Saucony Kinvara 9

Name: Saucony Kinvara 9
Brand: Saucony
Rating: 4.6 (55 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 7.2 oz · 23/19mm stack · 4mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Saucony Kinvara 10 replaced it

How it ranks

The Saucony Kinvara 9 ranks among the stronger daily trainers in our data. Value and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. Durability scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 55 runner reviews and 14 other rated shoes in the Kinvara product line.

Good

Overall

Good 80

Value

Exceptional 98

Comfort

Very good 92

Appearance

Good 86

Cushioning

Decent 74

Durability

Below average 64

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.

Product line track record
Our ratings
External ratings

What runners say

“Super light and responsive and bouncy, with excellent cushioning.”

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

“Breaks down faster than other trainers; needs replacement within 2 months at 50-60 mpw.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 19

“No hole in toe mesh at retirement; previous models had this problem in 1/3 of cases.”

4/5 Full review 28 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5

“Great freedom of movement like a minimalistic shoe, but without losing cushioning.”

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

“Has less cushioning than K8; causes foot and joint pain in training.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Only 300 miles before the shoe is crushed.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 1500 v2

“Lightweight feel; helped resolve shin injuries over time.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Brooks Ghost 10

“Don't last long; expect 250-300 miles.”

4/5 Full review 65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3

“Rips on inside cloth after 2-3 months, irritating feet.”

3/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 5

“Wear out quickly; little life after 300-400 miles.”

4/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

“Versatile workhorse handling high mileage, speed work, and long distance.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Pure Flow 4

“Got over 1000 miles on these shoes.”

5/5 Full review 42 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Clayton 2

“Light, springy and breathable compared to heavier shoes.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 20

“Light, cushioned without being spongy; fits high-arched feet well.”

4/5 Full review 28 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5

“More springy than before with a roomier toe box.”

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

“Outlasts K8 model; still usable at 350 miles vs. K8's 200-250.”

5/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon

“Run tight; go half size up.”

3/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 5

“Spot on the laces gives blisters.”

2/5 Full review 110 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Discomfort in the arches from strange material under middle laces.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 20

“Never felt heavy or too thin from 5K to 100-mile ultras; still usable at 400+ miles.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Pure Flow 4

“Lightweight at 7.6 oz, 4mm drop, with just enough cushioning.”

4/5 Full review 65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3

“Wear down quickly and need frequent replacement.”

4/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Launch 5

“Run small; go up half a size from street shoe size.”

4/5 Full review 28 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5

“After 1000K, shoe feels really flat.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

“Improved durability but less flexible.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

“Not plush or high support; upper is bare bones.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

“Traction lacking for trails.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

Prefer this shoe over another

38% 31/81

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 23.

Pros

Reviewers use it for everything from easy days to marathon racing.
At 7.6 oz reviewers find it light but still cushioned.
Many reviewers find the toe box roomy and the fit comfortable.

Cons

Several runners say the midsole flattens by 300 to 400 miles.
Some reviewers find the cushioning thin for long, slow runs.
Three reviewers order half a size up, though fifty-two of fifty-five call the fit true to size.

Kinvara 9 rates 80. This shoe has very high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Saucony Kinvara

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

62 2011 86 71 2013 91 89 2015 93 81 80 2018 91 77 84 2021 78 84 2023 83 87 2025

Release year

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

Kinvara 16

2025 · 3 reviews

87 Good

85 Confidence
Kinvara 15

2024 · 13 reviews

83 Good

86 Confidence
Kinvara 14

2023 · 49 reviews

84 Good

97 Confidence
Kinvara 13

2022 · 36 reviews

78 Decent

96 Confidence
Kinvara 12

2021 · 6 reviews

84 Good

86 Confidence
Kinvara 11

2020 · 7 reviews

77 Decent

87 Confidence
Kinvara 10

2019 · 51 reviews

91 Very good

99 Confidence
Kinvara 9 This shoe

2018 · 55 reviews

80 Good

99 Confidence
Kinvara 8

2017 · 57 reviews

81 Good

100 Confidence
Kinvara 7

2016 · 21 reviews

93 Excellent

98 Confidence
Kinvara 6

2015 · 8 reviews

89 Good

94 Confidence
Kinvara 5

2014 · 128 reviews

91 Very good

100 Confidence
Kinvara 4

2013 · 129 reviews

71 Decent

100 Confidence
Kinvara 3

2012 · 11 reviews

86 Good

94 Confidence
Kinvara 2

2011 · 3 reviews

62 Below average

89 Confidence

Runner Ratings

55 ratings

5/5 36

4/5 17

3/5 1

2/5 1

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 7.2 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 7.6 oz · Women's 6.8 oz
Release: 2018 Q1
MSRP: $110
Stack: 23/19mm
Drop: 4mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Amazing!

5/5

Overall

Light weight distance trainer. Run about 30-40 miles per week over the last three months and has really durable. I went away from Kivara's for awhile due to the light weight but came back and haven't been happier!

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019

35 mpw came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz V2 Sock

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

Kinvara 9 Shoe Review

4/5

Overall

I've had about 12 pairs of this shoe. It's my go to shoe. I've raced everything from 5k to Marathon in this shoe. I've even done a couple trail races in it just because I was told I couldn't. It's light and responsive.

Anonymous runner · Jul 2, 2019

50 mpw training for a marathon

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

Great shoes

5/5

Overall

I love Kinvaras! They have been my daily trainer for 6+ years.

Anonymous runner · Jul 2, 2019

100 mpw training for a marathon

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

Another Great Kinvara

4/5

Overall

The Kinvara 9 has been a great trainer for me. It's got the same blend of cushion and responsiveness that I've come to love from the Kinvaras. The traction can be a little lacking for trails but for most runs it's not an issue. Durability also seemed improved from my last pair of Kinvaras, though it did feel a little less flexible (maybe as a result). Overall great shoe that can easily go between daily training and faster workouts.

Anonymous runner · Jun 18, 2019

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

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

Excellent lightweight trainer that runs small.

4/5

Overall

The Saucony Kinvara 9 is an excellent lightweight trainer with decent durability. The 4 mm drop takes some getting used to, but after an adjustment period, this is a great all-around shoe. I had to order up half a size due to shorter length.

Wes C. · May 29, 2019

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Ride ISO