Saucony Ride 19 Review
The Saucony Ride 19 is an everyday neutral road running shoe. It is designed to deliver a comfortable, cushioned ride at slower, easy paces, but is also responsive enough for slightly quicker running.
The new Saucony Ride 19 takes some of the ride characteristics, as well as the general fit and feel, from the more cushioned Saucony Triumph. The base is not as wide as that of the Triumph, which I preferred, and because of this, along with the slightly lower stack height, the Ride 19 is a bit more flexible and feels closer to the ground than the higher-stacked Saucony Triumph. This is very different from the Saucony Ride 18, which had a much softer heel feel and a more flexible forefoot. The Ride 19 is stiffer and, although it doesn’t feature a rocker or pronounced curved geometry, the midsole carries the foot from landing to toe-off more smoothly than the previous version. This gives the Ride 19 a slightly plusher, more controlled ride.
The midsole is made from Saucony’s PWRRUN+ foam, which has been reformulated to feel softer. This is not how it feels to me. As a midfoot striker who only really lands on the heel when running downhill, it may be that I’m not loading the heel enough to notice that softer feel. Instead, the shoe feels well cushioned but without excessive compression or bounce. This gives the Ride 19 a more natural, authentic ride. I’m not being propelled forward by an overly bouncy midsole or sinking into something too soft. Instead, I feel like I’m running in the shoe, rather than on it, which makes it easy to forget about the shoe and just enjoy the run.
The stack height has increased to 36mm in the heel and 28mm in the forefoot, while the 8mm heel-to-toe drop remains. Saucony sees this as the sweet spot for an everyday training shoe, suitable for both heel and midfoot strikers. As someone used to lower-drop shoes, the 8mm drop is noticeable when standing, but once running, it doesn’t feel like the shoe is forcing a heel-first landing. It was easy to maintain a natural gait. The base of the midsole is also slightly broader than the Ride 18, which adds a touch more stability.
The toe box is more pointed than rounded but still offers a relatively straight big toe line, giving a positive feel at toe-off. I found the width just behind the toe joints roomy enough for natural foot movement, while the heel and midfoot felt secure and snug. The overall fit is very similar to the Saucony Triumph 23.
In terms of sizing, Saucony shoes are similar in length to Brooks, 361, Topo and Altra. If you typically wear New Balance, Hoka, Inov-8, La Sportiva or Karhu, I would suggest trying half a UK size smaller for a comparable fit. For example, a UK 11 in Saucony is similar in length to a UK 11.5 in Hoka. The Saucony Ride 19 is available in two widths for both men and women, with the regular fit sitting on the narrower side, similar to Hoka.
The outsole uses Saucony’s XT-900 rubber, which is designed for durability and to last the lifespan of the shoe. It provides reliable traction on both wet and dry roads. There are also small triangular lugs, which offer slightly better grip on damp leaves and light trails such as disused railway paths compared to the smoother outsoles found on many road shoes. This pattern is also a nod to Saucony’s heritage, seen on models like the Saucony Jazz and Jazz 5000 from the 1980s and 90s.
The heel cup is quite stiff, providing a good level of support. The heel sits slightly within the midsole, which helps stabilise the foot on landing. There is a comfortable amount of padding around the heel and collar, and the tongue is well cushioned—exactly what you would expect from a daily training shoe focused on comfort.
The tongue is gusseted and includes a lace loop to help keep it in place. This also enhances the secure midfoot fit. There is an additional lace hole at the top, allowing for a more locked-in heel fit if needed.
The upper is made from a soft, breathable engineered mesh. It feels snug through the heel and midfoot, with a more accommodating forefoot.
I’ve used the Saucony Ride 19 as my morning run shoe for the past three weeks, mainly for a 5:30am five-mile route. This includes a steep uphill mile, a couple of flatter miles, a steep downhill, and a gradual downhill finish. The Ride 19 felt comfortable climbing, with enough forefoot room and responsive cushioning to maintain forward momentum. On flatter sections, the ride felt smooth and consistent. On the downhill, I was able to maintain a midfoot landing without feeling like the heel was interfering. On the final gradual descent, I could easily increase turnover into a steadier, tempo-like pace.
The Saucony Ride 19 has all the attributes of a well-rounded daily trainer. It’s not overly soft, so you’re not running on excessively plush foam. Instead, it offers a more balanced and natural ride. While it doesn’t feature a highly responsive foam, rocker, or plate, it never feels cumbersome. It remains comfortable and smooth at steady paces, with enough versatility to handle some faster running.
Summary
The Ride 19 moves away from the softer, more flexible feel of the Ride 18, offering a firmer, smoother and more controlled ride. It feels more stable underfoot, with a more consistent transition from landing to toe-off. Best suited to easy runs, daily mileage and steady efforts, with enough responsiveness for light tempo running. Not designed for speed sessions or race day, but a reliable all-round daily trainer. The Saucony Ride 19 is a versatile everyday neutral road running shoe, well suited to easy runs, long runs, and occasional up-tempo efforts.
Alternatives to Saucony Ride 19
Hoka Clifton 10: A soft feel to the cushioning and a more prominent rocker or curved shape to the midsole. Available in two width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-clifton-10-review/
New Balance 880 v15: A firmer feel to the midsole despite the higher stack height give the ride a more responsive feel. The rocker or curve to the midsole guides the foot from landing to take off more noticeably. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-880v15-review/
Altra Experience Flow 3: A broader more rounder toe box allows more space for the feet to spread and function inside the shoes. The feel to the cushioning is softer and the midsole is more flexible which gives the Experience Flow a more natural feel to the ride but, you aren’t carried a long as easily as you are in the Saucony Ride 19. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-experience-flow-3-review/
Topo Phantom 4: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet more room to spread and function in the shoes. The midsole is bouncier which gives the Phantom 4 less feel for the ground in comparison to the Ride 19. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-phantom-4-review/
Brooks Ghost 17: A more pointed toe box. The cushioning takes away a lot of the feel for the ground and makes the Brooks Ghost 17 feel like a lot more shoe. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-ghost-17-review/
Inov-8 RoadFly Max: A broad rounded toe box allows more room for the feet to spread and function. The feel to the midsole is similar initially with the RoadFly getting slightly bouncier with use. The RoadFly doesn’t have quite the same smooth transition from landing to toe off. You have to do the running. Which gives the shoes a different feel to the ride. Available in two width men’s and women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-roadfly-max-review/
361 Centauri 3: A very soft feel to the cushioning in comparison. The toe box is more pointed, and the rocker is more prominent. Available in two width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/361-degrees-centauri-3-review/
Karhu Fusion 4: A bouncier feel to the midsole. The Karhu Fulcrum guides the foot through the gait cycle. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/karhu-fusion-4-review/
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