Saucony Mirage 3 Men's Shoe Review

Saucony Mirage 3 Men's Shoe Review



Saucony Mirage 3
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Details from the Saucony website. See here

I was asked to do a review of the brand new Saucony Mirage 3 men's shoe.  Let me just state I am just a Joe Blow the runner.  I know very little about shoe construction and all the technical details.  I have included some reviews below to help fill in that void of knowledge. 

I spent a week running in this shoe and here are my impressions Note: I do not work for Saucony. This is an honest review from a Joe Blow runner.

As soon as you pick up the Mirage 3 you notice they are very light (something like 8 ounces).  This would be very nice on my long runs.  They are much lighter than my current shoe.

Something also very unique about the shoe is the lack of any stitching.  All the foot support pieces of the uppers are made of a cloth-like material.  These supports are glued onto the shoe instead of being stitched on like most running shoes.  This creates a seamless smooth outside and inside for the shoe.  I believe this smooth inside design will help to reduce any foot rubbing and toe nail issues.  It reminds me of the sock-less triathlon running shoes.  I would be curious how this unique design holds up to months of wear and tear. 

There is also no leather on this shoe.  The entire shoe is almost entirely made of mesh and the cloth-like supports.  This make for a light weight breathable shoe.

Overall the shoe is very comfortable to wear.  They are soft, lightweight and have no seams.  There was some minor slippage in the heal but I solved this by lack locking the shoe.  I have this issue with many other shoes I have run in the past.  I believe this is due to my feet structure and not the shoes.

My biggest concern was the heal drop.  The heal drop on this shoe is 4mm.  I believe most shoes have an 8-12mm drop.  My current shoe has a 12mm heal drop so this is a big difference.   As soon as you run in the shoe you will notice a big difference (if are use to running in shoes with a more traditional/larger drop). 

My foot seems to be striking more in the mid-sole and harder then I am use to.  The harder strike I think is due to the lower amount of cushioning in the shoe than I am use to and the lower heal drop.  The cushion is adequate for the shoe its just less than I am use to.  At the beginning of the run the lower heal drop seemed to tire out my shines and calves a little more than normal.  This issue went away quickly after getting a little more mileage on the shoes.

This may be in my mind but the shoes seem to retain more heat than my current but this must be all in my mind because this is a very breathable shoe.

Overall this is a great shoe and I highly recommend it for those looking for a lightweight, comfortable, minimalist shoe.  Keep in mind the 4mm heal drop may not be for everyone and I would recommend gradually easing into the shoe. 

Other Reviews
Real Run Review

A review of the Saucony Women's Mirage 3
"Health On The Runs" review of the Women's Mirage 3

Video Reviews From Others