Shoe Review: Saucony Ride 16

The men's Fleet Feet exclusive colorway of the Ride 16.

What makes a running shoe comfortable? When we interviewed runners from Fleet Feet Orlando for Our #1 Secret to Choosing the Best Running Shoe video, the main factor they mentioned was not having to think about the shoes on their feet. Saucony may have gotten a sneak peek at our video before releasing the Ride 16 because their latest launch offers a perfect, distraction-free fit, allowing you to focus on the road ahead.

“These shoes offer such a comfy, balanced feel that I actually forgot I was wearing them,” Caroline says. “I was supposed to be in wear-tester mode during a 6-mile treadmill run, but I quickly forgot about my feet altogether.”

The Saucony Ride 16 has added a few tweaks to improve the fit and feel, which we’ll dive into below, while keeping everything that was great about the Ride 15. It offers the same smooth PWRRUN midsole cushioning and soft mesh upper that neutral runners have come to know and love. Even better, the Ride 16 is part of the Saucony X Fleet Feet Finesse collection, meaning you can get exclusive, Fleet Feet-only colors of the Ride 16 online or at your local Fleet Feet.

Fleet Feet reviewers put the Ride 16 to the test on long, easy and tempo runs. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest version of Saucony’s best selling daily trainer.

Tech Specs

Saucony Ride 16

Weight 7.8 oz (W), 8.8 oz (M)
Heel-to-toe drop 8 mm
Stack height (heel/forefoot) 35 mm/27 mm
Category Neutral
Surface Road
Comparable to... ASICS Cumulus 25, On Cloudsurfer

Ride

Balanced ride

Cushioning

Moderate cushioning

Energy

Responsive energy

PWRRUN Midsole Brings a Seriously Smooth Ride

The Saucony Ride from the back.

Step into the Saucony Ride 16 and you’re riding on a smooth bed of PWRRUN midsole cushioning, Saucony’s proprietary EVA-based midsole foam. Reviewers noticed that the Ride 16 offers a nice, middle-of-the-road feel between softness and firmness.

“While I wouldn’t describe the Ride 16 as soft, they don’t feel stiff or rigid, either,” Caroline says. “My feet can move throughout the gait cycle smoothly, but the foam doesn’t offer anything to sink into.”

While the Ride 16 isn’t pillowy soft, reviewers thought it felt a bit softer than the previous version, the Ride 15.

“The PWRUN foam in the midsole feels like a really great balance between soft and responsive and firm and supportive,” Max says. “I tend to not like the overly soft and cushioned midsoles as I struggle with stability in my ankles, so I really enjoyed the balance of the Ride 16.”

Inside most running shoes, you’ll find a removable sock liner that sits right under your foot. Usually these sock liners are nothing to write home about, and you can replace them with a Superfeet insole to add more support. But the sockliner in the Saucony Ride 16 is made with a touch of PWRRUN+ material – the material used in the midsole of the ultra-soft, ultra-plush Saucony Triumph 20.

An XT-900 rubber outsole rounds out the Ride 16, adding traction and durability to your next run.

Redesigned Upper Creates Streamlined Fit

A detail shot of the upper on the Saucony Ride 16.

The Saucony Ride 15 was so popular with runners that Saucony didn’t change much with the latest version, besides some tweaks to the upper. The breathable mesh material wraps around your foot and is held in place with a gilley lacing system – the extra loops the laces feed through outside of the regular lace cage. Reviewers of all foot shapes noticed how dialed-in the midfoot fit is in the Ride 16.

“I love the lockdown feel of the Ride 16,” Nate says. “It fits true-to-size for my wide, high-volume feet. There’s just enough space for my toes to spread and breathe, but it’s really snug around the midfoot.”

“I found the fit to be perfectly snug, locking down my narrow foot really well,” Max says. “My midfoot and heel feel really secure in this shoe and my toes enjoy some wiggle room with the wider forefoot.”

Saucony added some suede accents around the heel and ankle collar, which reviewers had mixed feelings about.

