Saucony Men's Progrid Guide 5 Running Shoe Review

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I run three times a week, totalling just over 25 miles, and am 65 years old, having run for 40 years.

I've loved running in my New Balance Minimus -the barefoot style running shoe. But when an irksome Achilles Tendinitis case just wouldn't go away. I decided I needed a bit of cushioning.

So, I read about these new Saucony's in Runners World -which rated them an Editor's Pick -and took a chance on 'em. Great look, great fit, stable in the ankles, extremely light (e.g. even down to a nice, short tongue) , nice cushion, and -most important for me -a relatively short drop from ball to heel, only 8MM. Makes running on your forefeet much easier. And, after a month, my Achilles tendinitis is finally starting to recede. (I credit the shoes and, strangely, a homeopathic cream also noted in Runner's World, Topricin, which one can also find on Amazon. I have absolutely no faith in homeopathy, but this stuff seems to work.)

The shoes ran "hot" the first time. Since then, though, they've been just fine. And now are easily the best, most comfortable running shoes I've ever used. If you can get 'em at the $89 price I got, they're about the best running buy you could ever make.

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When I started running I used Progrid Guide 3 shoes. I made an easy transition to the update Guide 4 shoe the following year. Needing a new pair of shoes, I bought the latest in the series, the Guide 5. It is a great shoe, but I would caution those who have been using the Guide 4 shoe that you WILL notice the change in offset from 12 mm to 8 mm. I did almost immediately and initially it was uncomfortable. I got used to them after a few miles and I think in the long run I will be better off with them. However, I doubt I can use the 4's as a backup pair because I think it will be uncomfortable going back and forth between the two.

Update 9/27/2013: These shoes have been fantastic. I bought a 2nd pair without hesitation.

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I'm a pretty serious runner that puts in roughly 35-40 miles a week consistently throughout the year. My go-to shoe the past 3-4 years has been the Asics 21xx series culminating in the 2160 shoes I just wore out. I wasn't very impressed with the design changes Asics made with the 2170 shoe, so I decided to give Saucony a try.

In my decision process, I wanted a shoe that was lighter than the Asics I had been wearing, and also wanted a smaller heel/toe drop so I could start the slow transition toward better mid-foot striking. The Progrid 5 shoe seemed to fit the bill in what I was looking for. My initial impressions were the following:

* This shoe is very light weight compared to my previous Asics 2160 shoe. It's really not even close. You will definitely feel the difference if you transitioning from a standard training shoe.

* I moderately pronate, so with the lighter weight I was worried that I was going to be sacrificing support. With over 200 miles on these shoes I have had no injuries or soreness usually associated with bad supporting shoes. In fact, my ankles (my normal problem spot) have felt better (perhaps due to better mid foot striking?)

* The toe box is a little tighter than my Asics, but not enough to chafe or cause any issues. Just something to note.

* Even with the lower heel/toe I didn't feel like I was getting beat up on the road due to less cushioning. If you are coming from a standard 12mm shoe you definitely get some feedback that you are heel striking, but not enough to make you uncomfortable like most minimalist shoes. During my 200 miles of running in these shoes I have definitely transitioned more to my midfoot and less on my heel.

The shoes have held up nicely and are wearing well. Will probably be able to get my standard 500 miles or so from these puppies. And, on the aesthetic front, I like the color selection as well. I went with the Vizipro/Citron/Blue shoe and I've definitely gotten some "nice shoes!" comments yelled my way.

Overall, I'm super pleased with these shoes. They provide great support for the moderate pronator, are a great transition shoe to mid foot striking without getting injured, are very light and comfortable, and are wearing well. Buy with confidence.

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I purchased these to train for and run in my first half marathon this spring. The fit is quite nice and they feel like clouds, especially after an hour and a half on the treadmill. Nicely made shoe.

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These shoes are wonderful for running and are very comfortable. I'm a distance runner myself, and these shoes have been flawless since I bought these a few weeks ago at my local Fleet Feet. It took about a few days of walking to break in the shoes. I have not had much of an issue when using these shoes for speed work as well. So far, I have walked and ran about 45 miles with these dandy looking shoes. Overall, these shoes have been the best pair I have ever owned!