The Saucony Ride 18 is a versatile, dependable daily trainer which can handle long runs, short tempo runs or medium-distance runs. The Saucony Kinvara 14 is a lightweight trainer designed for easy days that can also handle tempo runs. The Ride 18 is $20 more expensive but which of these running shoes is the right choice for you?
The Ride has a TPE foam midsole and a TPE insole, above the midsole. The Kinvara has an EVA midsole with a TPE insole.
The Kinvara has a padded and bouncy feel which is firm enough for fast runs but also cushioned enough for long runs. The Ride is medium-soft and has deeper cushioning than the Kinvara due to its thick midsole stack. The deep cushioning of the Ride means that it’s better suited to long, marathon distances than the Kinvara. The Kinvara feels better on short, tempo runs due to its thinner, Pwrrun midsole and its lower drop.
The Ride has a heel-to-toe offset of 8mm with the Kinvara having a 4mm offset so the Ride is more suited to heel strikers as it has that extra 4mm in the heel which results in more cushioning.
The outsole of the Ride has plenty of rubber. There is durable carbon rubber in the heel and softer blown rubber in the mid and forefoot. The outsole of the Kinvara is mostly Pwrrun midsole with strategically placed rubber only on the outer heel and toe ares. The Ride has a much more durable but firmer outsole than the Kinvara which should last many more kilometres. Both shoes grip the road very well but on wet surfaces the Ride has better traction due to the additional rubber on its outsole.
The extra padding and outsole rubber on the Ride results in a heavier weight compared to the Kinvara. The Kinvara feels light and agile compared to the more solid and clunkier feel of the Ride.
The Ride has an upper which consists of a plush, padded heel counter and tongue. The tongue is sleeved so there is no tongue slide and there no heel slippage either. It has a spacious forefoot and toe-box but runs warm due to all the padding. The Ride also comes in a wide 2E version.
The Kinvara has a thin tongue and lightly padded heel counter but its upper is not as puffy as the Ride and feels more stripped down in comparison. The Kinvara also comes in a regular and wide version and both shoes fit true to size.
If you’re a runner looking for a dependable, versatile daily trainer built to last, get the Ride. It has an accommodating and plush upper with lots of outsole rubber. The deep cushioning of the Ride means that it can handle full marathon distances with ease.
If you’re a runner looking for a less padded and less bouncy ride which is lighter than the Ride, get the Kinvara. The Kinvara is lower to the ground and has better ground feel than the Ride. The Kinvara is $20 cheaper than the Ride but is less durable and doesn’t have the deep cushioning that the Ride has.
