Do women complain more than men? That depends upon who the women are, of course, but when it comes to making purchases, social research indicates that women tend to be more vocal about the quality of products they buy, perhaps because they shop more than men. We know what you're thinking: this is a generality and maybe even a stereotype, but while researching the recent introduction of both the men's and women's Saucony Ride 8 running shoe, we discovered that women were more critical, verbose and opinionated about the women's version than the guys, so you can draw your own conclusions as you evaluate the opinions of the testosterone crowd!

Features

Guys seeking a reliable training shoe that's responsive and offers moderate cushioning will be happy with their choice if they buy a pair of Saucony Ride 8 running shoes. Saucony has invested time and money improving this shoe's support, so it offers better pronation control advantages, just in case your ankle tends to roll when you least want it to do so.

The Ride 8 men's running shoe—like the female version—is designed with a slight tilt forward thanks to the pairing of more heel thickness and slightly less forefoot thickness, but the biggest change of all is Saucony's constant crusade to reduce this shoe's weight. They are undertaking this challenge by using both new raw materials and compression techniques that result in the brand's FlexFilm upper. The arch is fairly high and you receive no waterproof or water-resistant assurances, but for cushioned road training experiences, you'll fast discover why this shoe style has been around for so long.

Benefits

Ask Saucony engineers and designers about the secret to their success and they will attribute it to their near-obsessive interest in biomechanics. They study runners' feet from every angle and use space age technology during the design phase to nuance improvements. How does this benefit you? By removing your concerns about comfort, you can focus on your performance.

To that end, the most outstanding benefits you receive wearing the Ride 8 are enhanced comfort and fit over the Ride 7 that was not beloved by men who bought this iteration of the Ride. If you never met a long distance you couldn't conquer, and you're a big critic of running shoes that promise a lot but don't deliver over the long haul, the Ride 8 should please you. But be forewarned! Since this version is new to the market, compliments and whines may yet bubble up!

Runner's Boon

• The earliest Ride 8 shoes scored a perfect 10 on fit. No sliding or slipping and I attribute this to the new signature FlexFit upper.
• As a comfort freak, I'm quick to note that small details mean a lot. In the case of the Ride 8, often-neglected tongue and heel collar engineering wasn't ignored, thus padding and complimentary durability exist side-by-side like a couple of diplomats on a successful peace mission.
• The Ride 8 makes a great choice for guys who are prone to impact injuries – and those who fear them most – because the 8 is super responsive when absorbing impact and transitions nicely through every foot strike.

Runner's Bane

• Alas, if you have the proverbial need for speed, this shoe might not deliver because it's made for a slower pace, but the Ride 8 can be a great shoe for other activities in your footwear wardrobe.
• Have you experienced toe box issues in the past? You might run into this issue again; the Ride 8 tends to run narrow. Solve the problem by opting for a larger size.
• Ironically, the flex film that's the star feature of the men's Saucony Ride 8—offering a lighter running experience—may start peeling off after running only a few dozen kilometres before the film begins to slightly crack up. Also, the 8's laces don’t hold up too well, either. However this might just be a one-off product defect which cannot be assumed for the rest of the Ride 8s on the market.

Conclusion

Having weighed some complaints from women about sizing issues related to the Saucony Ride 8, it was refreshing to learn that the men's counterpart fares better. That stated, one of the goals of this shoe—to be as light as a feather—has still not been fully achieved and it's easy to find running shoes already on the market that are much lighter; but with the addition of exceptional features and technology to this iteration of the Ride series, this shortcoming can be easily overlooked.

But if you don't give a whit about weight, you're of the opinion that the few problems you encountered with the Ride 7 have been sorted—and if your need for speed isn't paramount—you and your guy pals alike could fall in love with the Ride 8. That said, do you believe that when it comes to running shoes, women tend to be more discriminating and critical than men? We'd love to read your answer!