Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 review

In our opinion, the Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 is likely to suit people who:

• love the intricate mesh-and-overlay aesthetic of early-2010s running shoes
• prefer a structured, supportive ride over a soft one
• could use a light and airy summer kick

We wouldn’t recommend the ProGrid Omni 9 to people who need generous toe room, as its tapered, shallow toebox can feel quite restrictive. Similarly built retro-runner sneakers like the ASICS Gel 1130 and the Nike Zoom Vomero 5 have a more rounded toebox shape and offer more vertical space.

Finally, if $155 stretches your sneaker budget, the New Balance 530 and the Nike V5 RNR deliver a similar aesthetic at a sub-$100 price.

Progressive back in 2010, the shoe's GRID cushioning is now a heritage setup that brings nostalgia and, well...a fairly good amount of shock absorption for a casual sneaker.

With 111 SA in the heel, the ProGrid Omni 9 has enough impact protection to earn a spot among our comfortable sneakers. However, it is still a far cry from what modern running shoes deliver (an average of 130 SA), so we wouldn't recommend this Saucony sneaker for jogging. But it is a nice companion for long walks and commutes.

But we can still experience echoes of the shoe's running past in its above-average energy return of 58.3%. Notably more responsive than the average sneaker, it adds a pleasant pep to each step.

Neither too platformy nor too grounded, the ProGrid Omni 9 hits a sweet spot with a moderate heel stack of 31.5 mm.

Its forefoot stack also falls squarely into the average at 21.0 mm, cushioning the toe joints and the ball of the foot against hard ground.

The two stack heights create a gradual heel-to-toe drop of 10.5 mm, which is the most common offset for walking.

This moderate elevation helps keep the heel better cushioned and lowers stress on the Achilles and calves.

This Saucony sneaker relies on a dual-density midsole setup, with a softer full-length foam for comfort and firmer units in the heel and forefoot for added stability.

The softer material registered a below-average reading of 38.5 AC, proving to be even more forgiving than the standard sneaker midsole. However, the harder foam balances that out with a rather high durometer reading of 55.8 AC.

This combination creates a balanced ride, but it leans more towards a firm underfoot experience.

Pronounced rocker geometry wasn't nearly as common back in 2010, when the Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 first debuted as a performance running shoe. That's why its toe spring is relatively modest, while the heel bevel is practically absent. Fortunately, this flat-soled design isn't a major drawback given the shoe's moderate stack height.

A tight forefoot fit is one of the biggest complaints people have about the Saucony ProGrid Omni 9. So let's grab a caliper and take a look at the dimensions of this kick's one-to-one gel cast.

Measuring the widest part of the forefoot, we found no problems, as the tool showed a notably wider-than-average reading of 96.4 mm.

But as you can see from the cast's shape, the ProGrid Omni 9 has a rather aggressive taper angle that becomes progressively tighter towards the front.

That is also reflected in our below-average caliper measurement of only 66.4 mm in the big toe area, confirming the gripes people have about the shoe.

Unfortunately, the shallow toebox of this Saucony kick doesn't help the situation either.

The wiggle room is limited here as well, measuring only 24.5 mm of vertical space.

GRID is not the only functional technology that Saucony carried over to the sneaker version of the ProGrid Omni 9. The brand's proprietary XT-900 outsole is yet another star of the show. Made of premium carbon rubber, it promises 'exceptional traction,' and it delivers on point!

Our traction testing machine recorded a rather high friction coefficient of 0.70, proving it 40% grippier than the average sneaker outsole! From wet concrete sidewalks to smooth mall tiles, this sneaker feels surefooted on a wide range of urban surfaces.

In the 2000s fashion, this Saucony sneaker features an intricate outsole pattern packed with various flex grooves, contrasting textures, wavy elements, and even little dots that look like built-in screws!

This visually busy design gives the impression of a complex shoe anatomy, where each element is meant to serve a purpose. It doesn't necessarily do so, but it certainly looks striking.

