The Propel is almost too good, it's scary.
Written: May 07 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: large amounts of cushioning, very light XT900 outsole in front AND back
Cons: Not close to the ground cushion, takes some getting used to.
The Bottom Line: I have to recommend because these are amazing shoes, almost too good to be true.
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| alphaproject's Full Review: Saucony Grid Propel Nxgen Running for Men |
Running shoe built for the neutral runner who requires enhanced cushioning. BIG TIME!
RUN - Neutral
1)Grid Propel Technology provides cushioning and maximum deflection on impact
2)An excellent ride with the perfect amount of forefoot flex
1)Grid Propel Technology
Engineered to perfectly blend shock attenuation and maximum deflection on impact while setting the foot up for a smooth transition throughout the gait cycle
2)Quarter Welding and Supportive Synthetic Overlays
Locks the foot in place
3)HRC Strobel Board and Dramatic Forefoot Design
For increased cushioning and comfort
11.8 oz.
That was Saucony's info about the shoe(not much either), now my review.
In comparison to my other shoes. I have many!!!
This shoe succeeds where Nike's Shox couldn't.
Good cushioning with medium/light support.
I have had 5 previous Saucony's and these are the most overall cushioned shoe. Here is how they fair against other likes of Sauconys. If you don't know anything about Saucony you can skip down a bit.
Grid Swerve. Awesome shoe....grid felt more like a sinking grid back then. I liked that grid alot in that shoe but the front cushion was good at first but traction went bald very fast and i beat those till there was nothing left.
Grid Omni 3 moderate.
Decent shoe, great front cushion, great but supportive rear cushioning a bit like the sinking grid in the swerve. Great treadwear.
Triumph 1 and triumph 4
Completely different shoes. Version 1 was cushioned but very supportive. Treadwear lasts very long in front and back. V4 treadwear will not last as long but they are like pillows, more similar to the propel plus than any other shoe.
Trigon 1 ( support version ) was shipped by mistake. I was supposed to get the normal version. Still was a great shoe and didn't feel very solid like I thought a support version would.
They are tighter in the toebox than my previous models but nothing like Nike's narrow fit. They feel very light as well.
Walking and running is a pleasure with the Propel Plus shoes.
I'm going to bet that they will give me a good year or 2 of cushion.
After getting used to Saucony, my other running shoes feel terrible, especially New Balance and Adidas. Some Nike's are still ok but nothing feels as good as Saucony's. I don't think the new Trigon ride's are that good though. The transition from heel to toe is not nearly as flawless as the propel plus NxGen or Triumph 4 or past Trigons. Mostly Saucony hits the mark, but they are allowed to make mistakes every now and then.
Keep in mind this is all coming from a old school Nike Air user. Nike has made some awesome shoes(look up the Air Zoom Seismic), however since they are more into the fashion side of things, they tend to ignore what succeeds and what fails. The Air Max 360 was a nice touch, but was so narrow, it was ridiculous. I have small feet and can't see anyone being comfortable in it. I got mainly because they look cool.
Propel Plus NxGen though....a solid winner.
Additional notes for the average unknown Saucony user.
The shoe is light, is full-length Compression Molded EVA cushioning, which leads for a very soft cushioned ride. The way the rear pads are cut along with the grid provide support granted you don't under/over supinate alot. The Hurricane is better for that. Coming straight out of using the cusioned T4 shoe I reviewed a bit here, this shoe mimicks the gait the same. Heel to toe transition is flawless. The big differene in this shoe however is the front rubber is not blown carbon, it's the same as the heel (XT-900 confirmed from Saucony, I emailed them to ask), but you cannot feel it because it's so soft of cushioning to begin with. That is a huge plus. Sauconys have been known to go bald in the front long before the heel in many previous line-ups and I don't see that happening with this shoe.
Under the insoles is a layer of HRC(High Rebound Compound). I would assume it adds to the softness of the shoe. The good thing about HRC is that it is a combination of rubber/eva and it does not tend to compress like standard CMEVA or EVA cushioning. I assume it's a bit like New Balance's Abzorb or Adidas Adiprene although it tends to feel more like the latter.
The real difference about the Propel Plus NxGen is really the overall design of the cushioning pads compared to all the other Trigons/Triumphs/Cohesions. No other shoes in Saucony's line as of now uses these pad-like cushions. I really, really like it and think it can be improved upon or changed to accomidate other running styles.
I think they can improve the shoe by adding their SRC to the back and front pads of the shoe. If you look at how they add it to the new Triumph 5 shoes, it would be like that. It would make for a certainly more expensive Propel, but worth it in my opinion. The initial feeling of the shoe doesn't appear to require the SRC(Super Rebound Compound) but in the long run is where it would matter most as this shoe's cushioning might run out.....Whether or not the cushion/tread wears out first is the key.
I tend to run on treadmills alot, where as the cushion not the tread matters more.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
alphaproject
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Reviews written: 111
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