The Saucony Ride 7 features a new redesign, most noticeably, the removal of the midfoot shank for more flexibility and lesser weight. It also has an 8mm offset, and a redesigned outsole for a more responsive feel.
My Initial Impressions
Looking at the shoes right out of the box, the Ride 7 looked a little bulky and I was worried that that they would weigh a little heavier than usual. But I was pleasantly surprised that it weighed in at only 266 grams.
My review pair came in shades of silver, black and lime, which was moderately attractive to me. I would imagine the blue, black and citron colour scheme to be more suited to my tastes. But enough about how the shoes look like; time to bring them out for a run!
Let’s Go for a Run!
On my first go, I realised that the forefoot of the Ride 7 was extremely stiff. This could be from Saucony’s decision to extend the PowerGrid foam across the full length of the shoe. But after running in them for a couple of sessions, the stiffness lessened, and I could really start to see why they decided to insert the PowerGrid foam from heel to toe. Once the ‘break-in’ period was over, I started to have very smooth runs over long distances on my 4th run onwards.
The mesh deserves a mention as well. It is very lightweight, and even though there is more cushioning in the Ride 7 compared to other shoes, the shoe still remains breathable. No issues with any ‘rubbing’ or blisters either.
Looking Forward to Long Runs at the Beach
The ankle support in the Ride 7 was a little lacklustre for me. This could be my own idiosyncrasies in my personal method of running, but in the Ride 7, I tended to roll my ankles much more than usual.
Because of this, I avoided wearing the Ride 7 on the trails, but on track and road, the Ride 7 performed admirably, giving me good comfort over longer distances. In fact, I started to look forward to my long runs at East Coast Park even more!
Initial Stiffness Gives Way to a Smooth Ride
Saucony have managed to provide a good neutral trainer that provides ample cushioning to your feet. After breaking in the shoes, the initial stiffness gives way to a smooth ride that keeps your feet comfortable and breathable even on long distances. The lightweight and breathable nature of the shoe also prevents it from feeling like I’m being dragged down after an hour of running too!
Runner’s Boon
- Provides cushioning and smooth comfort especially for long distances.
- Breathable mesh and lightweight, making it an ideal shoe in humid weather.
Runner’s Bane
- Very stiff in the beginning, needs some ‘breaking-in’ to reap the full benefits of the shoe.
- Better ankle support would be even better on this shoe.
