Saucony Ride 18 review

After testing the Saucony Ride 18 in the lab, we found that it's:

• Ideal for runners who enjoyed the previous Ride but wanted a more lightweight feel. This update delivers a fantastic drop in weight without sacrificing cushioning.
• A superbly priced daily trainer for those who favor slow-to-moderate paces and prefer a flexible running shoe.
• A top pick for runners who prioritize upper comfort, as this model shines in both breathability and plush materials.

We believe that the Ride 18 isn’t the best choice for runners needing maximum joint protection. It sticks to an average stack height and avoids the maximalist trend—great for some, but less ideal for heavier runners or marathoners. If cushioning is a priority, we suggest the Brooks Glycerin Max or the ASICS Novablast 5, which offer a more protection-focused, high-stack experience.

From our perspective, the Ride 18 may also disappoint those chasing a roomy fit. While the toebox is less tapered than before, it still feels snug and far from foot-shaped. For a more natural, wide-and-comfy feel, we recommend the Topo Atmos or the Altra Experience Flow.

Some brands keep pushing daily trainers beyond the 40 mm mark, but we’re glad Saucony stuck with a more sensible 35.0 mm—just like last year. In fact, we believe that more stack isn’t always better. In our tests, this moderately-thick midsole provided plenty of joint protection without turning the shoe into an overly-cushioned, max-stack tank.

For most runners—even those logging serious weekly mileage—this balanced setup feels just right. It might not be enough for ultra-heavy runners, but for nearly everyone else, it delivers protective landings mile after mile.

The forefoot is nicely cushioned at 26.6 mm, staying close to the average and right where a daily trainer should land. We think it offers enough underfoot protection for all midfoot strikers and most forefoot-landing runners.

This leaves us with a real heel-to-toe drop of 8.4 mm—almost identical to Saucony’s official 8 mm spec. We believe that this setup suits all footstrike styles and also feels spot-on for beginners.

The Saucony Ride 18 keeps the TPU-based PWRRUN+ foam, which feels noticeably springier and quicker underfoot than the EVA-based PWRRUN.

However, when it comes to softness, we discovered that this midsole feels nothing like a marshmallow. We measured a firm 26.1 HA using our Shore A durometer—this puts it in concrete-like territory. For runners who love a firm-and-stable setup, it’s a dream. But for those craving a cushioned, cloud-like feel, this one’s not the right pick.

TPU handles cold far better than EVA, and our 20-minute freezer challenge confirmed it. That’s a great result for runners in chilly climates needing a weather-resistant midsole.

One of the most standout features in the Ride 18 is the PWRRUN+ insole. We found that it offers a springy feel underfoot, especially thanks to its ultra-thick 7.0 mm build.

Most brands still stick with cheap EVA insoles—even in the most premium models like the ASICS Superblast 2—Saucony made again a clever move here that noticeably boosts comfort and energy return.

Unlike many brands that now favor ultra-rockered midsoles, we found that the Ride 18 stays true to a more traditional geometry—delivering a consistent, natural ride.

That said, the heel is slightly more angled to create smoother landings for rearfoot strikers. From our perspective, and the toe spring is a bit more noticeable than what we found in previous generations of the Ride.

We found that this shoe keeps avoiding extremes with a design that feels neither narrow nor overly roomy. It’s also nice to see that wide sizing is available in some markets to boost adaptability.

After letting our gel mold chill in the fridge, we took it out and moved straight into caliper-based measurements. Our first data point came from the widest part of the upper, which landed at 94.4 mm. That's a slightly narrow yet average result (2.5 mm less than the Ride 17) that still reinforces its low-risk design.

This shoe clearly feels a bit different from the Ride 17, as Saucony made the midfoot slightly tighter but eased off the taper, something certain runners will welcome.

Last year we measured 71.4 mm, but this version stretches to 73.0 mm, adding a touch more toe room but still being somewhat restrictive for those with wide feet.

While lateral space in the toebox feels a bit snug, we found a different story when measuring vertical clearance.

At 32.0 mm, this sky-high dimension provides above-average room for toe movement.

The Ride has always been an easy recommendation for neutral runners who enjoy a stable feel without dealing with a clunky design—and we found that this version stays true to that identity.

However, for those needing more support and feeling that a neutral platform isn't enough, we believe that a more structured option like the ASICS GT 2000 13 remains a better pick.

This is one of the tests that really sets the Ride 18 apart from most competitors. While nearly every daily trainer is getting noticeably stiffer—like the Brooks Glycerin 22—we found that Saucony kept this shoe impressively bendable (2/5), offering a natural sensation underfoot.

