Two Great Running Products from Saucony

Recently, I had the opportunity to test two products from Saucony. The first product is Saucony's version of a minimalist shoe—the Progrid Kinvara. I've tested a lot of shoes over the past two years, and I can honestly say that this shoe tops them all. I've been testing the minimalist waters and the shoes that I've tried have worked well, but the Kinvara worked great for me right out of the box.

The first thing I noticed is how lightweight they are—only a little over 7oz! The second thing I noticed is the amount of cushion they provide. I have very little natural padding in my fore foot and heel, so I need a good cushioned shoe. The Kinvara's cushion rivals the cushion of Saucony's Progrid Triumph shoe, which is my personal favorite neutral trainer.
It does take a little getting used to wearing the shoe. There is very little heal and if you're wanting to work on more of a midfoot/forefoot strike this shoe's construction allows you to do this very easily. Just be sure to test them on some shorter runs first to let you body get use to the lower-to-the-ground construction.

The Kinvara won't break the bank, either. Retailing for $90, it's right in line (maybe even on the lower end) of other running shoes on the market today.

Runner's World also like the shoe and gave the Kinvara its prestigious "Best Debut" award for 2010. Here's a video review from Runner's Word's Warren Greene. (My test results ended with my having pretty much the same conclusions as the Runner's World testers—Awesome!)

The other Saucony product that I had the opportunity to test and also had great success with is the men's Epic Run Vest in the ViZiPRO color. As runners find themselves faced with shorter daylight hours, I discovered that Saucony is working hard to ensure safe running with its highly reflective ViZiPRO Collection. The ViZiPRO collection provides enhanced visibility with its bright neon orange color. The collection features jackets, footwear, sport tops, vests, hand gear and head gear, both in women’s and men’s sizes. According to industry-standard chromaticity testing results, Saucony’s ViZiPRO fluorescent orange fabric rated highest in visibility within the running industry.

I have training groups that run in the early evening, and when the time change recently occurred we had to don head lamps and/or carry flashlights to see our running routes as well as let drivers see us. On one of these dark runs I tested the Epic Run Vest and it was very light weight. It kept the cold air out but was breathable at the same time.

The vest is made of 100% woven polyester with water-resistant DWR coating. The outer shell is constructed with reflective piping down the sleeves and along the front zipper. There's also reflective mesh panels on the front shoulders and along the back hem. The vest also sports lots of pockets including a media pocket for an iPod or MP3 player. The vest even comes with a removable USB LED light that's rechargeable by inserting it in your computers USB port. You can leave the light hooked to the jacked and set it to flashing mode or you can remove it and set it to steady beam and use it as a flashlight. The bright neon color and reflective piping and panels worked very well.

If you're having to do any runs in the dark, I highly recommend Saucony's line of ViZiPRO shoes and apparel. Both products, the Progrid Kinvara and the ViziPRO Epic Run Vest, receive 5 dudes out of 5 dudes on the RunnerDude's Rating Scale!

Note: While Saucony did provide the Progrid Kinvara shoes and the ViZiPRO Epic Run Vest, I was in no way encouraged to write a positive review nor did I receive any form of payment for writing this review. This review is based entirely on my personal experience using both products.

Safety on the Run

No matter what your experience level, all runners should take some time to think about their safety while running. In general, running is pretty safe, but depending on the time of day you're running, the time of year, and your location a variety of safety concerns may need to be addressed. It's the runner's responsibility to make himself/herself visible especially when it's dark.

Running in the early morning or in the evening can be especially hazardous. If at all possible, try to run in well lit areas. If that's not possible or you have intermittent areas of darkness, try wearing a headlamp. With the dawn of more powerful batteries and LED bulbs, these handy contraptions are very effective and affordable. The price range varies greatly, but I actually purchased mine for around $25 at Target and have used it for the past two years with great results. Also, wear reflective clothing and/or a reflective vest. Eastbay currently has a Running Safety Set from Nike for $6.99 (reg. $21.99). The set includes a pullover reflective vest and an armband light that can be set to flash or steady beam.

The best case senerio is to never run alone. Not only is it safer, it's usually more fun. But, running with a buddy is not always realistic. So, if you're running solo, there are a few precautions to take. Just like a pilot submitting a flight plan, runners should let others know where they'll be running. I have several different routes I run. Some are in my neighborhood, some are at the local park, and my longer runs take me down a nearby greenway. Each time I run, I make sure someone in the family is aware of where I'm running. I also try to tell them approximately how long I'll be gone. This way if I don't show back up at home by a certain time, they'll know something may have gone wrong as well as where to start looking for me.

A company called RoadID makes a variety of running identification products that provide your name, address, and other vital information. The IDs are sold in a variety of formats—Wrist ID, Ankle ID, Necklace ID, Shoe ID, Shoe Pouch ID. In the event of an accident, if you can't speak for yourself, the RoadID will. They also have a new version of the product called RoadID Interactive which allows you to build a fully updateable, secure Emergency Response Profile (ERP) that is available to first responders 24 hours a day 365 days a year. To check out all of RoadID's products, just click on the RoadID icon on the right-hand side of the blog.