The Saucony Ride 18 is a daily shoe that receives a few updates to the popular Ride 17. The biggest of those is the addition of PWRRUN+ in the midsole, a foam designed to make the shoe lighter, softer and more responsive than its predecessor, as well as an improved level of energy return.
The outsole also aims to have better durability and grip, alongside a a smoother ride due to flex grooves towards the front of the shoe.
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JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:14 – Stats
00:25 – Design
01:01 – How’s the fit?
03:06 – The First Run Test
09:21 – Early Verdict
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Hey Tommy for run testers in this video We are going to be doing our first run Review of The sakon Ride 18 let's take a [Music] Look the S ride 18 costs £130 or $140 it Weighs 266 G or 9.4 o for men in a size 8 and the drop is 8 Mm the sakon ride 18 is a daily shoe That receives a few updates to the Popular ride 77 The biggest of those is the addition of Power run Plus in the midsole a foam Designed to make the shoe lighter softer And more responsive than its predecessor As well as an improved level of energy Return the outsole also aims to have Better durability and grip alongside a Smoother ride due to flex grooves Towards the front of the shoe finally There's a new engineered mesh upper to Increase breathability and provide a Stretchy fit to improve lockdown and Comfort in addition there's an updated Heel collar designed for an improved Level of cushioning the shoe is also Available in a wide version So in terms of fit it's looking all good For me so far in the s r 18 I've got Mine in a UK size eight that's my Typical running shoe size I've got it in A standard fit option there is a wider Fit option as well here um but for me This version is ticking all the key Boxes I think the space up front of the
Toe box feels pretty good not over Generous not too short there's good hold At the midfoot good level of padding at The tongue and no kind of discomfort on That first run with a kind of lacing and Tongue combo here not overly generous in The kind of heel col area in terms of That padding either and you know Offering a little bit kind of support There in the kind of key area um the Only observation I would say is that I Feel that the change in the upper means It's slightly more dialed in in terms of That overall fit which I quite like and I kind of like compared to the ride 17 So there may be an argument to say that Maybe some people might need to go for That wider fit option but for me it Feels like a true to size fitting shoe And I would be going for my usual size Based on kind of my first run and going In that standard fit option as well so The fit for me in the shoe I'm SI UK This is a size eight it's very roomy Shoe there is loads of space before my Big toe um and there's loads of space Around the 4f foot as well um I normally Like less space before my big toe so I'd Be tempted to go down half a size in This shoe um if you are like me and you Don't want loads and loads of space for Some people it might be okay I know a Lot of people like more space before the Big toe than I do in my running shoes
But there's definitely a lot more space Than I've experienced in pretty much Most shoes so I'd probably size down Half a size in this shoe um overall it's A very comfortable shoe though it's a Shoe designed for Comfort there's lots Of space around the size of the shoe um Around the for foot midfoot um it's Fairly good lock down in it um but it's Still quite comfortable there's actually A wider version of this shoe as well if You have especially wide feet but I Think this is probably for people with Wide feet should be should be fairly Good anyway um based on my experience in This shoe there's also loads of padding Around this there's a lovely padding on The tongue and there's loads of padding Around the ankle collar I got a really Nice locking uh fit for this and no heel Slippage or anything like that I found It to be a very comfortable shoe on that First Run so we talked about the previous Version of The Ride The Ride 17 quite a Lot and um most of us are big fans of That shoe it the reason we like that Shoe is because it's just a really solid Balanced shoe that you can use for lots Of different things it's quite cost- Effective um it is comfortable for easy Runs it's bit more versatile than you Get from uh some daily shoes and all in All it was just a really good value shoe
That you could use for a lot of things You could put it in a rotation as a Daily trainer or you could just have it As your one shoe and you could even Probably uh depending on what sort of Time you're aiming for racing it as well Um as a cost effective way to buy one Pair of shoes to do what you're training In the ride 18 is um a good progression There's um I've used the uh sakon Triumph line has been one of my favorite Um lines for a long time but when they Released the 22 uh I didn't enjoy that Shoe it just didn't work for me uh and When I got this I was a bit worried cuz It looks a little bit more like the Trium 22 than the ride 17 um so I was a Bit worried that this midell phone would Be a little bit more like what's in the Trium 22 uh and the ride would be Similar uh This paron plus midsole is Actually really uh it's a really well Balanced midl foam it it isn't too soft It's it's it's a little bit of firmness To it but you do get a little bit of Engine turn off the back of it as well It compresses nicely and it just gives You a tiny bit of bounce back um so it's A very nice sh to wear for easy runs the First run that I did in this was an easy Run of 10K which I varied the pace on Between about 4 minute 40 km and 5 Minute 30 km and it felt great across That run um it it's just a solid
Reliable comfortable shoe to wear that I Think is very accessible to a lot of People of the basis of that first run uh The biggest thing I think makes this Shoe really nice is the turnover it's Not an aggressive shoe um but it Definitely a shoe that nicely Transitions you forward um which is Something the trium 22 didn't do Definitely for me and I'm a midfoot Striker uh I found that she'd be very Very dull when you hit the ground with It and I didn't feel like it was helping Me forward this does but it's very Subtle it's not like a Rao that's really Tiing you forward it's just a nice Comfortable transition little bit of Energy on it um and just feels really Really comfortable overall as a Combination of that midell Fame and the Upper as well so over the that first run I haven't used this for running fast yet I haven't done any ints or anything in It um but over that first run it Definitely seem like a shoe that um Could fit into a lot of people's Collection or be the one shoe that they Use for um getting into running or just Doing General running all the time um Because it's really well balanced it's Also very stable as well so you've got That going for it it's essentially for Me the it it's basically taken over from The tri Triumph line now I think the
