More durable Kinvara alternative?

I used to alternate between kinvara and nike free 3.0, switched to frees full time now. same heel-toe drop, similar midsole softness, more durable upper, though the more flexible sole might take some getting used to.

puma faas 500 v4 is very similar, very durable and cheap.

Newton Aha

Pearl Izumi Road N1

Same problem. God I love the Kinvaras but they only last me 5-6 weeks before the uppers are falling apart. Guess I'm getting about 400 miles out of them and 300 is the number commonly thrown around (though I suspect this is just to get you to buy more shoes), but other shoes just seem to last longer.

I haven't tried the NB zante but they maybe worth a look.

I had the same problem, and it was made a little worse by the fact that I have wide feet. I ran in frees for a while, Puma Faas 250, DS trainers (hated them), but have settled on Skechers Go Runs. Remarkably durable outsoles and uppers, and the going rate is lower than Kinvaras. No frills fast shoe that can handle miles. I am going to try a pair of the 4's next. I have about 700 miles on my current pair, probably good for anther couple weeks.

Funny that I got 2000+ miles on my first pair of two that I bought on sale. Tossed first one after running a marathon even though they were still together. The next pair only got a few hundred until the uppers tore apart.

Now I run in Nike Free knockoffs from Payless that I get 2 for $50 and they work just fine.

Thanks to all for the suggestions, gonna check these out.

am i doing something wrong that ive been running in my kinvara 5s for over 2000 miles? all road running. they feel fine to me - should i toss them?

jess from crabtown wrote:

am i doing something wrong that ive been running in my kinvara 5s for over 2000 miles? all road running. they feel fine to me - should i toss them?

Weight? Pace?

Seriously, if they work for you, then just get a real job so you can buy a new pair of shoes every month or whatever...

Totally right. Came to this realization today. Well worth the extra money to run injury free.

jess from crabtown wrote:

am i doing something wrong that ive been running in my kinvara 5s for over 2000 miles? all road running. they feel fine to me - should i toss them?

Yes they start to poison you after 800 miles

jess from crabtown wrote:

am i doing something wrong that ive been running in my kinvara 5s for over 2000 miles? all road running. they feel fine to me - should i toss them?

My guess would be that you're counting your miles wrong. Seriousy...2000? I get about 200 before the outsole is wearing away and I'm running on blown rubber.

cooptastic wrote:

jess from crabtown wrote:

am i doing something wrong that ive been running in my kinvara 5s for over 2000 miles? all road running. they feel fine to me - should i toss them?

My guess would be that you're counting your miles wrong. Seriousy...2000? I get about 200 before the outsole is wearing away and I'm running on blown rubber.

Are you saying that your shoes are finished after two weeks? How the hell do you run?

jess from crabtown wrote:

am i doing something wrong that ive been running in my kinvara 5s for over 2000 miles? all road running. they feel fine to me - should i toss them?

There is only one reason to ever toss a pair of running shoes--the upper falls apart to the point where your feet start sliding out. As I have wide feet the tearing usually starts at ~500 miles but doesn't get really bad until 800-1000. At this point, however, you can really extend the life of the shoe with some duct tape. One strip can give you another 50 miles or so--reapply when necessary. Compare with the cost/mile of a new pair of shoes (roughly 10 cents per mile, assuming $100 for a pair that goes 1000 miles).

Throw them out any earlier and you might as well let Saucony reach into your pocket and take your wallet.

I've found that replacing my shoes every 200-250 miles kept my legs feeling dramatically less...arthritic I guess I'd call it? I love the Kinvaras. Usually get a new pair around the 1st of each month. Staying healthy is worth it to me.

Do you get the toe holes by the little toe or the big toe due to too much tension and sticking it upward? I coach, and an athlete I work with recently tore a hole in the Kinvara 5 upper his very first run due to sticking his big toe up so much.

Sick of toe holes wrote:

I've been running in Kinvaras for a few years, and I like em because I spend a lot less time injured than I did in other shoes. But the flimsiness of the uppers is a bit ridiculous. Any good alternatives?

SAUCONY CORTANA/thread