Saucony Guide 19 review

In our opinion, the Saucony Guide 19 is a good option for:

• Runners upgrading from older Guides who want a softer and more modern underfoot feel.
• Those needing excellent durability and a highly stable ride for everyday training.
• Anyone looking for strong support paired with surprising flexibility, and all at a fair price.

The Saucony Guide 19 carries more weight than we expected for a modern stability shoe. If you want a more agile ride, we believe there are better choices like the HOKA Arahi 8 or the ASICS GT 2000 14.

We also think the 6 mm drop will not suit runners who prefer a more heel-focused setup. In our view, the Nike Structure 26 delivers a more familiar ride for heel strikers.

We found a major improvement in shock absorption for the Guide 19 compared to its predecessor. The Guide 18 felt somewhat disappointing in this area with only 124 SA in the heel, but this update fully addresses that issue and makes the shoe far more appealing for heavier runners or those targeting long-distance runs with 144 SA.

The forefoot also received a substantial upgrade, climbing all the way to 133 SA.

Not all the changes are positive, as the new PWRRUN formulation delivers lower energy return in the heel at 54.8% while posting a similar result in the forefoot at 61.4%. We think this is not the direction most runners were hoping for, and it limits the shoe mainly to easy-paced runs.

The Guide often looks taller than it really is because of its oversized midsole sidewalls, but that’s exactly why we cut shoes in half and measure the true stack height.

This year’s version brings another small increase, raising the Guide 19 to 37.4 mm. We think Saucony found a smart middle ground here, keeping the shoe aligned with modern max-cushioned trends without making it excessively tall and unstable, which would go against the core purpose of this model.

The forefoot is also noticeably taller than average at 31.4 mm, which is exactly what we expected from a shoe that avoids using a steep heel-to-toe drop.

Speaking of that, here comes the drop. Saucony officially states that this shoe features a 6-mm offset, and we measured exactly the same result in our lab. That does not happen very often, so we were pleased to see the advertised geometry perfectly matching reality.

With a moderate drop like this, the Guide 19 feels especially natural for midfoot strikers. However, we think Saucony designed the platform well enough to comfortably support most runners.

One of the most noticeable updates in the Guide 19 comes from the midsole softness, as this new version of PWRRUN feels clearly softer than the one used in every previous model.

It measured only 30.5 AC in our Asker C durometer test. While that would have seemed unimaginable for a stability shoe not long ago, it has become increasingly common as modern support shoes now aim to blend comfort and stability through smarter geometry other supportive elements.

Another update that becomes obvious during every stride is the redesigned rocker geometry. The forefoot now rises much more aggressively than before, while the heel features a noticeably deeper curvature clearly intended to help heel strikers transition smoothly despite the moderate 6-mm drop.

What barely changed, at least during our runs, was the fit. Still, we wanted to verify that properly by analysing the interior of the Guide 19 using our custom testing method.

After letting the gel mould solidify inside our fridge, we started taking measurements. The first one came in very close to the current average at 96.2 mm, almost identical to last year’s result.

The same pattern continued in the toebox, where we measured 72.8 mm. That said, it’s important to mention that Saucony offers the Guide 19 in up to three different widths, although availability varies depending on the country.

We also found the toebox height comfortable, with no signs of pressure points or potential hot spots during our runs.

At 26.8 mm, Saucony took a conservative approach here, just like with the other fit-related measurements.

The outsole of the Guide 19 also brings a small improvement in grip, reaching a score of 0.61 in our test. That result ensures dependable traction while slightly outperforming our current lab average, another positive step forward for this update.

The outsole design remains very similar to previous generations, although Saucony introduced a few subtle adjustments. We noticed that the central forefoot area now includes rubber coverage instead of exposed foam, while several lateral pods feature small cutouts in the middle to help reduce some weight.

Some of the outsole design changes, combined with the softer PWRRUN foam, helped Saucony create a more flexible Guide 19. At only 11.1N in our test, this is great news for runners who dislike stiff midsoles and prefer a shoe that bends easily for everyday comfort.

No matter how we look at it, 10.5 oz or 298g is simply too heavy for a modern daily trainer. It also represents a substantial 7% weight increase over the previous generation, so we really think Saucony still has work to do in this area.

