Is the Saucony kinvara the most overrated shoe??

i think it is the most underrated shoe. Those things are actually really good.

I think it has been rated with precise accuracy.

Yes for the last 3 weeks and for 3 more Saucony is currently running a promotion to stores selling the most Kinvaras, Mirage, Hurrricane, and Ride. The top prize for store with the largeest increase in sales over last year during the same time is 2 tickets to the 2012 Games. Since the Mirage and Kinvara are the only shoes included that are significantly different or "new" from last year stores are pushing them hardest. I agree with the OP I dont think there are too many people the Kinvara works for, and stores are trying to win a contest. The Mirage is a different story though!

I think they're overrated as well. It's pretty evident that the marketers over at Saucony are doing their jobs... I even bought into the whole scheme. Fact is, I bought Kinvaras and Nike Frees on the same day. I've worn the Kinvaras twice, the Nikes, at least 18 times. (I just made the purchase recently.) The Kinvaras do tend to squeak on some surfaces, and they seem a lot thicker and heavier than most "minimalistic" shoes.

Well, I like the Kinvara a lot, so I don't think it's overrated for me.

For fast stuff I prefer the Hyper Speed, but the Kinvaras are light enough that they still feel good to me for running fast. Haven't had the squeak or knee pains.

I had them for a couple weeks. Very soft midsole and really comfortable, but running in them gave me shin pains (after never any shin problems in my life). I have read that shin splints can be caused by shoes that are too soft and these certainly fit that description.

Launch and Kinvara are very different shoes in my opinion. I think the Kinvara is a more versatile shoe. Kind of a jack-of-all-trades. I find the launch to be a lot of shoe. Really only good on the very long runs. Too much shoe for shorter fast stuff.

You must have some jacked up knees. I'm 42 with 2 bad knees from playing baseball (most of the cartilage removed from both and early onset arthritis) and have no problems with the Kinvaras on long runs.

I have them and find them to be

way too spongy.

I bought a pair of kinvara this spring because I liked the low heel-to-toe drop. By the time I got my second pair, they started to give me bad shin splints. At the same time I wore MT101 in a 50 mile trace race and a 45 mile run with no problem at all. With kinvara, on the other hand, a 10-mile easy run and my shin hurt the next day. After I threw away my kinvara my shin splints also went away.

I love them, but the uppers are made from that flimsy material that cracks and rips before the sole wears out, my only criticism.

Shin splints are often caused less by "soft shoes" as over-pronation. The Kinvara is a very low stability shoe, even moreso than most neutral shoes. Just something to remember.

love them. and obviously this thread is going to a attract a majority of people who hate them. I know a bunch of my friends absolutely love them.

best shoe ever - right in between heavy and minimalist. first shoe i can use for daily runs, long runs and racing and have no problems at all for any of those uses.

i hope they don't much it up and come out with some twisted version kinvara 2 - stick with a winner

Any opinions on the Mirage? Has anyone here worn them? What are they like?

Dipstick the Kinvara 2 is already out. Do some research before you post! As for the Mirage a much better shoe IMHO. More stable than all racers at nearly the same weight. Great feel and feedback, and excellent upper that is far more tear resistant than the Kinvara. Honestly it's a same they released the Kinvara first and then the Mirage as it's "got lost" so to speak with all the Kinvara hype while being a better all around shoe.

You will not be happy with the Kinvara upper!

just somethign to remember, shin splints arent caused by overpronation, nor does overpornation even cause injuries. its landing with a heel strike that causes most injuries.

if your sitting down, try lifting your toes up towards your knee and then feel the muscles on the front of your leg and around the shin area. those muscles aren now contracted. now, if you run with a heel strike, then right before you land, your muscles are contracted and are still contracted upon landing, that way when the heel hits the ground it forcibly pulls and "de-contracts" (best term i can think to describe it) the muscles while they are still in that contracted stage. that causes small tears and basically is ripping the muscle from the bone. the pain from shin splints is caused from the muscles seperating from the bone. overpornation is just the bodies way of accomadating the shock that occurs when landing. if you stop pronation, you stop most shock absorption. everyone pronates, its just more or less for different people.

kinvara also isnt even a stability shoe in any sense of the term, might be slightly heavier than most minimalist shoes but its jsut like a nuetral shoe, just lighter (if not minimalist) and a significant heel to toe drop ratio.

The Kinvara is great for running on pavement. It's actually somewhat thick in terms of cushioning. I have two complains, both related to cold-weather running:

1) the upper is so thin that any day in the single-digits is unbearable, even with good socks on. My toes freeze.

2) the EVA foam they use for the midsole becomes very hard in cold temperatures (again, single digits and below).

As such, I have to mothball them for most of January up here in Minnesota. Other shoes, like the Nike Free 3.0, have more substantial uppers that are warmer, and have better EVA that does not change its stiffness as much when it gets cold.

But I will continue to buy kinvaras as long as they make them. They are super durable, despite what you might think based on the lack of rubber on the bottom and the thin upper.

The mirage is a very good shoe... the upper is much more durable than the kinvara and doesn't rip or tear. They hold up pretty well and are 9 oz (I think) which puts them at a good point between flats and normal trainers.

I replaced the Brooks Launch with the Kinvara as my everyday trainer. I love them and have already broken in a pair of Kinvara 2 to switch to when they are worn out. The upper is still in good shape, but I don't expect to get more than 500 miles from them. They have just the right amount of cushion for my midfoot running. FWIW, I wear the Grid Type A4 for track workouts and tempo runs.

For those of you who had problems, I would be happy to take any size 10s off of your hands.