Type a shoe name, like Pegasus, Clifton or Kayano.

Saucony Tempus

Racing · Stability · Road · 8.2 oz · 8mm drop · 38/30mm stack

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

How it ranks

The Saucony Tempus ranks among the stronger racing shoes in our data. Durability and looks are its strongest sub-ratings. Cushioning scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 28 runner reviews and 1 other rated shoe in the Tempus product line.

Saucony Tempus

of 5

Good

90/100
Overall
90
Durability
91
Appearance
87
Comfort
81
Value
75
Cushioning
71
Confidence

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 will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

91/100

91

What runners say

“Help so much with stride and are far lighter than any other stability shoes”
4/5 Full review 20 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22
“Very durable 350+ miles on first pair with room for plenty more”
5/5 Full review
“Got around 450 miles on last pair before they started to wear down”
4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38
“Firmer ride with a quality midsole that will last forever”
4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 15
“Very comfortable and well cushioned with hardly noticeable stability features”
5/5 Full review
“A bit on the firmer side, but amazing for upbeat runs”
5/5 Full review 95 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Bondi 8
“Not particularly fast and have a relatively low energy return”
4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38
“Very soft and supportive, and yet will reward you picking it up”
5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the HOKA Arahi 6
“Good wide toe box”
5/5 Full review
“Curves in a little too narrow”
5/5 Full review 15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Axon 3

Prefer this shoe over another

78% 7/9

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.


Pros

  • Two reviewers get 350 to 450 miles before noticeable wear.
  • At 8.2 oz, one reviewer calls it far lighter than any other stability shoe they have run in.
  • Runners like the firm, responsive ride for picking up the pace.

Cons

  • It lists at $170, and one reviewer notes that is $40 more than comparable trainers where they shop; value is its lowest-rated dimension.
  • One reviewer finds the energy return low and the cushioning too soft on downhills.
  • One reviewer finds the platform curves in too narrow.

Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale

Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.

Confidence
50 60 70 80 90 100 25 50 75 100

Better Shoes Rating

Tempus rates 90. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Saucony Tempus

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

Rating

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.
  • Tempus 2

    2024 · 2 reviews

    81 Good

    66 Confidence

  • Tempus This shoe

    2022 · 28 reviews

    90 Good

    91 Confidence

Reader Ratings

28 ratings
5/5 18
4/5 10
3/5 0
2/5 0
1/5 0

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
8.2 oz
Release
2022 Q2
MSRP
$170
Stack Height
38mm heel - 30mm toe
Drop Height
8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 1–5 of 10 written reviews

Pretty Decent trainer

4/5

Overall

I used to wear Nike and Asic’s for running shoes when the store by my house recommended I try the Tempus as a sort of experiment with pronation. I’m a highschool distance runner who’s pretty competitive and these shoes have worked so great for me. I got around 450 miles on my last pair before they started to wear down and I’m about 200 miles into my new pair and they have barely shown any wear. Unfortunately, these shoes are not particularly fast and have a relatively low energy return. They’re a little too cushiony sometimes especially when running downhill. Wouldn’t reccomend them for heel-strikers. My last complaint is that they’re more pricy than other trainers. These are usually $170 before tax at my local store compared to a lot of other brands which have trainers that are about the same for only $130. 

Anonymous runner · Jul 28, 2024

70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38

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

Fastest stability shoe in the game

4/5

Overall

My foot doesn’t have an arch so I need stability shoes for running, didn’t want heavy slow shoes for track season, found these and they help so much with stride and are far lighter than any other stability shoes

Adam · Dec 27, 2023

20 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22

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

Almost perfect shoe, but

5/5

Overall

Curves in a little too narrow--the Saucony Axon 3, much cheaper, has a wider flare. They should marry these two models!

Liz Fe · Dec 14, 2023

15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Axon 3

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

Saucony “Firm” Tempus

4/5

Overall

If you are over super plush shoes, like a firmer ride, with a quality midsole that will last forever, this is the shoe. 

Anonymous runner · Sep 20, 2023

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 15

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

Reader review

5/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Sep 19, 2023

20 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Nike React Pegasus Trail 4

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

Alternatives

Other shoes worth considering.

More from Saucony

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Current shoe
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Best durability
Newest
Lightest / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Racing
Daily trainer
Racing
Pronation
Stability (Moderate)
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
8.2 oz M
9.4 oz M
7.7 oz M Lightest
Stack
38/30mm
Drop
8mm
8mm
Release
2022 Q2
2024 Q3 Newest
2024 Q1
MSRP
$170 Lower MSRP
$295
Best price
$142.82
Ratings
Overall
Good (90)
Good (81)
Exceptional (99) Best overall
Comfort
Good (81)
Decent (73)
Excellent (95) Best comfort
Cushioning
Decent (71)
Below average (65)
Exceptional (97) Best cushioning
Durability
Very good (91) Best durability
Decent (73)
Below average (65)
Appearance
Good (87)
Decent (75)
Excellent (96) Best appearance
Value
Decent (75)
Decent (72)
Good (84) Best value
Specific shoe

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