verified Purchase
S
Stephen S
August 22, 2024
Never delivered
These shoes looked like solid options for me - found them on a great discount, unfortunately they went out for delivery with an amazon delivery driver and never actually got delivered. Amazon assured me they'd be delivered in the next few days. Chatted with amazon and was told that I had to wait until they were "marked as delivered" before I could get a replacement - the whole point was that they weren't delivered at all. So one star because of zero shoes.
✔ Verified Purchase
