“Wow, this shoe feels nice,” was my first thought when putting it on. Many shoe lines are cutting this “wow” factor in order to cut weight, which is something I personally resonate with.

But. If you’re in the category which says, “It’s an ounce or two-seriously, an ounce-hug me with soft, loving arms and wrap me up like a newborn in a swaddle blanket” then Hurricane won’t disappoint (ironically, I mean, given the name).

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 General Info

Hurricane ISO 4 follows the Hurricane ISO 3 from Saucony, and this year it comes with a full-length EVERUN(TM) midsole—it’s softer. The low “number” of the shoe rightly surprised me.

While never before running in them, I’ve been hearing about Hurricanes for years (I thought).

So I did a little background digging to find that Saucony first offered their Hurricane line back before Y2K was everyone’s biggest concern…right, so it was simply “Hurricane” for 17 versions and added the “ISO” tag in 2015.

This shoe is like the evil twin-or (literally) arch-nemesis–or, to say that positively–complementary other half of the Vongo v2.

Vongo v2 has a stable midsole that takes a unique approach to countering overpronation with its angled, cushioned-yet-firm midsole design, with arch support.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 – Medial Side

Hurricane ISO has a softer (wobbly) midsole with no internal arch support. Now flip that regarding the upper support, and we have Vongo with free movement (only v2; v1 was secure) while Hurricane locks my foot down..

In short, Hurricane ISO 4 has a secure upper; Vongo V2 has a stable sole unit. They each lack the other’s strength.

Hurricane is similar in weight and (high) price to ASICS’ flagship model Gel-Kayano, showing the latter up with its supreme cushion.

However, Kayano is a more stable shoe. Hurricane has an 8mm. drop as compared with Kayano’s 10—for men. The biggest difference here is going to be for women as Kayano has a 13mm drop.

HOKA Arahi and Brooks Transcend, as well as adidas UltraBoost ST and Supernova, are other competing shoes. Arahi is lighter; Hurricane, more snug.

Transcend’s design encourages toe-off; Hurricane feels softer underfoot with a more pliable upper. Hurricane’s cushion, light stability, and weight remind me of adidas Supernova, (not Supernova ST as this shoe is almost an ounce heavier and is more stable), technically a “neutral” shoe.

Which reminds me, Hurricane does not seem like a “stability” shoe to me. The cushion is too soft and doesn’t offer any “push back” against my foot motion.

What’s interesting is that I found the following quote in a 2015 review of Hurricane 17/ISO 1: “The Saucony Hurricane 17 is something of a confusing shoe to me.

At first glance, you may suspect that it is an incredibly supportive shoe; it is not.” https://www.runningshoesguru.com/2015/03/saucony-hurricane-review/. We had different reasoning behind it, but I second this statement, three years later.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 Sole Unit

By replacing the shoe’s PWRGRID+ midsole and EVERUN insert at the heel, with a full-length EVERUN midsole, the intent was to increase the shoe’s cushioning and flexibility without sacrificing support. It’s softer, but support? I’m not feelin’ it.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 – Heel

The shoe maintains a medial post in the midfoot area only. I don’t notice a benefit of this, so if you do, please let me know in the comments.

Typically I need the firmer midsole to continue into the ball of the foot, to feel a counter to my foot’s pronation.

Coupled with the low internal arch, this midsole does not stabilize my foot. But, if you’re looking for a smooth ride with bouncy cushion—Hurricane will blow you away. (See what I did there? 😉 )

Okay, so funny story… I noticed on one of the first wearings that the sole of the shoe was pretty slippery just walking on smooth tile; I knew that it would not be a good shoe for traction.

So then I wore this shoe on the ice and snow, being very careful on the parts that I knew were extra slippery, but still went down hard about a mile in.

The new flex grooves do increase the shoe’s flexibility, but they do not supply traction; just be aware of this. The shoe maintains its 8mm. drop height.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 Upper Info

The ISOFIT upper is what really shines for me, with this shoe. A complaint of the last version was that the unique ISOFIT eyelets only covered the upper half of the lacing system. https://www.runningshoesguru.com/2017/08/saucony-hurricane-iso-3-review/

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 – Lace

Well now there are three lacing sections to snug-up the fit, and together with a wide, anchored tongue, the upper is the most secure aspect of the shoe.

The stretchable mesh is similar to last year: breathable in the toebox yet warm in the heel. The plush and soft wrap-around has its negatives. The plastic external heel counter is average at controlling foot motion and likely contributes to trapping in the heat.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 Conclusions

Hurricane ISO 4 is a well-cushioned, (very) light-stability, mid-weight shoe that will work best for low arches. The price is pretty steep unless this shoe meets exactly what you’re looking for.

If the shoe fits, wear it for long slow distance and recovery runs. As for me, it’s a bit heavy and will be my new shoe for HIIT garage workouts as the secure upper is perfect for side-to-side motion, and the plush cushion absorbs the impact from jumps well.

How does Hurricane ISO fit into your rotation? Have you been with this shoe for many years, or is this your first look? Let us know in the comments.

We purchased a pair of Saucony Hurricane ISO 4 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.