To anyone who has already ran in the Saucony Kinvara 4s:
1.) Is the sizing the same as the Kinvara 3s?
2.) Did they fix the issue in regard to people's achilles getting chewed up? (The K3s caused my achilles to bleed after 4 miles. No fun.)
3.) Do you like them? Are they worth it?
I am considering ordering a pair, so any input/feedback would be helpful. Thanks, all.
The sizing for the K4 is pretty much the same, but the upper has been pulled in just a bit, so it feels a little closer to the foot, not as baggy. I think those heat welded overlays tend to make the upper buckle and ripple and feel a little baggy. Since they've reduced the amount of the Flexfilm, it seems to fit cleaner. The length is pretty much the same that I can tell thus far.
I never had an issue with the heel chewing my Achilles, though I know a few who did. So far, I haven't heard any similar complaints about the K4.
The Kinvara are an awesome shoe. The only real weak spot has been the upper, which seems to be improved this time around. The new drop in they've added to the heel is so far unnoticeable, so I wonder what the real value was in adding it. I was told it was to make the transition smoother, but I'm not so sure that it makes any difference at all.
All told, they're one of the best trainers you can buy, no doubt.
The sizing for the K4 is pretty much the same, but the upper has been pulled in just a bit, so it feels a little closer to the foot, not as baggy. I think those heat welded overlays tend to make the upper buckle and ripple and feel a little baggy. Since they've reduced the amount of the Flexfilm, it seems to fit cleaner. The length is pretty much the same that I can tell thus far.
I never had an issue with the heel chewing my Achilles, though I know a few who did. So far, I haven't heard any similar complaints about the K4.
The Kinvara are an awesome shoe. The only real weak spot has been the upper, which seems to be improved this time around. The new drop in they've added to the heel is so far unnoticeable, so I wonder what the real value was in adding it. I was told it was to make the transition smoother, but I'm not so sure that it makes any difference at all.
All told, they're one of the best trainers you can buy, no doubt.
Serious quention.
Isn't the Kinvara a transitional shoe, from heel strike to mid foot strike?
If so, should 1 pair not be enough for all of eternity? You transition, and go to racing flats to get the real running goodness. Isn't the Kinvara needlessly squishy, bulky and tall for a seasoned mid foot runner? I advise it to everyone to transition, really, but after the Kinvara it's time to get serious, in a more fun way. Lighter, faster, funner shoes await you.
Thanks for the responses so far. (Bump)
Skater wrote:
Serious quention.
Isn't the Kinvara a transitional shoe, from heel strike to mid foot strike?
If so, should 1 pair not be enough for all of eternity? You transition, and go to racing flats to get the real running goodness.
Dude, most racing flats have more heel drop than the Kinvara. Example would be Nikes Streak, Lunaracer or Adidas Marathon offerings with 10mm.
Is the 4 as firm as the 1?
They should have left the drop in the heel alone! a 4mm offset is fine, an add't drop will just overload the lower extremities. They had a good shoe in the k2, screwed the k3 up so let's see what the k4 brings??
Almost any running shoe can be a transitional shoe for some runners. It depends on where yo are and where you want to go. News flash: Not every runner has the goal to run in zero drop shoes in mexican jungles.
If you love the way a certain shoe works for you and you are not injured, that means you have a piece of equipment that is meeting your needs. SUre their is always something else out there that could work better, but without professional advice you run the risk of ending up at the end of an ugly road.
If you want advice, you can take a few minutes and complete the "Custom Fit Process" form at
http://www.kindrunner.com/custom-fit
The best thing about this is that it is free for the first six months and an appointment will be scheduled for you with an expert at a time that works best for you.
It works!