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 22.

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

Shoe designed for very specific type of runner

3/5

Overall

For most runners, this shoe should just be worn for shorter runs and tempo type of runs. With any normally long run (over 8-9 miles) this shoe didn't hold up and the lack of cushioning hurt my feet. Additionally, the shoe begins to rip on the inside cloth area after 2-3 months of running, and I found this to irritate my feet as it rubbed against it. I would also recommend buying .5 size up because they run a little tight.

Chesterfromthewatchcompany · May 19, 2019

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 5

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

Saucony's Kinvara 9's are the SAUCIEST

5/5

Overall

I have worn the Saucony Kinvara series since I started running in middle school, and I will probably never switch to anything else. I prefer lighter shoes with very little drop--these are perfect for people that value minimalist shoes that can still provide enough support for your long runs without causing injuries. There are so many different color options, and it's always fun choosing which ones I get for the new season. They are durable, stylish, and supportive but also lightweight enough that I have even used them to race in before. Overall a 10/10 shoe. Good job on the SAUCY shoes @saucony :)

sophiam3 · May 14, 2019

50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

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

Kinvara 9 - Great tempo shoe

5/5

Overall

Very comfortable, lightweight, low-drop shoe. Running fast comes easy with this shoe because of it’s extremely nimble design. Sometimes it comes across as unsupportive but it truly is in terms of sole support. The upper could use some more support as it is feels thin but that’s a sacrifice needed for weight. Not too expensive, not unattractive by any means (especially the white noise color-way). Perfect for tempo runs or time trials, but easy runs create the problem of not being supportive enough, especially when you’re landing at a slower speed with more body weight on each foot. Durability is great though, the shoe never has the issue of wearing down even after long runs or lengthy tempo runs.

beansbeansbeans · Apr 23, 2019

70 mpw came from the Saucony Ride ISO 2

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

Epic shoe...

5/5

Overall

Found these shoes after realizing I needed a lower drop shoe. Had been running in 12mm Brooks Ghost 10 and made the jump down to these bad boys at 4mm. Fell in love with the lightweight feel and although my shin injuries acquired from the Ghost 10s didn't go away all at once, I found that over time my shins were doing a lot better. This was in part because the lower drop encourages you to forefoot/midfoot strike and put more stress on the calves rather than the shins. Calves can get sore with these things, but a little soreness is way better than shin splints. The cushion is surprisingly nice considering how light these things look and feel. Very reasonable durability and feel, overall amazing shoe.

Anonymous runner · Mar 29, 2019

40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Brooks Ghost 10

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

Tweaks Improve This Venerable Model; Getting More Hoka-Like, Though

4/5

Overall

I like this model; I've been running in Kinvaras since their version 2, in 2012(!). It's light, cushiony without being too spongy, and fits well to my relatively high-arched feet. Saucony did seem to improve the toe area, bolstering the toe-guard and mesh. With this model, I will actually be able to retire it without having a hole in the toe mesh-- a problem with about 1/3 of their previous models. Looks do seem to get "puffier"/more Hoka-like as the brand evolves. It's not ridiculous (yet), and the shoe works-- the main point. As is typical with most running shoes, I need to go up a half-size from (size 10 street/casual to 10.5 for this and most other running shoes). A good, all-purpose shoe for me-- easier days through races longer than 10k.

Anonymous runner · Nov 28, 2018

28 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5