By: Jeremy Neisser
One of the largest producers is Saucony, a company based in the United States. They created dozens of different shoes, including the popular Ride and Guide.
We breakdown the differences between the Ride & Guide but before we dive into the comparison, what makes a good running shoe?
The main difference is that Saucony Ride is a neutral shoe and the Guide is a guidance shoe. Both offer good support but the Guide is not designed for overpronators. The Guide will also be slightly stiffer whereas the Ride is a smoother, more flexible feel.
The Ride is my favorite out of the two - great for everyday runs, and offers a great amount of support and cushioning where needed, especially under my heels.
Both the Ride and the Guide have their 14th versions. We’ll be comparing the 14s, but throughout the article, we may make mention of the previous versions if necessary.
Let’s get into the specifics of the Saucony Ride vs Saucony Guide!
Saucony Ride vs. Guide – Detailing the Differences
Saucony Ride 14 Review
The Saucony Ride 14 is a popular athletic shoe built for runners. It has almost no slope on the bottom with only an 8 mm. difference between the heights of the heel and toe.
This is consistent to the other versions of the Ride.
Unlike a lot of shoes, it also meets the weight requirements established by the American College of Sports Medicine.
One of the benefits of the Ride 14 is that it has a slim, lightweight fit with little padding on the sides. It does have average arch support and can be used for daily running without breaking down. These are a great stability running shoe.
The sizes do run small, but overall runners find the shoe comfortable for running on the road. The Ride 14 has average arch support and very little padding. It comes in a variety of colors and runs small, similar to the Ride 10-13.
The Ride 14 comes in many different colors and includes extra cushioning around the tongue and toe box, which had a roomy fit.
I enjoyed the breathability even though it did feel a bit narrow for my wide feet.
However, many runners found the shoes to be comfortable, durable, and able to accommodate individuals with different arches.
- Consistently good cushioning: PWRRUN cushioning continues to provide just the right amount of softness, yet responsive enough to tackle as many miles as you wish.
- Bolder and faster: Inspired by wear testing and consumer feedback, the updated shape and handcrafted feel deliver a sleek, secure profile that’s faster and more dynamic than before.
- Slipper-like fit: The clean look of FORMFIT combines a new and improved engineered mesh to optimize breathability with a lighter, thinner internal construction for a comfortable and custom fit.
- Lighter Footprint: This style is vegan and contains recycled upper materials.
Overall, the Ride 14 has minimal cushioning and can be used for road and daily running. Ride 14s do have some difficulty gaining traction on wet surfaces, so they might not be the best footwear for running in the rain.
The biggest differences are the styles and colors.
Saucony Guide 14 Review
The Saucony Guide 14 is a lightweight running shoe that falls between 8 and 10 oz. depending on size.
It has almost no slope from the heel to toe at 8 mm. The footwear comes in many different colors but is currently discontinued, so they might be hard to find.
I enjoyed the Guide 14 because it is made from flexible, comfortable, lightweight material and has arch support without including a ton of extra padding. The shoe is durable and can be used for daily road running. The tongue and sides do have some cushioning, but it is minimal.
One downside of the shoe is that the back runs a bit tight, so it can run against the skin. However, the Guide 14 overall has a slim, true to size fit. The toe box is roomy and has space for splay. There is extra arch support for stability, which is useful for individuals with high arches. Overall, a great stability running shoe.
- Weight: 10.5 oz (298 g)
- Cushioning: PWRRUN
- Offset: 8 mm (32.5mm / 24.5mm)
- Category: Structured Cushioning
Overall, the shoe is lightweight and comfortable. Some runners were able to take the Guide 14 on light trails with some success, and many others enjoyed that it had traction while moving in the rain.
Saucony Ride vs Guide - Wrap Up
During a practical comparison of stats, it’s easy to see that Saucony produces lightweight shoes with minimal features designed to give people a comfortable run. There are actually few differences between the Saucony Ride 14 and Saucony Guide 14. The main difference is going to come with how people feel while wearing the shoes.
Each of the Rides and Guides is designed to include arch support and some padding while focusing on a streamlined run. T
his means that people will need to try on the shoes to determine if this style works for them or not. Additionally, some runners might be more comfortable in one shoe over another.
As with anything, people will need to try on the running shoe before making a decision. But whatever their decision is, if they choose one of these four Saucony models, they should have a durable, enjoyable option
How to Pick a Good Running Shoe?
Running shoes have slightly different requirements than other athletic or casual footwear. In particular, they need to be lightweight, comfortable, and be able to prevent some of the damage which comes from strenuous exercise.
The American College of Sports Medicine outlines some of the simplest and best rules for picking a good running shoe. In particular, the shoe should:
- Have a small slope between the heel and toe
- Weigh no more than 8-10 oz.
- Should have little to no extra features
This means that the ideal running shoe should be comfortably fitted, weigh little, and not have extra material or features like too much padding so the person wearing it is less likely to trip or experience other issues. The idea is that the foot still does the majority of the work in keeping a person stable but still has protection from the elements around it.
Most modern running shoes meet these requirements, but sometimes people will find a shoe that has a large slope (think of a diagonal line) between the heel and toe or too much padding. When this happens, people are more likely to experience severe pronation or supination. Pronation is when the ankle rolls inward while supination is when the ankle rolls outward during strides.
When someone overpronates, the shock of their footfall is not absorbed properly by the body. The force will hit the knees and hips, and sometimes even leads to muscle tearing. In these cases, runners will be unable to return to their exercise for a long time.
A good running shoe can help prevent these problems and many others.
What Type of Foot Do You Have?
When picking the right running shoe, a runner needs to know what kind of foot they have. Perhaps the most important aspect in choosing a shoe for an individual is knowing what kind of arch they have. Most runners will either have a high, normal, or flat arch.
via https://heelthatpain.com
The arch in the foot is the plantar fascia ligament. This ligament runs along the bottom of the foot and absorbs most of the shock from an impact. The ideal position is what would be considered normal, or a slight curve that keeps part of the bottom of the foot off of the ground.
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Hi, Jeremy Here,
I am the the guy behind Train for a 5K. On this site, I share everything that learned along my running journey. The content I create is the running training I wish I had before we started this journey. About Me.
I have run over 250 races including the California International Marathon, Clarksburg Country Run, and various other 5K & 10K races throughout the United States. He is former Athletics department employee at University of the Pacific.
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API