The ProGrid Omni 9 is not a particularly pliable kick, but not an overly rigid one either. It bends just enough to keep heel-to-toe transitions nice and smooth.

At 15.3N, it takes about 13% more force to bend by 30 degrees than the average sneaker, which is on par with the New Balance 574 and the New Balance 9060.

With a moderate weight of 11.4 oz (323g), the Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 feels easy to move around in. About 2 oz lighter than average, we found it even lighter than what its detail-heavy design suggests.

Disclaimer: The ProGrid Omni 9's upper materials may vary depending on the colorway and edition. In this review, we are testing the shoe's Classic version in a Mint/Multli colorway.

A retro open-mesh material dominates the ProGrid Omni 9's upper, keeping its interior remarkably well-ventilated.

The shoe's toebox released smoke effortlessly in our test, earning the highest breathability score of 5 out of 5. And a closer microscope shot of the shoe further revealed just how thin and porous its chainlinking is.

On the other hand, this Saucony shoe is also available in a waterproof GTX version for those who need protection from drizzles and splashes.

In 2010, the ProGrid Omni 9 debuted as a stability running shoe, offering pronation control features to runners with overpronation (excessive inward rolling of the foot).

Today, the sneaker inherits that supportive design with its structured upper and a TPU midfoot cage. The latter wraps around the foot from the bottom and stretches up on the sides to stop undesirable sideways foot movement.

The sturdy build of this Saucony sneaker showed up in our torsional rigidity test, where it showed an above-average measurement of 16.8 Nm. This means that the ProGris Omni 9 requires more torque to twist than the average lifestyle sneaker.

Back in the rearfoot, the shoe holds the heel and ankle in a rather stiff and well-padded embrace, minimizing unwanted foot shifting.

The heel counter barely budged when we tried to bend and fold it in our manual test, earning a high stiffness score of 4 out of 5.

Another echo of this Saucony shoe's past as a stability running shoe appears in its broad midsole base.

In the widest part of its forefoot, our caliper recorded a high reading of 116.5 mm. For reference, that's even wider than the New Balance 574's midsole (114.3 mm).

Its heel also extends broader than the average at 91.7 mm. That makes the ProGrid Omni 9 feel steady straight from the landing phase.

As much as we adore the lightness and airiness of this Saucony shoe's thin mesh upper, it proved way too delicate to withstand abrasion. Our Dremel test showed that it takes mere seconds to completely destroy the fabric, lowering the toebox durability score to 1 out of 5.

The textile inside the shoe resisted the sanding slightly better, resulting in a more reassuring score of 3 out of 5.

And if there's one part of the ProGrid Omni 9 that's built to go the distance, it's the shoe's XT-900 outsole rubber. Sustaining only 0.7 mm of damage in our Dremel test, it shows excellent abrasion resistance and promises to withstand plenty of miles on rough city pavements.

The shoe's outsole thickness made us even more delighted because at 4.6 mm, it packs plenty of material to wear through before the sole gives out.

An amply padded insole contributes to this Saucony shoe's initial step-in comfort, offering as much as 4.8 mm of foam under the heel.

The ProGrid Omni 9's insole is removable and can be swapped for a custom orthotic if needed. But be wary of this kick's limited toe space, as it may not fit all over-the-counter inserts.

The Classic version of the Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 features large reflective brand logos on the heel counter, improving its visibility in the dark.

In contrast to its thin mesh upper, the collar and tongue of this Saucony sneaker are quite abundantly padded.

Our caliper showed that the tongue, in particular, packs up to 10.5 mm of foam, beautifully buffering the instep from lace pressure.

The generous padding also helps keep the tongue in place despite the lack of gussets. However, some sideways shifting is still possible.

There are no finger loops or pull tabs on the ProGrid Omni 9.

The Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 is priced above the category average but backs up the higher price point with an eye-catching design, supportive structure and a high-quality outsole.