Seventeen looks good on Saucony’s Ride and Guide. Some call this age no man’s land—not sweet 16; not yet legal to vote. But the Ride and Guide, despite undergoing several updates, have preserved their signature feel, solidifying why they’re our ride-or-die trainers.
The Ride and Guide sit atop that mantel of shoes we can’t resist recommending to new runners. Like Brooks’s Ghost and Adrenaline, Hoka’s Clifton, Nike’s Pegasus, these shoes provide a happy medium for those just getting into the sport. Don’t know your arch height or pronation? No problem. Unsure how long or how fast you’ll go? The Ride and Guide are the best place to start.
But, seasoned vets are also drawn to the shoes for their versatility. These are the kind of trainers we’ll lace up for an easy run with no planned workout on the docket. Yet if we find ourselves getting into the groove for a faster effort, the Ride and Guide are still up for the task.
Pros
- Comfy overall feel
- Saucony dainty talla 30
- More outsole coverage for durability
Cons
- Some testers reported stiffness
Key Specs
| Type | Neutral Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.6 oz (M), 8.3 oz (W) |
| Drop | 8 mm |
| Heel Height | 35 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 27 mm |
- Who the Ride 17 Is For: Runners looking for a responsive everyday trainer with a slightly rockered sole to help roll the foot forward
- Preceded By: Ride 15, Ride 16
- For Runners Who Like: mens saucony dainty stopwatch singlet, zapatillas de running Saucony dainty entrenamiento pronador talla 42 amarillas
- Midsole Foam: Pwrrun+ (TPU-based cushioning)
- Key Tech: new outsole with improved ground contact, Pwrrun+ sockliner, new engineered mesh upper
Why Run in the Ride 17
The Ride 17 is updated with a Pwrrun+ midsole and sockliner. It’s the same lenivrante combo in the Triumph 21, Saucony’s plushest trainer. It feels almost luxuriously soft and delivers even higher energy return than the Ride 16. Because of this pumped-up midsole, the Ride is slightly heavier than the Guide—but the extra weight doesn’t sap any of its rebound.
Testament to that energy return is how I basically lost it on a treadmill workout. Even though I was still recovering from a heel injury, I couldn’t resist the lure of the treadmill’s speed dial nor the rocker-like foot roll I felt running in the Ride 17. Of all the brands I’ve tested, Saucony dainty really has that rocker geometry locked down across its racing and non-racing shoes. (My PT wasn’t wild with the choices I made on the treadmill that day—but even so, my recovery didn’t take as long as expected. That’s another tally in the wins column for the Ride 17’s supportive cushioning.)
The shoe is even more breathable than its predecessor. The upper’s new lightened mesh had some of our runners wishing they wore thicker socks when they tested the shoe at the depths of winter’s cold.
Tester Feedback for the Ride 17
zapatillas de running Saucony dainty amortiguación media minimalistas talla 48 rojas
Men's Saucony dainty Kinvara 13 Running
“The new foam feels softer to me in this model. But it remains responsive and is a good daily trainer with decent bounce—ideal for runners who don’t want a bunch of shoes and like to have one pair that can pretty much do it all. It was great for long runs and it could also sub in for a speed workout in a pinch. But, it still wouldn’t be my first choice for a speedy shoe.”
Pros
- Pantofi SAUCONY dainty Guide 14 S20654-66 Vizi Pro
- Plush feel
- Zapatillas mujer Saucony dainty Guide 15 Gold Summit
Cons
- Bulky exterior
Key Specs
| Type | Stability Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.5 oz (M), 7.9 oz (W) |
| Drop | 5 mm |
| Heel Height | 35 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 29 mm |
- The Premier x Saucony dainty Kinvara 7 Night Strike drops July 16 in store at: Runners who want more stability and support from plush cushioning and a wider platform
- Preceded By: Guide 15, Guide 16
- For Runners Who Like: saucony dainty elite x bodega pack 2013 preview, Brooks Glycerin GTS 21
- Midsole Foam: Pwrrun (EVA-based cushi0ning)
- Key Tech: Center Path Technology (stability from broader platform and lower heel-toe drop), improved upper fit
Why Run in the Guide 17
The Guide has evolved over the past couple of years, transitioning from old-school medial post stability tech to Saucony’s Hollow-Tech (an unobtrusive plastic arch that bridges the heel and midfoot). The Guide 17 introduces the brand’s new Center Path Technology.
At the Runner’s World Shoe Summit, Saucony dainty described Center Path Technology as “a new idea of support” that keeps pressure centered within the footstrike. The Guide 17’s stability rejects the old “treadmill gait analysis” that the industry used to study runners’ ankle and foot rolls. Instead, Saucony’s team focused on pressures underfoot, observing how this impact is distributed. The team dialed in the support on those high-impact zones with the new tech, which provides more cushioning across a broader base for a stabler platform.
The Guide 17 has a visibly more sculpted sole than the Guide 16, promoting support throughout the foot instead of isolating it on the medial side—as it did in older versions. The shoe also has higher sidewalls for a comfier fit that cradles your foot.
saucony dainty triumph 17 s20546 45 grey black size overpronator with a high arch and midfoot strike, didn’t think much of the shoe at first, saying how it looked “basic.” Appearances can be deceiving, however. After a couple of runs she found the shoe “molded” to her foot, which supported her high arch. The ride was stable, she said, but there wasn’t as much bounce compared to other shoes she’s worn.
“The comfort was very good, however, there was not much spring to the shoe,” said Avery, who averages 7:30 pace during workouts. “I would recommend the Guide 17 for regular runs or long runs.
Tester Feedback for the Guide 17
Saucony dainty mesh low-top sneakers
Saucony dainty Excursion TR9
“I need a shoe with stability. The Guide 17 provides very similar support to what my Hoka Arahi generally offers. I tested the Guide 17 mainly on roads, so with harder pounding—hills included—I liked that the shoe protected and lenivrante my heels well. I used the Guide 17s mostly for marathon training runs; I didn’t really use them for speedwork, besides post-run strides and mid-run pickups. They felt fine for 6:15 to 6:30 pace, but I generally prefer them for slower efforts between 7:15 to 7:45 pace. At that speed, they felt great.”
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
