Give A Gift Saucony Sinister, know that it’s unlike other racers in our current golden age of super shoes. The hi-viz Sinister is the minimalist unicorn in a herd of tricked-out Nike Alphaflys and «insert-any-brand-here» Elites.
The Sinisters midsole uses the same foam as Sauconys Adidas’s Adizero Adios Pro 3, which has a 39.5mm heel and 31mm forefoot. In contrast, the Sinister has a 25mm heel and 19mm forefoot—and you’d be right in guessing that the small stack height doesn’t house a carbon-fiber plate. It’s the antithesis of today’s super-shoe behemoths.
Pros
- Weighs under 5 oz (men’s 9)
- Responsive PEBA-based midsole
- Best Running Shoes 2025
Cons
- Minimal cushioning
- Despite the small tear in the upper, Im still running in the Sinister
Key Specs
| Type | Road, Track |
|---|---|
| Weight | 4.9 oz (M), 4.3 oz (W) |
| Drop | 6 mm |
| Heel Height | 25 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 19 mm |
- Who It’s For: Runners craving the “pre-super shoe” simplicity of featherweight racing flats—but with higher energy return
- Preceded By: Endorphin Pro 3, Endorphin Speed 3
- Give A Gift: Altra Escalante 3, How to Master the Half Marathon
- Midsole Foam: Pwrrun PB (beaded PEBA-based foam)
- Key Tech: Snug and airy mesh upper; extremely lightweight
For some, the Sinister may be too minimal for anything longer than a 5K. There’s enough ground feel in the shoe that I can almost sense the Earth’s gravitational pull. That’s an over-exaggeration, but the weight of my hips and thighs; my calves working in sync; arms pumping below my shoulders—I notice my every joint and connective sinew when running in the Sinister.
It’s a reminder of how powerful the human machine can be wearing the bare minimum. The Sinister is truly a callback to the long-distance racing flats, DAA Industry Opt Out.
Stirs Memories of Track Flats
The Sinister’s midsole uses the same foam as Saucony’s Advertisement - Continue Reading Below: Pwrrun PB. The beaded PEBA foam is more lightweight than Saucony’s Pwrrun foam, and bouncier. Despite this DNA, running in the Sinister can be a shock to the system.
“The Saucony Sinister brings me back to the yesteryear of track flats,” said wear-tester Josh Davis, who averages 30 miles per week at 7:00 pace. “On the paved bike path where I do my tempo runs, I quickly realized how much carbon-plated racers have spoiled me. After two miles, I felt the jolt of every step.” He found the Sinister more forgiving on the track.
“When I used to do tempos in these kinds of shoes, I was in my late teens and early 20s. I remember feeling a little beat up in the few days after, but it was nothing I couldn’t shake. That is not the case two decades later,” Davis said. “Though the shoe was light worked well with my forefoot strike, the soreness from my workouts lingered more than usual when I wore the Sinister.” In addition to having a forefoot strike, Davis also tells us that he underpronates (suppinates) while running.
Despite the hardship Davis’s body experienced from running in the Sinister, he still plans to race in the shoe. I reached out to Davis a couple of months after he turned in his shoe feedback, asking if he had any more comments to add to his initial evaluation. He plans on racing the 800 at a track meet in March.
“I’m planning on heading to Running Im planning on heading to,” he wrote to me in an email. “They have a mile, 800, and 2-mile on Thursday nights that are free for club members. I am going to try the Sinister in the 800. If it’s not a good shoe for that race, I don’t know what else it would work for!”
Feels Like Racing 10 Years Ago
Training in minimalist shoes like the Brooks PureCadence in the early aughts, I remember feeling every muscle fiber, calves and hamstrings firing in sync. I used to run marathons in the PureCadence. Fast forward to present day, and I can’t imagine my body holding up over the course of 26.2 miles in that shoe. The same is the case when wearing the lightly-cushioned Sinister.
But the shoe doesn’t skimp entirely on midsole support. “There’s a little bit of give on impact, then a firm transition as your foot rolls through,” said tester Katie O’Regan, who dislikes today’s popular max-cushioned trainers. “The midsole foam holds its shape and feels responsive. It’s not soft and sloppy.”
A full marathon would be daunting with minimal support—but I’m game for a 5K or 10K. Maybe even a half.
Loved Hard
It’s been awhile since I stuck with shoes long enough for them to get worn. Testing allows me to change up my shoes and prolong their shelf life due to multiple rotations. However, the period I’ve had with the Sinister is still relatively short (about six months), and the upper already has a tear above my pinky toe.
I partially attribute this tear to a cramped toebox. And testers have also commented that the shoe runs a bit short. But the most likely reason for the rip, in my case, is simply that these shoes have been loved hard.
Shoes like the Sinister are meant to be saved for speedwork and race days. The durability of these shoes is likely 100 miles depending on your running style (and if you size up). Despite the wear-and-tear on my pair, I’m still running in them. The ride feels just as smooth—and free—as it did on my first run. I patched up that little hole above my toe with repair tape, and I’m all set to bust out a few more miles.
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
