A black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoe after 660 miles. It's hard to see in this photo, but there is a lengthy stress tear in the uppers along the base of the Saucony logo. They only happen on the inner side of the foot.

Saucony Kinvara 13 Durability Review

Felix Wong's avatar
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The Saucony Kinvara is a popular running shoe known for its lightweight, flexible, and responsive ride. It is a good choice for runners who are looking for a shoe that is comfortable for long runs and speed workouts.

I have been using the Saucony Kinvara 13 for both training and racing after running in Puma H. Street minimalist shoes for 15 years. The Kinvaras have been described as “modern minimalist” shoes with PWRRUN energy-returning foam and a 28.5mm rear stack height. They have 4mm of heel-to-toe drop (the H. Streets had 5mm).

The first race I used the Kinvara 13 was the Pontevedra Half Marathon in Spain. Afterward, I concluded that the shoes were just as rapid than the Puma H. Streets. 

I put 660 miles on my first pair of shoes. After retiring them, I got two more. Those now have hundreds of miles and are still in my rotation. From January to September 2023, I have used them for a dozen runs of 20-30 kilometers (12-19 miles) and have not had a single injury, not even a trivial one.

The soles of the shoes are made of PWRRUN foam, which is a durable and lightweight material. The exposed foam should not be as durable as a full rubber outsole, yet it held up much better than I expected. I have not had any problems with the soles wearing through or delaminating.

The soles of the Saucony Kinvara 13 shoes after 660 miles proved to be much more durable than I expected.
The soles of the Saucony Kinvara 13 shoes after 660 miles proved to be much more durable than I expected.

The weak point of the shoes is the upper. The upper is a single-layer mesh that’s breathable and flexible. However, the mesh is also thin and delicate. I started to see stress tears in the uppers after about 250 miles. The tears were on the inner sides of the foot, and they were only noticeable if I looked closely. Casual observers would not see them.

Black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoe after 660 miles. The lengthy stress tears in the uppers started to form after 250 miles. They occurred only on the inner sides of the foot.
Black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoe after 660 miles. The lengthy stress tears in the uppers started to form after 250 miles. They occurred only on the inner sides of the foot.

Despite the stress tears, the uppers stayed sufficiently intact for me to continue using the shoes. I retired the first pair of Kinvaras after 660 miles, after which I took photos of them for this post.

Overall, I am satisfied with the durability of the Saucony Kinvara 13, especially considering their lightness (just over seven ounces per shoe). The soles have held up well, longer than expected. The durability of the uppers is acceptable, especially since experts recommend replacing running shoes after 300-500 miles. The shoes are also reasonably priced, particularly after Saucony released the narrower, taller Kinvara 14. You can buy the Kinvara 13 on Amazon or eBay for only $50-80 at the time of this post.

If you are looking for a lightweight, flexible, and responsive running shoe that is also durable, the Saucony Kinvara 13 is a good option. They are even available in many attractive colorways. Just be aware that the uppers are not as durable as the soles.

Here are some additional thoughts on the durability of the Saucony Kinvara 13:

  • The durability of the shoes may vary depending on how you use them. If you run on rough terrain or in wet conditions, the shoes may wear out more quickly.
  • The shoes are not designed for trail running. If you plan on doing any trail running, I would recommend a different shoe with a more durable upper and outsole.
  • The shoes are a good value. Even if the uppers wear out prematurely, you can still get a lot of use out of the shoes before you need to replace them.

I hope this blog post helps you decide whether or not the Saucony Kinvara 13 is the right running shoe for you.

Another Sample

The photos below show the wear on a pair of blue/yellow Saucony Kinvara 13 shoes after 657 miles. They confirm what I concluded about the longevity about my first black pair, above.

The wear on my first pair of blue raz/black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoes after 657 miles.
The wear on my first pair of blue raz/black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoes after 657 miles.
It's difficult to see in this photo (and even in real life), but the lower portion of the shoe fabric on all sides were torn almost completely through after 657 miles.
It's difficult to see in this photo (and even in real life), but the lower portion of the shoe fabric on all sides were torn almost completely through after 657 miles.
A black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoe after 660 miles. It's hard to see in this photo, but there is a lengthy stress tear in the uppers along the base of the Saucony logo. They only happen on the inner side of the foot.
A black Saucony Kinvara 13 shoe after 660 miles. It's hard to see in this photo, but there is a lengthy stress tear in the uppers along the base of the Saucony logo. They only happen on the inner side of the foot.