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Saucony

Kilkenny XC4

Shoe image placeholder
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road
Very good (86/100)

Shoe details

Release
2025

Ratings & Reviews

Very good (86/100)

Based on product-line history, external ratings, and 2 runner ratings.

Review a shoe.

Rating breakdown

Better Shoes Rating. Shading shows the expected rating range.
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Rankings combine runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, direct comparisons to other shoes, related product-line performance, and trusted external ratings.

The darker band shows the central rating range. The lighter band shows a wider range of reasonable outcomes. More reviews for this shoe usually narrow both bands.

Overall

Very good (86/100)

Overall rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Very good (86/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 74% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Value

Exceptional (97/100)

Value rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Exceptional (97/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 94% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Comfort

Excellent (93/100)

Comfort rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Excellent (93/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 89% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Appearance

Good (76/100)

Appearance rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Good (76/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 47% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Cushioning

Good (74/100)

Cushioning rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Good (74/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 41% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Durability

Average (61/100)

Durability rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Average (61/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 9% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Shoe image placeholder
Saucony Kilkenny XC7
ASICS SUPERBLAST 2
Kilkenny XC4
Kilkenny XC7
SUPERBLAST 2
Current shoe
Newest / Best value
Best overall / Best comfort / Best cushioning
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Racing
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
—
6 oz M
—
Stack
—
—
—
Drop
—
—
7mm
Release
2025 Newest
2018 Q3
2024 Q2
MSRP
—
$55 Lower MSRP
$200
Best price
—
—
$149.99
Ratings
Overall
Good (74%)
Good (75%)
Exceptional (>99%) Best overall
Comfort
Very good (89%)
Very good (86%)
Exceptional (99%) Best comfort
Cushioning
Average (41%)
Below average (32%)
Exceptional (99%) Best cushioning
Durability
Bottom tier (9%)
Bottom tier (17%)
Exceptional (99%) Best durability
Appearance
Average (47%)
Above average (62%)
Exceptional (98%) Best appearance
Value
Excellent (95%) Best value
Excellent (93%)
Very good (86%)
Specific shoe

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Reader Ratings

2 reader ratings

Review a shoe

Showing 1–2 of 2 written reviews

Good shoe!

SpringChicken · Sep 27, 2018

5/5

Overall

This spike has great bounce and energy return. I use it on the track because my geezer feet need more support than a mid-d spike. I injured my posterior tibialis tendon using this shoe without an orthotic; but now that I put a Powerstep in it things are back to good. That said, I had to get a size 9 shoe and I usually wear a 7.5 in street shoes. So these do run small. I just had to return the newest version Kilkenny XC7 because they are much smaller and narrower than XC4. Even getting a bigger size wouldn't solve the narrow issue...and the laces were too short! I wish I could still get the XC4's.
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Aug 28, 2014

4/5

Overall

I have been wearing Sauconys for about 20 years, and with a move to minimal footwear (and doing most of my running offroad) 4 years ago, found that these shoes are exactly what I want. (I also do a lot of my running without shoes.) Since they are racing flats and not marketed as "minimalist" shoes, I can buy them for about $50 (and occasionally much less) online. My wife and kids all wear them as sneakers.
Comfort
5/5
Durability
3/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5