Saucony Freedom ISO

Name: Saucony Freedom ISO
Brand: Saucony
Rating: 4.6 (53 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.1 oz · 4mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Saucony Freedom ISO 2 replaced it

How it ranks

The Saucony Freedom ISO is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Durability and looks are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 53 runner reviews and 1 other rated shoe in the Freedom ISO product line.

Good

Overall

Good 86

Durability

Excellent 95

Appearance

Very good 92

Comfort

Good 85

Cushioning

Good 82

Value

Bottom-tier 59

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

99 Very high

Very high 99

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

Our ratings
Brand rating
External ratings

What runners say

“EVERUN technology is very efficient. It's rigid but also bouncy and feels good from mile 1 to mile 600+”

4/5 Full review 31 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Guide 9

“Nice combination of some comfort without being so cushioned that they don't feel like they can run fast”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Over 450 miles and you would have to look very closely to even be able to tell where it is worn”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Rare combination of responsiveness while still being cushioned”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Newton Kismet II

“Comfortable fit while feeling light and springy even as they approached that 500+ mile mark”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 9

“Close to 800km on them and the bottoms barely show any sign of wear”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 9

“Excellent blend of cushioning plus speed”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 3

“Sizing feels about 1/4 size too small while the heel feels too loose”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 3

“Soft ride but doesn't make you feel slow like soft shoes tend to”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33

“Put over a thousand miles in them and they are still going well”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

“Firm sole, yet there is enough cushion to avoid joint pain from repetitive striking”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

“Ride got noticeably more firm and less cushioned after 150 miles”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon

“Almost no structure in the heel and it felt unstable when cornering on faster paced runs”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon

“Good for about 500 kms. After that they feel dull and lifeless”

4/5 Full review 28 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Free Motion

“Tread did well when it came to not slipping, but wore very quickly (only 150 miles)”

3/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Ride 10

“Upper wasn't very durable so I tore holes in the sides and toe box much earlier than in other shoes”

4/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Ride 9

“Taking tight turns can be a pain, as the upper seems a bit sloppy during lateral movements”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 4

“Tongue doesn't have much cushion, and I have had it rub my skin a little raw”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Toe cap is starting to break which is sad considering that wear on the soles and rest of shoe are non existent”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

“TPU foam can be lumpy underfoot initially”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 3

“The 4mm drop is perfect for those who don't want a totally minimal (zero) shoe”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 1

“Removing the insole and running directly on the TPU midsole”

5/5 Full review 65 mpw training for a half marathon

“Does press a little the toes but more like a sock would”

4/5 Full review 85 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Low drop running shoes with neutral cushioning”

4/5 Full review 90 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

Prefer this shoe over another

53% 28/53

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Reviewers report outsoles holding up past 500 miles with little wear.
Reviewers use it for easy runs, tempo work and marathons.
Many describe cushioning that stays springy while keeping road feel.

Cons

It lists at $160, fourteen reviewers call it expensive, and value is the lowest-rated dimension at 3.9 out of 5.
Uppers often tear or look ragged before the sole wears.
Eleven of forty-two reviewers with a fit answer say it runs small, and seven find the upper loose enough to feel unstable cornering.

Freedom ISO rates 86. This shoe has very high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Saucony Freedom ISO

Each dot is one version of the Freedom ISO, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

86 2017 82 2018

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

Freedom ISO 2

2018 · 18 reviews

82 Good

94 Confidence
Freedom ISO This shoe

2017 · 53 reviews

86 Good

99 Confidence

Runner Ratings

53 ratings

5/5 31

4/5 21

3/5 1

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9.1 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 9.1 oz · Women's 9.0 oz
Release: 2017 Q2
MSRP: $160
Drop: 4mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Great shoe, at a price.

4/5

Overall

As someone who loved the Brooks Pureflow series and the Nike Pegasus 30 - 32, these were right up my alley. The top hugs your foot like a glove; and the sole provides adequate cushioning. I have about 250 miles in them currently running mainly on dirt and gravel, and there is little to no sign of wear on the treads. Definitely more durable than early Pegasus models on the bottom. However, there is visible wear on the top. The top will most likely break before the tread starts to show wear, which is why I think $160 is a bit high.

Anonymous runner · Sep 30, 2018

35 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 3

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

worth the coin

5/5

Overall

It took me 15 months to buy this shoe after it initially hit stores. I thought there is no way I am paying $160 for some trainers. When I finally bought a pair, my only regret was that I wished I had bought them sooner. They have been my favorite running shoe I have ever worn. Really good combination of cushion and responsiveness. The upper is breathable and locks my foot down well. I ran my first full marathon in these and they did great. I put over 450 miles on this first pair and then bought another. Really great shoe.

chberry · Jul 23, 2018

40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 5/5

4/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Jul 21, 2018

45 mpw training for middle distance

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 3/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 4/5

Saucony Freedom Iso...best shoe on the market?

4/5

Overall

The Freedom Iso is a great shoe. A full everun midsole really separates this shoe from anything else. With everun being denser than boost, it provides a slightly firmer, yet cushioned feeling underfoot. The upper on this shoe hugs the foot really well, especially in the midfoot (where the iso lacing system is.) Taking tight turns with this shoe can be a pain though, as the upper seems to be a bit sloppy during and lateral movements. The ride of this shoe is pretty sweet. It has a soft ride, with plenty underfoot. For when you want to pick up the pace, you start to feel the benefit of the everun cushioning underfoot. I've used this shoe for everything, from daily training, intervals, tempos, to long runs. I really think this is a shoe that can do it all.

Anonymous runner · Jul 20, 2018

50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 4

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 3/5

Great performance trainer

4/5

Overall

Great performance trainer. Feels much lighter than the advertised weight due to the Everun midsole. The midsole feels like it is providing more energy return than a standard EVA midsole. The shoe has a very soft ride but doesn't make you feel slow like soft shoes tend to. I was hesitant to use this for speed because it is very flexible and soft but it felt great running sub 5 minute miles. The isofit is great. It allows you lock your foot down in the shoe without tying the laces too tight. I usually have pain from laces pressing into my foot because I have a high instep. This was not the case in this shoe. The prices is fairly steep considering you can get the kinvara which has a fairly similar feel for a lot cheaper. The freedoms are guaranteed to last much longer however.

Anonymous runner · Jul 13, 2018

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33