The heel counter is supremely comfortable, packed with generous padding and built with a flexible design that we rated again at 2/5. That said, this setup comes with a slight drop in stability for heel strikers—an expected trade-off.

Saucony went bold last year with a 125.1 mm midsole width in the Ride 17, and we’re glad to see they scaled it back to 122.1 mm. It’s still slightly wider than what we consider ideal for a daily running shoe, but at least now feels more streamlined and less clunky.

The heel followed the same path, shrinking from 93.8 mm to 91.9 mm in this version. While it’s not the best possible news for heel strikers, we believe that trimming the overall width was a much-needed adjustment.

Based on our test, the Ride 18 is now 16% more bendable than its predecessor, requiring just 25.4N to reach a 90-degree flex. This improvement makes it feel more jogging-friendly and everyday-ready in a comfort way.

The most notable enhancement in the Ride 18 is its significant weight reduction. Saucony has achieved a remarkable decrease, bringing the shoe down from 10.15 oz (288g) to 9 oz (255g).

This substantial improvement is particularly impressive, considering that the shoe maintains its cushioning and comfort levels. We are genuinely impressed by this advancement!

The ultra-airy appearance of the Ride 18 instantly caught our eye—it looked incredibly breathable even before testing. To verify our first impression, we ran it through our lab’s smoke-pumping test.

The results didn’t disappoint us. Smoke flowed out with near-zero resistance, confirming what we suspected from the start. We gave it a top 5/5 for ventilation, and we rank this shoe among the most breathable daily trainers we’ve ever tested.

Next, we examined the upper using a powerful backlight to better understand airflow distribution. The midfoot had limited ventilation, likely to provide a more secure and stable fit during runs. However, the toebox was another story. With both top and lateral ventilation zones, it expelled air quickly and efficiently.

Under our microscope, we discovered a standard dual-layer mesh but featuring gigantic ventilation holes. These openings were among the biggest we’ve seen in recent memory here in the lab.

What stood out even more was the secondary layer, which had minuscule holes. This combo is what made possible for the upper to score a 5 in our lab test.

Finally, Saucony added plush-and-thick padding around the tongue and heel for a cozy feel. At the same time, the toebox is stretchy and paper-thin, cutting down on weight. For this price, we’re convinced that this upper is really hard to beat.

Ventilation often comes with a durability trade-off—and that became clear during our Dremel test. We recorded a 2/5 score, which is below average and far from impressive, yet reasonable given how ultra-breathable this upper is.

On the flip side, the heel padding performed amazingly—it felt ultra-plush and built to last. We think that it could’ve spent hours facing our Dremel! Naturally, we gave it a flawless 5 out of 5.

We found that the outsole keeps a nearly identical design to the previous generation, featuring the same XT-900 rubber and weight-saving cutouts for a flexible feel. For this reason, there’s no major update here, and rubber coverage is still limited. However, this is something we expected from a brand that usually leans toward lightweight builds rather than full-length midsole protection.

Since it uses the same XT-900 compound, we tested its grip again and confirmed it's solid on dry surfaces but less reliable on wet terrain—partly due to the exposed midsole. We clocked 85.0 HC of hardness, which aligns with previous versions.

In terms of durability, 0.7 mm is quite a solid outcome that outperforms most shoes we've tested in the lab. It's a key result, especially for a model with such limited rubber coverage.

We also found an average 3.4 mm of thickness, which once again supports solid durability. The only concern would be for runners who wear down the medial side or any exposed spot. Check your worn pairs!

We think the Ride 18 nails that hard-to-find mix of comfort, performance, and affordability. It uses a more premium TPU foam, not basic EVA, and Saucony kept the price unchanged—which we find pretty rare these days.

While not oversized or ultra-bright, we confirmed that the Ride 18 includes small reflective details in the heel—just enough to boost low-light visibility. Still, we’d really prefer larger elements.

Instead of using punched eyelets like most average daily trainers, Saucony chose lace loops that resemble Nike’s Flywire system. These offer a more adaptive fit, though they always raise some concerns about long-term durability.

The tongue itself feels superb—plush but not bulky. We measured 8.5 mm of comfy padding, and in our view, that’s a smart middle ground. Brands often go over 10 mm, but that adds unnecessary weight, so we think Saucony made a perfect choice here for daily miles.

We found a semi-gusseted tongue design, something usual in the Ride series. This fit-enhancing feature adds a secure lockdown that’s sometimes missing in similarly priced shoes.

The heel looks almost identical to what we saw in the Ride 17, but Saucony dropped the finger-loop heel tab. It now features a sleeker design and cut off a bit of weight.

We had no issues swapping the Ride's insole for different custom orthotics thanks to the generous vertical space. There's even enough room to stack some orthotics over the included one if needed!