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Saucony Kinvara 15 Review

A more traditional take on an uptempo trainer for a good price
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Saucony Kinvara 15 Review
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Price:  $120 List
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Manufacturer:   Saucony
By Nathaniel Bailey ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 3, 2024
61
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#21 of 30
  • Landing Comfort - 30% 5.0
  • Responsiveness - 20% 7.0
  • Stability - 15% 4.0
  • Upper Comfort - 15% 6.5
  • Weight - 15% 9.4
  • Traction - 5.0% 4.0
Length Sizing
Runs Small
Runs Large
Width Sizing
Runs Narrow
Runs Wide

Our Verdict

The Saucony Kinvara 15 remains a traditionalist's workout shoe — it's moderate stack, plateless, lightweight, and has a very mild rocker. In many ways, it's very similar to the original Kinvara, which was a blend of minimalist running shoes and more protective offerings. This version still has a very natural ride that isn't heavily augmented by an aggressive geometry. It's still lightweight. It still feels low to the ground. In a running shoe market filled with exciting foams, wild geometries, and plates galore, the Kinvara 15 feels simple — and that's not a bad thing. It's a solid choice for shorter and faster workouts thanks to its low ride height and weight, and it can handle some longer threshold work on the roads. Compared to higher-stack shoes or those with more resilient foam, the Kinvara leaves our legs feeling more beat up once we push much past an hour of running. Still, we think this is a solid option for runners who want an affordable and simple speed trainer that could also be used as a 5K-10K racer.
REASONS TO BUY
Impressively lightweight
Good responsiveness
More comfortable upper than previous version
REASONS TO AVOID
Less comfort for longer efforts
Poor overall traction

Compare to Similar Products

 
saucony kinvara 15
This Product
Saucony Kinvara 15
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Men's Running Shoes
Top Pick Award
Excellent Performance without a Plate
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for Your Buck
 
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A “old-school” approach to faster running at a wallet-friendly priceA daily trainer that can handle most runs, the Novablast 4 is fun and extremely comfortableBouncy, responsive and well-cushioned, this shoe is performance-oriented but still versatileA daily trainer that blends comfort and versatility at a reasonable priceA great combination of responsiveness and plush comfort
Rating Categories Saucony Kinvara 15 Asics Novablast 4 New Balance FuelCel... Puma Velocity Nitro 3 Puma Deviate Nitro 2
Landing Comfort (30%)
5.0
8.3
8.5
8.0
7.0
Responsiveness (20%)
7.0
7.0
7.5
7.0
7.5
Stability (15%)
4.0
7.0
4.0
6.0
6.0
Upper Comfort (15%)
6.5
8.0
6.0
7.0
7.0
Weight (15%)
9.4
5.8
8.4
5.3
6.0
Traction (5.0%)
4.0
4.0
6.2
9.0
8.0
Specs Saucony Kinvara 15 Asics Novablast 4 New Balance FuelCel... Puma Velocity Nitro 3 Puma Deviate Nitro 2
Measured Weight 7.26 oz 9.76 oz 7.98 oz 10.07 oz 9.58 oz
Measured Heel Stack Height 29 mm 43 mm 30 mm 38 mm 36 mm
Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop 5 mm 7 mm 7 mm 11 mm 8 mm
Plate Type None None None None Carbon
Rocker Angle 21.5 deg 22.5 deg 19.5 deg 18.0 deg 19.5 deg
Rocker Apex Location 69.1% 66.5% 62.2% 66.7% 69.2%
Style Daily Trainer Daily Trainer Daily Trainer Daily Trainer Daily Trainer
Upper Engineered mesh Engineered woven/knit FantomFit Engineered knit Engineered mesh
Midsole PWRRUN FF Blast + Eco FuelCell NITROFOAM NITRO/NITRO Elite
Outsole Rubber AHAR Lo Rubber PumaGrip PumaGrip ATR
Heel Tab Type None Finger loop None None None
Sizes Available 7-15 US, regular 6 - 15 US, regular 7-16 US, regular & wide 7 - 14 US, regular 7 - 15 US, regular

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Kinvara 15 is a bit of a throwback to not that long ago when stack heights were much lower, foams were firmer, and shoes were a bit less exciting. Sure, it can't keep up with today's best speed trainers or super shoes, but for the price, it's still a solid option.

