Comments on: Saucony to Abandon the 12mm Lift Model: Big Move From one of the Big Players in the Running Shoe World https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html Running Shoes, Gear Reviews, and Posts on the Science of the Sport Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:12:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.12 By: Paul Joyce https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341626112 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341626112 This is a positive move and I wonder if other majors will follow suit. You briefly touch on this in your post but I am interested if they gave a detailed explanation as to why they settled on 8mm rather than a lower drop shoe.

]]> By: noamkl https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341862660 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341862660 Just adding that saucony currently offers more 4 mm shoes (other than kinvara mirage or perergine) such as shadow genesis, outlaw, fastwitch. 

]]> By: Anders Torger https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-342332169 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-342332169 8mm is probably very good choice for the masses, it makes a significant change while not being too tough. Going lower would just lead to sore calves. The shoes to the masses must work for people that have a western shoe tradition. True minimal zero drop shoes would not realistic, you need a special interest to endure six months or so with sore calves, and people buying these kind of shoes just want to run some, not change their lifestyle and get rid of all “high-heeled” shoes in daily life etc.

]]> By: Annabelle Winters https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341874961 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341874961 I think this is a great move, (if only our education system could also abandon their addiction to dogmatic practices)!

I am willing to bet that many negative reviews on shopping websites and forums will pop up over the first year of so, but, as far as that goes, the standard consumer typically complains about silly, often arbitrary things. After a settling period following the change, brand loyalty will take over again (as well as the millions of runners who just buy whatever they see other  gym-goers wearing) and the company will be in the clear. And we’ll get a win for data-based decision ;)

]]> By: Pete Larson https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341651221 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341651221 In reply to Paul Joyce.

A couple of things. We talked about this, and they indicated that through customer feedback and wear testing, they’ve found that most people can go from 12mm to 8mm without issue, but from 12mm to 4mm some people start to experience calf soreness, etc. So, they felt that 8mm would be a level to which they could drop the heel without people experiencing major issues due to the change. Secondly, they’ve already filled out the 4mm niche with the Cortana, Kinvara, Mirage, A4, so redundancy makes no sense. Personally, I think that as long as some people spend their entire work day in heeled shoes, there is no reason to fully abandon shoes with a modest heel lift. If everyone was zero drop all of the time, I’d feel differently.

]]> By: Pete Larson https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-342511383 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-342511383 In reply to Anders Torger.

Exactly.

Sent from my iPad

]]> By: Becki https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-343470880 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-343470880 In reply to Dan H.

Just a note, I did read it on this blog! Here’s the comment from Pete: “they indicated that through customer feedback and wear testing, they’ve found that most people can go from 12mm to 8mm without issue, but from 12mm to 4mm some people start to experience calf soreness, etc. So, they felt that 8mm would be a level to which they could drop the heel without people experiencing major issues due to the change.”

]]> By: Dan H https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341644076 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341644076 I wonder what made them settle on 8mm?  I doubt there is any science behind that number either.  Great to see though.  Looking forward to when they move shoes to 4mm and 0mm only.

]]> By: briderdt https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341684279 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341684279 Now if they could just fix their forefoot/toe box shape, they’d have some real winners in my book. Good on ’emthe for making this move, though.

]]> By: Robert https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-341702716 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-341702716 In reply to briderdt.

Fully agreed. As much as I love the ride of the Kinvara, I find myself running much more in the Minimus due to the much better toe box.

]]> By: rugbyref https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-343315006 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-343315006 In reply to noamkl.

The Shadow Genesis is a 12mm drop.  I emailed Saucony about this as it looked lower, but they confirmed that it is indeed 12mm.

]]> By: Becki https://runblogger.com/2011/10/saucony-to-abandon-12mm-lift-model-big.html#comment-342526533 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=394#comment-342526533 In reply to Dan H.

Nike’s has a few shoes that are lower drop actually. Their Free was one of the earlier shoes marketed as barefoot-like (back in 2006), and I believe both the 3.0 and Run have a 7mm drop. If you count flats, the Streak XC has a 3mm drop and LunarSpider has a 6mm drop.

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