The oversized ventilation openings across the toebox immediately grabbed our attention the moment we unboxed the Guide 19.

Once we ran our smoke test, the result became completely obvious. The shoe earned a perfect 5/5 thanks to the huge amount of airflow moving through the upper.

We found that Saucony also invested real effort into the tongue ventilation, which is another area where airflow is excellent. Surprisingly, many brands still overlook this part of the shoe.

When we inspected the mesh closely, the construction looked impressively precise.

Saucony used the familiar oval-shaped ventilation pattern that we’ve seen in many successful uppers before, and there’s a good reason brands keep using it.

Some runners may feel that the heel and tongue are slightly less plush than what certain competitors offer. Still, we think Saucony found a smart balance between comfort and breathability here.

Saucony is one of those brands that loves giving names to every technology, and their stability system, similar to GTS from Brooks or 4D Guidance System from ASICS, is called CenterPath.

In simple terms, it combines an extra-wide midsole with massive sidewalls to create excellent stability without relying on old-school and intrusive methods like a medial post.

We really liked how Saucony managed to keep the Guide 19 flexible in every direction, something many brands still struggle to achieve in highly-cushioned running shoes. In fact, it posted a below-average result of just 10.7 Nm in our test.

The heel counter also prioritises comfort over aggressive support with a moderate 3/5 score.

Instead of relying on the stiff heel structures commonly found in stability shoes, Saucony mainly depends on the ultra-wide heel platform to deliver support and control.

The footprint of the Saucony Guide 19 is absolutely massive, and that becomes obvious the moment you look at the shoe. The forefoot, midfoot, and heel are all noticeably broader than what we usually find in a standard daily trainer.

To verify that impression, we grabbed our digital callipers and measured an enormous 120.0 mm width in the forefoot.

But the heel was what truly impressed us. At 104.2 mm wide, it’s one of the broadest platforms we’ve ever measured in the lab.

That explains the incredibly stable ride, although the obvious trade-off is a shoe that feels large, heavy, and somewhat bulky underfoot.

We already liked the upper because of its nice design and outstanding ventilation, and this durability result became the perfect finishing touch. A 5/5 score here completely surprised us, but it was definitely a welcome outcome.

Most shoes perform better in this test than in the toebox durability assessment, but the Guide 19 surprisingly goes in the opposite direction. Here we recorded only a 2/5 result, and we think this is clearly an area Saucony should revisit for the next version.

The XT-900 rubber delivered an excellent result in our outsole durability test. We measured only 0.6 mm of damage, which should translate into impressive long-term durability for the Guide 19.

Saucony used a substantial 3.2 mm layer of rubber here, which feels like a smart and safe design decision.

The brand could have reduced thickness to save some weight, but stability shoes are often used by runners who wear through outsoles quickly, so prioritising durability makes a lot of sense.

The beaded TPU insole included with the Guide 19 adds a generous 6.5 mm of extra cushioning, making it noticeably thicker than what we usually find in daily trainers.

While removing it means losing one of the most distinctive features of this shoe, the insole can still be taken out without issues.

In fact, swapping it for a thinner option may actually be a smart move for runners who already find the Guide 19 slightly tight and would benefit from a bit of extra room inside the shoe.

With only an 18% decrease in softness after spending 20 minutes in our freezer, the Guide 19 delivered a fairly solid result in this test.

There are no reflective elements on the Saucony Guide 19, which feels like a missed opportunity. Hopefully Saucony addresses that in the next version.

Saucony kept the tongue fairly lean at 3.9 mm, and we think that was the right call considering the already weighty build of the shoe.

Even so, comfort never became an issue during our runs, as the padding strikes a smart middle ground between plushness and weight savings. However, if you prefer those ultra-padded, pillow-soft tongues found in some daily trainers, this shoe does not go in that direction.

The tongue is semi-gusseted and we found it perfectly executed, using a breathable fabric that helps prevent this area from becoming a potential hot spot.

Saucony added generous padding in this area, although we noticed the brand skipped a heel tab entirely in favour of a cleaner and more streamlined design.

We’re happy to confirm that Saucony kept the same price as previous Guide models, which is genuinely good news at a time when many brands continue raising prices across their daily trainer lineups. And the Guide 19 stands out as a very strong value-oriented option in its category.