It’s no secret that Saucony is one of my favorite running shoe brands. Over the last 3 or 4 years I’ve logged hundreds, if not thousands, of miles in numerous pairs of Kinvara and Virrata models. The Kinvara is pretty much everything I need in a running shoe – affordable, lightweight and cushioned, low heel/toe offset, pretty basic in terms of design, and as an added bonus, it’s a good looking shoe too. Same goes for the Virrata, except of course for it’s zero offset properties.
You’d think Saucony would be content to have 2 very popular shoes in the Lightweight/Neutral category, but judging by a video I stumbled upon on the RunningShoes.com YouTube Channel a few weeks ago, you’d be wrong. Enter the Breakthru – an 8mm drop, responsive shoe, and to quote Saucony guy Curtis Jensen: “their lightest weight trainer.”
Saucony were good enough to send me a pair of the Breakthru to try out before they hit the stores early next year, and although I’ve only logged 40+ miles in them so far, I wanted to get a few early thoughts posted on the blog.
Weight:
The Breakthru weighs in at exactly 8.8oz for a Men’s Size 10. I typically wear a 9.5, but apparently test shoes are only available in full sizes. To be honest, the extra half size makes the toe box a little long, but it hasn’t impacted any of my initial runs. Actually, I usually employ the extra-loop method of tying shoe laces, which helps prevent heel slippage anyway.
Fit:
Out of the box, the fit was excellent and a great match for my medium width feet. Both the tongue and heel counter are slightly padded and provide enough comfort without that bulky, pillow-like feeling, and paired with an Original Weight Injinji sock, the forefoot is roomy enough to allow for toe splay with no squashed-together sensation whatsoever.
Comfort:
The Breakthru is quite a plush shoe, yet feels fast and is very light on the feet, thanks in part to Saucony’s FlexFilm technology. Compared to the Kinvara, I can definitely tell this is an 8mm drop shoe, but thankfully, out on the run, the extra 4mm offset was a non-issue. Shoe cushioning is excellent, providing a soft, yet responsive ride, and the Breakthru also features RUNDRY internal lining which is designed to wick away moisture on those warmer weather runs. Guess I’ll have to wait until next Spring to test that out.
Responsiveness:
I like the ride of the Breakthru a lot. Traction is great and there’s a nice snappy feel to the shoe when you get up to speed. Even on those easy recovery days, you can really get into a smooth rhythm quite quickly.
Looks:
There’s no doubt Saucony make some great looking shoes in a staggering array of colors, and as you can see by the test pair I received, the Yellow/Orange/Blue colorway is pretty snazzy too. At this stage I’m not sure if other choices will be available, but knowing Saucony, they won’t just launch the Breakthru with one single option.
Price:
I believe the planned price point for the Breakthru is $100 – inline with the Kinvara and in my opinion good value. In fact, with the amount of Injected Blown Rubber (IBR) on the outsole, I anticipate getting quite a few more miles out of the Breakthru than the Kinvara.
Specs:
Weight – 8.8oz (size 10)
Offset – 8mm
Stack height – 23mm heel, 15mm forefoot
Conclusions:
I’m pretty sure the Breakthru will appeal to a broad spectrum of runners and be used on everything from daily training runs to marathon race days. Also for runners used to wearing a more traditional shoe with a greater heel/toe offset, the Breakthru could be an excellent stepping stone down to a lighter weight, more natural offering like the Kinvara.
To date, I’ve worn the Breakthru on easy paced training runs in the 5 and 6 mile range, with a longest run of 10 miles at a slightly quicker tempo. Terrain has been the typical asphalt, with some gravel and grass thrown in for good measure. Performance has been consistently flawless.
I’ll probably post updates when I’ve logged more miles in the shoe, but for now, I think this provides a good overview of the Breakthru. If you have any questions/comments/feedback, feel free to post something in the box below.
Disclaimer: The Breakthru are a media sample provided free of charge by Saucony.
Other Reviews:
They do make pretty shoes. I’ll use my RW GCs on a pair when they come out. I almost used my Kinvara 5 for my marathon shoe but in a 15 miler, it just wasn’t enough there for someone my size (6-4, 220). This one could pick up that spot for those long training runs.
Saucony says that this shoe isn’t replacing the Ride7…they seem like they are filling the same purpose though as far as category/Intended purpose go. Do you have any thoughts or opinions on where this shoe falls into their lineup? I currently run 40-55mi per week using my Ride 7’s for long and easy runs and my A6’s for speed and tempo work. Any reason to consider replacing my Ride with the Breakthru…or reason not to?
Hey Eric. No experience with the Ride I’m afraid, and Saucony gave me no information on where the Breakthru is meant to fit in with their lineup. I did hear of a specialty running store that won’t be carrying the Breakthru as they feel it is a stripped down version of the Ride though.
Yes, it seems like the Breakthru could very easily have been the next evolution of the Ride…leaving the Triumph as their high mileage cushioning shoe. I will be in the market for a new pair of shoes around the release of these and would like to purchase the shoe Saucony plans to keep around. Not sure if the Breakthru and Ride can survive together…
Steve I picked up a pair on a whim, I stopped in my LRS to return a pair of Musha’s and they happened to have breakthru in. You’re right Saucony makes good looking shoes. They seemed long for me compared to the ISO, so I dropped down a full size from a 12.5. Looking fwd to running in them
How you liking the Breakthru, Derek?
After a few runs in them I’m feeling “em” like you said nice responsive ride, sexy upper. The dry wicking fabric along the interior wall will come in handy during the summer. It has a decent amount of Cush. Will be interesting to see how it’s received in the market in generally and specifically among Saucony faithful