I swear my new Saucony Kinvara 4's make me run faster.

Maybe it's because they are highlighter yellow, and a shoe that color just isn't meant to go slow.



Or maybe it's because they are so lightweight, I feel like there's nothing on my foot, and my feet just fly over the pavement.



Or maybe it's just all in my head, and I don't really go faster in them at all.

But I sure feel like I do.



Saucony sent me these shoes to review several weeks ago as part of a FitFluential partnership. You may have remembered I also reviewed the super minimal Saucony Virratas a few weeks back, and completely loved them as well.


How awesome is the packaging the Kinvaras came in?

The Kinvaras won't be available in stores until May 1. But here's a sneak peek of what you can expect:

The Kinvaras are a little different than the Virratas. They are definitely a more minimal shoe than my Mizuno Wave Inspires, but unlike the Virratas, which have a 0mm heel-to-toe drop, the Kinvaras have a 4mm drop.

I found the 4mm heel-to-toe drop to feel much more comfortable than the 0mm drop, and I think that's because I'm used to running in a stability shoe that offers much more cushioning and protection. (Something I've found very, very necessary on my longer runs.)



Similar to the Virratas, the Kinvaras have some extra cushioning in the shoe to protect feet from the pavement. The Saucony website sums it up well: The shoe offers protection, not correction.

I was surprised to find that's exactly what I wanted in a shoe for speed and shorter distance workouts.

For all of my running career (7+ years at this point), I have run in Mizuno Wave Inspires. They are the perfect shoes for my foot and are exactly what I need for long training runs.

But for shorter runs and speed work, I'm finding that I like having a lighter weight shoe. Something that makes me feel like I'm flying across the pavement, and that's what the Kinvara 4 does.

I don't plan to transition full-time to minimal shoes. They just don't work for me over long distances, my feet feel too beat up. But I think I've found a place for minimal shoes in my rotation. They are perfect for short stuff when I want my feet to feel light as air.

You can find more specs and a closer look at the Kinvara 4 from the design team's perspective over on Saucony's blog.