Saucony Guide 7 review

When I first put the Guide 7 on, it felt immediately comfortable. I love the static fit in the shoe. My foot is locked in, in the upper, but it is not too grippy on my feet. It never once bothered me during the four times that I have run in the shoe. I felt like my toes and heel were free to move.  It also has a very breathable upper. My foot looks like it is spilling out a little on the medial side of the shoe.

I got the Guide 7 in a size 11 and assumed it would be tight. In my Brooks shoes (Adrenaline 11&13), I wore 11.5. My current Ravenna's are a size 12. I have about a thumbs length width in my right foot. It fits a little truer to my shoe size on my left foot, but I still feel like I have enough room in the toe box. I would probably go to an 11.5 in this shoe due to the fact that my foot looks like it is kind of spilling out a little. 

The Powergrid cushioning is very comfortable. It is very supportive without making the shoe heavy. I got a bruise under my forefoot area the second time I ran in the shoe. That may have just been due to the socks I had been wearing. It did not bother me during my next two runs when I changed socks. I also walked around it a few times while at work and felt supported and comfortable.

I liked that the stability zones are spread from the heel through the mid-foot to provide stability and comfort. I am a mild to moderate pronator and I felt very stable in the shoe. The dual density EVA on the medial side is supportive and cushiony without feeling like too much shoe. I do not like to sound to repetitive, but the full length Powergrid is a nice touch.

The shoes felt great while running. I ran in them four times. It is only a ounce lighter than the Ravenna 4, so I would not say that is a huge difference between the two shoes. The big difference is the 8mm drop in the Guide 7. It is a little different at first, but after the first couple of runs, I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the tight, yet comfortable grip in the upper. My foot never feels like it is going to come out of the shoe. It is nice to have a guidance shoe that I can run in without it feeling like it is making my feet heavier. It is a soft ride from heel-to-toe. The deeper flex grooves and flared forefoot make it a very responsive ride throughout.

I also have some winter running gear that I have tried on that I will talk about on Monday or Tuesday. So far my winter running if off to a good start.