2019 holds some surprises for us, and the Saucony Kinvara 10 is one of the most awaited by neutral runners. The Kinvara is riding the trend of merging two midsole technologies into a single one in their one-decade edition.

The shoe is announced to weight 7.5oz with a 4mm drop (23mm heel-19mm forefoot), which so far makes it a splendid candidate for 5K, 10K, and track races or practices.

What’s coming?

Upper construction

Starting from the top of the shoe, things look like they’ll remain like they were this year — we’re getting an upper made of Flexfilm engineered mesh. Our feet will move as freely as they always have in the Kinvara, and with 3D printed overlays, the feel is seamless. The quality of the material makes it require fewer layers, thus bringing the weight down.

Inside

Inside the shoe, things stay the same except for two new heel support pads. These cushions lie at the sides of feet slightly below the ankle, giving us a locked-down performance with no slipping. You can expect the new Formfit footbed to provide one last slight layer of cushioning. The for-some-controversial Pro-Lock system is not present in this edition.

Midsole

The same combination that we loved in the Kinvara 9 is coming back in 2019: an EVA + midsole and the EVERUN topsole. The latter takes care of responsiveness and cushioning, giving us that slight impulse as each stride reaches the toes. EVA midsole is our most flexible agent in this shoe, providing the natural range of motion to prevent arch stress.

Outsole

The outsole on the Saucony Kinvara 10 running shoe has two main features. We’re getting two friction pads and guidance system in the middle of the outsole. The friction pads are located on the external side of the heel and one on the internal side of the toe-box. These are high-friction areas; the extra rubber helps them last as long as low-friction areas.

The guidance system is “carved” on the outsole. It starts at the heel and splits around the midfoot to the toes. It helps in keeping the shoe straight upon landing, flex, and toe-off.

Summary of key features

• FLEXFILM: Breathable, lightweight and resistant upper material. By requiring fewer layers, the shoe becomes even lighter.
• EVERUN topsole: Responsive part of the midsole. Smoothens landing by absorbing impact and powers takeoffs with the same energy.
• EVA + midsole: Highly-flexible, lightweight midsole. Helps absorb some impact as well and keeps a proper shoe shape during each gait to prevent arch stress.
• Internal heel support: Two pads, one on each side of the heel, hold feet supported against the heel counter. The locked-down fit prevents internal slipping.

We already preordered our pair and will begin testing soon. Stay tuned for a full review of the Saucony Kinvara 10!