Things that this shoe does was what I Expected the Triumph 20 and Triumph 21 To do and Triumph 22 doesn't do those Things for me anymore this shoe it's Pretty much comparable what you're Getting from those early versions of the Triumph it it it's a great comfortable Cruising uh shoe that you can do easy Runs in you can just run consistently in So I'm definitely looking forward to Using this a lot more for training for Manchester Marathon um but very positive Outlook so far the outsole is also Really good so there's a really good Layer of rubber uh on the out soole um Covers most of it there is a bit of Exposed midsole but it does seem to be a Fairly sturdy midsole phone this power On PB plus that's in the ride 18 so I'm Not too worried about that um and it was Bit wet when I was out running and I've Been running across public foot paths on That on that first run um and some wet Roads and it felt absolutely fine solid Out Soo on that no problems with at all So yeah all in all pretty successful First run so in terms of that first run I did five miles in the S ride 18 kind Of hovering just over 8 minute mile pace So not my quickest and also not my Slowest so somewhere in between and kind Of seeing it would handle some more Moderate Pace running and I would say it Did a very good job of that overall now
I haven't spent extensive time in the Rides 17 kind I've landed when I wasn't Doing a huge amount of running but the The limited time that I have spent in it I know that it is a very comfortable Shoe a very good work course daily Training shoe maybe not the most Versatile shoe but a shoe you can Definitely spend a lot of time in at a Very good price now I think it's it's Going to be more of the same with the Ride 18 but I do think there are some Changes here it's you know still very Comfortable I think it's still very Stable the outsole I think plays a a big Part in creating that kind of very Stable feeling in this shoe I think the Changes in the mid so is that power run Um kind of foam there it's a little bit Softer it's not overly plush it's not Kind of veering into that territory of Something like the Triumph where is very Much for me a shoe that it's about that Kind more relaxed running time I do Think there's a more of a kind of Responsive Edge to the ride probably a Little bit kind of going back to those Kind of earlier rides it's not quite There I don't think it's still kind of Veering towards that kind of comfortable Running post but I do think it has it in Its locker and did for me feel Comfortable to run at my kind of more Moderate Pace I think that is definitely
A positive for me it's a little bit of a Droing weight but I don't think it's a Substantial droing weight to say that It's going to be hugely different in Terms of overall feel from the ride 17 I Do really think it's about that kind of More D in Upper fit which I think you Know just improves the overall feeling Of the ride or that's kind of what I've Seen in that first run but yeah in terms Of that ride in general there it Definitely feels like it has scope to be A shoot you can run more kind of Moderately Pace it's not going to just Be an easy run shoe which I think is Important because that's really what the Ride is supposed to be supposed to be a Workhorse kind of daily train issue one That you can do a mixture runs in maybe Not your quickest runs but definitely Something a little bit off those kind of Faster paces and I I'm feeling that that Is what we're getting here in the ride 18 so yeah all pretty solid so far the Outside said really does lend itself to Being more a very stable shoe I think The conditions I was running very dry so You know I'll wait until kind of I'm Running in wetter conditions to get a Real sense of how well that kind of Outso performs but you know it was fine In that first round but not much to Report there so yeah a solid first run In the ride 18 it feels to me like it's
Still very much a ride in essence has a Kind of nice um not overly kind of Generous bounce in that ride um has a Definitely feels like has a responsive Edge to it and I feel like it's a very Stable comfortable shoe as well so yeah Positive first run in the ride 18 so some early thoughts on the saky Ride 18 and it's felt pretty solid in That first run I quite liked it I think That you know in terms of being a good Addition in the ride series I think Absolutely and I'm quite liking the Changes here is it going to be an Instant upgrade for people who have got The ride 17 possibly not I say I've not Spent extensive time the ride 17 but for Me it's feeling like the similar Qualities there there may be a touch More versatility about this shoe which May be something to sway you from that Shoe but I think you know there's not Going to be a huge amount in it I think If You' got an early version of the Rides and you can pick this up for a Reasonable price and it is going to be Available at reasonable price I think This is still going to be a good Workhorse daily Trainer shoe to look at You know the other shoes I'd probably Compare it to New B 1080 v14 I think You're looking at things like the Adas Um Supernova Prima I think you're Looking at things like Haw Clifton as
Well and I think it's in good company of Those shoes I'd probably potentially Choose it over those shoes in terms of What I'm seeing so far but again early Days in terms of my testing but yeah a Positive first run in the Sak ride 18 as I said is it going to be an instant Upgrade for the ride 17 or people who Have the ride 17 that's definitely Something to see in longer term testing But I'm liking what I'm seeing in the Ride 18 right now so my early verdict Which you probably guessed from my um my Run test section there really like this Shoe I think um it there's always a risk When you get uh modifications to a shoe Like the ride 17 that just sort of gets The balance right um and is cost Effective it's got a bit of stability It's bit versatile it's comfortable and Easy runs if you tweak some of that you Might lose some of the magic of it and That's what I saw with the um trium 22 This doesn't it is a nice progression of It you get a slightly better mid tole in It little bit more energy in it very Comfortable all around um feels very Light on the feet it's not the light Issue in the world but it does feel very Light on the feet which is similar to The Ride 17 um really like the upper on It and I really like the true transition On it so I think it's it's a nice update Uh not a massive update but a nice
Update to the already very good ride 17 And um definitely a shoe that I think is Very accessible to a lot of people and Because of the price um it's a cost Effective option as well when a lot of Shoes at the moment are coming in um Significantly higher so yeah really Positive view of the shoe so far on that First run and looking forward to using It quite a bit more that's it from us on This first run of the S ride 18 thanks a Lot for watching don't forget to like Subscribe click that little bell and if You go into the caption below you can Find a link to our podcast which comes Out a couple of times each month thanks A lot for watching catch you next time [Music]
