Run Oregon receives and tests running shoes from time to time. This post is the second of three about the Saucony Ride 7, which Matt has been testing. This post goes further into Matt’s first 150 miles with these shoes. Check out the initial post here.
Here is a reminder of the technical details:
Specifications:
Men’s weight: 9.4oz; Women’s weight: 8.5oz
Heel-to-toe offset: 8mm
Price: $119.95
Wear:
First and foremost, these shoes continue to hold up crazy well. As I have lamented before, I am a strong heel striker and my shoes tend to wear out from back to front. Even with my funky running form, the heel of the Ride 7’s is still going strong. Typically by this time, I find mild-to-significant wear in the heel in my running shoes. Not so with these ones. In fact, the entire shoe is holding up great. They even looked brand new up to about 2 weeks ago. That was when the dirt of the Fueled by Fine Wine Half overtook the sheen. I’m OK with that though.
Fit and Comfort:
In all honesty, these are some of the more comfortable running shoes I have worn. They cushion and hold tight in all the right spots. Even a quick and simple lace-up seems to yield a comfortable fit when running. Here are some of my initial impressions from my first post:
The shoes slid on with ease when I first slipped into them. Even before tying them, my feet felt comfortable snug and cushioned. Walking around outside a bit left me noticing the cushioning more than I anticipated…. The Ride 7’s do not feel nearly as “springy” on first wear… I will be interested to see how it feels while running and how it holds up over time.
I can report that the cushioning feels extremely normal and almost what I may consider spot-on. My initial thought of having more cushioning that anticipated has dissipated. Probably at least partially because I am used to them by now, but I really enjoy the way they make my feet feel. And by that I mean NOT feel. I have felt ZERO foot pain, aches, or really any new blistered areas. That’s about as solid as you can get.
Would I buy again?
This is a resounding yes. I must admit I was skeptical of Saucony at first. I realize this seems silly, as they are one of the biggest running shoe companies out there. But with big companies, comes a bazillion different types and styles of shoes and seemingly continually-changing features from one version to the next. Sometimes I feel that the bigger companies would just be better served NOT messing with a good thing.
In this case, I am glad that I gave the Ride 7’s a chance. While I was absent for versions 1-6, this most current incarnation is top-notch. I kept looking for flaws or cons to highlight, but I couldn’t really highlight any. I’m relatively easy to please, but I am not afraid to point out deficiencies if they exist. I just haven’t been able to find any yet. Until then, I will keep riding with my Ride 7’s!
My totals:
Races ran in these shoes:
Bald Peak Half
Freedom 5k
Fueled by Fine Wine Half
Total shoe miles in June = 100
Total shoe miles in July = 74 (at the time of posting)