Performance Comparison


saucony kinvara 15 - the kinvara is refreshingly simple.
The Kinvara is refreshingly simple.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Landing Comfort


Saucony used PWRRUN foam in the Kinvara, which is a decent but completely unexciting foam. It's on the firmer side and provides a good ground feel. In a move that runs counter to most other recent model updates, Saucony actually slightly decreased the stack height from the last version. We measured 29 mm of foam at the feel, down from 30 mm last year.

saucony kinvara 15 - this shoe has one of the lower stack heights in the lineup.
This shoe has one of the lower stack heights in the lineup.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

We think that was a good choice. Higher stack heights tend to do better with a more rockered geometry to offset the increased stiffness. Last year's iteration felt a little out of sorts, as if it wasn't sure what type of shoe it wanted to be. With the Kinvara 15, the approach is very clear. This isn't a highly-cushioned shoe. It's a moderately flexible, moderately cushioned daily trainer. That does not mean we don't love this shoe for longer efforts. The PWRRUN foam isn't very resilient, meaning it doesn't provide much bounce or energy return. Over longer efforts, we notice that. Our legs get fatigued and feel pounded earlier than they do in other shoes. We don't recommend this as a long-run shoe.

saucony kinvara 15 - while we enjoy the shoe, its lack of resilience and cushioning...
While we enjoy the shoe, its lack of resilience and cushioning compared to our favorite trainers makes it a poor choice for longer efforts.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Responsiveness


We keep talking about how the Kinvara 15 is old-school, and we're going to say it again here. This is an old-school approach to responsiveness. Lower stack height, lower weight, and a firmer foam make this a solid option for faster running. No, it can't keep up with the best speed trainers or super shoes in our test, particularly over distances longer than 5K. But that low-to-the-ground feeling and firmer foam make it one of the better shoes in the lineup for short and fast workouts or for workouts on grass and uneven surfaces. Where the responsiveness of the shoe starts to lag behind is on longer efforts. We notice the lack of highly resilient foam and a plate during 30+ minute threshold sessions. We definitely notice it during longer chunks of marathon-pace running.

saucony kinvara 15 - this shoe is great for shorter, faster runs.
This shoe is great for shorter, faster runs.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Stability


This isn't a stable shoe. There isn't much support from either the upper or the geometry. The lower-stack height and firm foam make it feel nimble and confident on uneven surfaces, but we don't recommend this shoe to runners who need some support.

saucony kinvara 15 - we don't recommend this shoe to runners who prefer high-stability...
We don't recommend this shoe to runners who prefer high-stability options.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Upper Comfort


The upper in the Kinvara 15 gained some material and a lot of comfort. Last year's version was lightweight to the point of slight discomfort. This update brings softer mesh, slightly more padding around the heel collar, and a more comfortable sockliner. It's a simple yet well-executed upper.

saucony kinvara 15 - the upper is comfortable and no-frills.
The upper is comfortable and no-frills.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Weight


This is a very lightweight daily trainer, coming in at just 7.26 ounces per shoe (size 10.5) in our testing. That low weight is key to its fast feel. However, some of that is accomplished by having less foam than other shoes, which compromises its ability to handle longer runs. We're curious what this shoe would feel like with the same stack height and more resilient foam.

saucony kinvara 15 - we love how light the kinvara 15 is.
We love how light the Kinvara 15 is.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Traction


Traction is the weak point of the Kinvara 15. The exposed midsole in place of true rubber coverage makes the shoe prone to slipping when running fast on wet surfaces. The exposed midsole tread pattern does provide a bit of grip on looser surfaces, but it just doesn't feel as confident as we'd like.

saucony kinvara 15 - the exposed midsole is fine, but we would prefer some more tackiness.
The exposed midsole is fine, but we would prefer some more tackiness.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Should You Buy the Saucony Kinvara 15?


If you want a go-fast shoe for far less than most other options in our lineup, then check this shoe out. But you should be aware that it is far from the best option for longer distances. For slightly more money, you can get an equally responsive and light yet more versatile option. This is a shoe for runners who like a low-to-the-ground, firmer feel in their daily trainer.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?


The New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 is a great alternative. It pairs a more resilient foam and higher stack with an extremely lightweight upper to offer a more versatile shoe. It has a similar overall weight but can handle longer efforts more comfortably. Similarly, the Hoka Mach 6 is a great lightweight daily trainer with significantly improved overall versatility.

Nathaniel Bailey