“I’m not sure what the suede accents really add to the shoe from a performance standpoint,” Caroline says. “I want my running shoes to be light and efficient, without unnecessary materials that don’t add anything to the running experience.”

“The suede details seem purely aesthetic, and I’m worried about them getting wet,” Max says.

But Nate disagreed, saying that the suede trim gives this shoe a luxurious feel.

Regardless, all reviewers agreed that the soft upper, plush heel collar and padded tongue create a cozy, locked-in fit that works for a variety of different foot shapes. If you’re not sure about the shape of your feet, head into your local Fleet Feet for an expert one-on-one outfitting. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height.

Saucony Ride 16 vs Saucony Ride 15

A side by side comparison of the Saucony Ride 16 and the Saucony Ride 15.

Tech Specs

Saucony Ride 16

Saucony Ride 15

Weight

7.8 oz (W), 8.8 oz (M)

7.8 oz (W), 8.8 oz (M)

Heel-to-toe drop

8 mm

8 mm

Stack height (heel/forefoot)

35 mm/27 mm

35 mm/27 mm

On paper, the Ride 16 and the Ride 15 look exactly identical. But reviewers did notice more softness in the midsole and an improved fit in the Ride 16 when compared with the previous model.

“The Ride 15 was my go-to shoe for a while, so I was excited to try the 16,” Nate says. “I was surprised to immediately step into a softer-feeling shoe. While I do enjoy firm shoes more than my fellow wear-testers, I was happy to see that, while the heel feels noticeably softer, the midfoot keeps some of that firmness and responsiveness that I enjoy when running faster. These shoes cruised during 9 miles with some tempo work.”

In our review of the Ride 15, Nate and Caroline both mentioned a pinching feeling in their pinky toes, likely due to the shoe being too narrow. That issue seems to have been resolved in the Ride 16, and all of our reviewers enjoyed the fit and feel of the upper.

How Does the Saucony Ride 16 Compare?

We took a look at some comparable shoes and how they stack up against the Ride 16. Here’s what we found.

Tech Specs

Saucony Ride 16

ASICS Cumulus 25

On Cloudsurfer

Weight

7.8 oz (W), 8.8 oz (M)

8 oz (W), 9.3 oz (M)

7.2 oz (W), 8.6 oz (M)

Heel-to-toe drop

8 mm

8 mm

10 mm

Stack height

35 mm/27 mm

37.5 mm/29.5 mm

32 mm/22 mm

Price

$140

$140

$160

Fleet Feet reviewers found the balanced ride of the Saucony Ride 16 to be most similar to the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 25 and the On Cloudsurfer.

The Ride 16 and the Cumulus 25 are almost identical when it comes to stack height and heel drop, and come pretty close in terms of weight, too. Both shoes offer a moderately cushioned, neutral ride.

The On Cloudsurfer is a bit of a dark horse in this category. On has been making their shoes more and more cushioned and, while the Cloudsurfer isn’t necessarily soft, it’s softer than the majority of On shoes. Because it’s got a moderate stack height and a balanced firm-to-soft ratio, reviewers felt the Cloudsurfer compares well to the Ride.

Who is the Saucony Ride 16 Best For?

The women's Fleet Feet exclusive colorway of the Ride 16.

The Saucony Ride 16 is an excellent choice for beginner runners because it’s got a moderate amount of cushioning that’s neither too firm nor too soft. We even added it to our list of The Best Running Shoes for Beginners. The Ride 16 is a safe option that has worked for a majority of runners for the past decade and a half, so beginner runners will probably enjoy the fit and feel. Once you become experienced, you’ll learn more about your preferences and can venture out into different types of shoes that offer more cushioning, more stability, more speed or more softness.

And if you’re not a beginner runner, you can still hit your stride in the Ride 16. Our reviewers liked it for easy runs, recovery runs and even a little bit of tempo work.

The Ride 16 works well for a variety of different foot shapes, as our reviewers noticed, so you’ll likely be able to find your perfect fit. It’s available in wide widths, too (2E for men and D for women). Don’t forget about the Fleet Feet-exclusive colorways of the Saucony Ride 16, part of the Saucony X Fleet Feet Finesse Collection.

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