Under Armour flow velociti wind vs Saucony kinvara 12: Which running trainer is best?

Category: Neutral

Weight: Women 227g

Offset: 8mm 

It’s fair to say that Under Armour is relatively new to the running space. In fact, while many of you may be familiar with the sportswear giant, perhaps you – like me – associate the brand more with the gym than running.

The brand calls the flow velociti wind its “fastest running shoe yet”. But how do you make a running shoe faster?

The designers behind this light and agile shoe have removed what is normally the heaviest part of a trainer – the rubber outsole – stripping away any excess material and replacing it with a new all-in-one cushioning-plus-outsole design. This saves 55-85g, depending on the style of your old shoe.

The upper of the shoe has also been engineered to suit go-faster running. According to Under Armour, the patented “warp” upper features “supporting tapes that act like seatbelts on the foot, placed precisely where our biomechanists found them to be most helpful for a runner”. Not only is it meant to mould to your foot’s shape over time, but the spiderweb stitching is also incredibly breathable – and pretty.

On top of the two brand-new technologies – the flow midsole and warp upper – this shoe can also be synchronised to your phone, so you can track your runs directly with the UA MapMyRun app.

I love the glitter-esque detailing and found them grippy and responsive. On one run, I tried to ignore my watch and just go off feel – aiming for an easier training session – and I was pleasantly surprised to see my splits were a lot faster than they felt. But I did find them a touch too firm – I wouldn’t really want to run further than 10km in them, for example.

Category: Neutral

Weight: Women 184g

Offset: 4mm 

There really is very little to criticise about the Saucony kinvara 12 trainers. This is, unsurprisingly, the 12th iteration of the brand’s trusted go-fast trainer – and the new, lightweight upgrades don’t disappoint.

I have to admit, having previously owned a pair of Saucony ride shoes, I tend to associate the brand with maximalist, super-cushioned running trainers with chunky soles. But the kinvara 12s – with their simplified, breathable mesh uppers – don’t feel thickly cushioned at all. In fact, they’re quite the opposite.

The kinvara 12s use simplified versions of the latest Saucony tech – including the “pwrrun” midsole and the “formfit” upper. They’re pretty snug, so they’re great if you have narrow feet and want them to be “hugged”.

Influenced by the successful Saucony endorphin collection, the kinvara 12s come in the vibrant “bright future” colourway – which I’m definitely a fan of. It’s bold, but not too in your face.

They are lighter than the Under Armour flows – and look a little less fussy. They also have a low offset (the difference in height between the toe and the heel) which discourages heavy landing at the heel and moves you towards a more midfoot- or forefoot-based strike.

So do remember to stretch: that 4mm toe-to-heel drop is noticeable if you’re used to running in a shoe with between 8mm and 12mm (it will seriously test your calves and Achilles).

I immediately felt fast once I put these on (and my Strava account confirmed it) and I enjoyed the snappy, firm and responsive feel. Overall, these trainers are perfect for quick training sessions, high-tempo endurance runs or even races (when they’re back in the diary).