Best For

Are we looking at a lean and nimble neutral road running shoe winner of 2022? Yes, yes we are DGR! What do we always say in the Shoedio, ‘you are in charge of the shoe, the shoe is not in charge of you.’ That is the case with the Saucony Kinvara 13. The midsole ride is not going to push your personal biomechanics around, not at all. It’s a lean (not really mean) uptempo mileage machine. Just make sure your ankles and feet are up for the task of pep under step. A cross over shoe (tweener) that can go fast but also log some daily trainer miles as well.

Upper

Zooming into that simple upper, you’ll find a streamlined single-layer mesh that has no frills about it. Thin mesh with no extra overlays makes this upper an easy to love lockdown feel. The tongue works well with the eyelet chain and the laces that weave through it. The heel counter is flexible, but not to the detriment of the heel pocket lockdown. If your foot’s anatomy leans in the direction of higher volume, you will probably need to go a half size up as the inside space of the shoe felt snug true to size. Lastly, it’s breathable, perfect for hot summer days. 

Midsole

Below that simple upper is the responsive PWRRUN midsole foam that acts like a tempo day shoe but can easily knock out daily miles on the roads around the world. I’d lean toward 3-8 mile runs for the Saucony Kinvara 13, maybe up to the 10 mile distance if you did not have another option in your running shoe rotation. The short of it: this shoe is peppy under step, lightweight, and offers just enough midsole foam for simple comfort and protection from the miles we put into our legs.

Outsole

Lastly, Saucony shoe designers decided to *bottom* all of this off with an exposed midsole foam on the outsole, paired with a very durable XT-900 rubber in strategic high-wear areas: the lateral heel and medial forefoot. We believe this outsole design will spread across the running shoe landscape moving forward as it saves weight on shoes and reduces overall material usage. Great work Saucony running shoe designers in streamlining this outsole pattern; no signs of wear and tear in the 50-miles of testing. 

Global Running Shoe Experience

Henry from Texas has put 235 miles in his Saucony Kinvara 13s with 95% of the miles on city roads and sidewalks. The other 5% on hard packed trails in the local park.

Would I Buy This Shoe Again?

No doubt about it, I’d buy the Saucony Kinvara 13 again in a heartbeat; I could not speak so confidently about the Kinvara 11 from 2020, but the tables have turned! As mentioned above, this shoe is absolutely a tweener shoe and won’t even break the bank account at the $119 price point (right now). Pick up the shoe today using the links below, and cross those fingers your size is still available. I’m a little giddy to see what Saucony pulls out of the hat for the Kinvara 14.