Saucony  Guide 18 Road-Running Shoes - Men's

I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. These are very similar to another well padded shoe. The Guide 18 is a super padded, heel to toe stride shoe. It has a good amount of lateral support and excellent impact absorption. The fit was true to size and the shoes are made of a breathable upper material .

I’ve been wearing these shoes for a couple weeks now, and they seem to be a solid roadrunner. The cushioning is thick, And the shoes are stable feeling under foot. I primarily use them on pavement, but also have run on trails in relatively ideal conditions, and they did fine for relatively short stints on dirt with adequate traction. I found the foam to be a little less springy than other well cushioned road runners I have used. I also work on my feet and frequently walk 6000 steps while on my eight hour shift, and have really loved these shoes for this role , it helps with joint and muscle fatigue And they will be my go to work shoes for now.

This pair of Guide 18 was provided free of charge by REI for the purpose of reviewing. Really appreciate the product but the opinion here is entirely my own. I have had 16 miles in them so far . Mostly on pavement with some hard packed trails and some light snows. This is an excellent stability offering and I do run in stability shoes (GT-2000 12) and do use orthotics from time to time. My pace is around 10 min/mile. Overall I think this is a must try for anyone with stability needs or want to run in rigid rocker shoes. Pros - Highly effective rocker and heel bevel. Very smooth transition. heel strikers rejoice! - also has a sweet for forefoot strikers especially picking up the pace. - good lockdown with excellent upper materials and padding. Very comfortable. Also zero issues with fit even with swapping out stock insoles for orthotic - surprisingly good traction in light snow despite the exposed midsole foam. I think largely due to wide mid foot and high side wall creates good stability in most surfaces. But see below comment for cons. Cons - rigid rocker is not for everyone. personally prefer a bit more flex up front. Also still not used to going downhill in the rigid rocker. I had to change my foot strike a lot for long run down inclines or hills. A bit of learning curve. - personally prefer a bit more bounce and pop from the midsole material. didn’t quite enjoy the softer PWRRUN+ insole with the firmer PWRRUN midsole combo as much other materials. I Previously also didn’t like other Saucony shoes that have this midsole/ insoles combo. - excellent for standing around all day but tipping backwards accidentally is a real thing. Never experienced it in other shoes.

I have been using Saucony Guide shoes on and off for over 15 years. I recently purchased the Guide 18 online and was very pleased with the fit. However, I had to return it because of a defect — the glue between the mesh and the sole was very noticeable and did not fully hold the mesh together. The replacement pair also had visible glue on the outside, which makes me wonder durability and lack of quality control.

I have been using these on the assault trainer inside. They roll so differently than my typical running shoes. I don’t run as fast, but my feet and legs and back can last so much longer! Great for training, probably pick my other shoes for race day though.

I've had these now for a month and put some miles down...so here we go. Right up front, I would definitely recommned these for distance road running. They are EXTREMELY comfortable. I walk around and forget I have them on. It is walking on pillows. I use them for walking and jogging on hard pack, asphalt, and the treadmill, which is where I do most of my miles with a weighted vest. At 48 y/o, and a "runner" for 30 of those, these are a game changer for jogging and walking if your heavier or wearing weight. No more sore joints, before sore muscles and cardio exhaustion. They are built for distance. The outer is durable and has resisted scuffing, albeit this is no trail hiker. This is a road king. As a side note, I will wear these through a mixed cardio workout, and they are fine on the rower and assault bike. I would not lift or ride in theses. I am a size 10 with feet on the wider side. These fit true to size and are not too narrow. Plenty of room in the toe box.

The toe off section (mid section) of the outsole does not have tough rubber. It is exposed mid sole. I only put 106 miles on my pair and already that section is completely flat. And yes I getting a bad knee pain. I would not recommend this shoe.

Saucony Guide 18. Have worn Saucony shoes for years and overall love them. HOWEVER. This last purchase of the Guide 18 Extra Wide was a disappointment. The top eyelet blew out in less than 6 months, making the shoes unusable (with security).

Only 85 miles, outsole worn out and flat. Foot now hurts if use. First pair of saucony very disappointing. Never had happen before. Do not recommend.

This is a great shoe with maximum support. I would recommend it if you are a runner who likes full support and runs on pavement. It has very minimal grip, so not really a trail shoe. It fits just like my Kinvaras, same sizing, and the top is very familiar. In short I would describe this as the saucony version of the ultra supportive hokas