What replaced the Saucony Kinvara 11?
Updated July 30, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
Amazon links on this page pay us a commission. It never changes your price. Details
THE SHORT ANSWER
The Kinvara 12 replaced the Kinvara 11 in February 2021. It stripped the upper down to a thinner mesh, added carbon rubber to the wear zones of a mostly bare outsole, and shaved 0.3 oz, all without touching the platform or the $110 price.
At a glance
- The Kinvara 12 is 0.3 oz lighter
- Drop is unchanged at 4 mm
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Kinvara 11 vs 12.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Faithful successorThe 12 is the 11 with a leaner upper and a tougher outsole. Reviewers liked it fine and recommended it on value, though this was the era when plated super trainers started making the Kinvara look old fashioned. Loyalists did not care. That was the point.
Stick with the Kinvara 11 if
- You prefer the 11's slightly softer step-in feel
- Closeout 11s undercut the 12 in your size
Old stock is gone; see alternatives below.
Move to the Kinvara 12 if
- You wore through the 11's bare outsole; the 12's added rubber fixes that
- You want the same ride in a snugger, lighter upper
Where the Saucony Kinvara is now
Four generations separate the Saucony Kinvara 11 from the Kinvara 16 (2025), so the gap is wider than any single update suggests:
- The Kinvara 16 is 0.8 oz lighter
- Drop is unchanged at 4 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $20
What loyalists said about the update
Solid but quiet. One outlet called it a solid speedster outclassed by the competition, and most reviews praised the ground feel and the price while wishing the foam were more modern. The fan base mostly liked that nothing changed.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Kinvara 11 stock
Old stock goneAmazon's stock of the Saucony Kinvara 11is gone in both men's and women's sizes, and discontinued stock does not come back. The best current match is the Saucony Ride 19.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Kinvara 12, these come closest to what the Kinvara 11 did.
- 8.9 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 38 mm heel
- $145 list
Nothing else in Saucony's lineup rides like a Kinvara, so the Ride is the practical next stop: the same brand's neutral daily with more foam and more protection for similar money. Expect more shoe and less ground feel.
Against your Saucony Kinvara 11: 1.1 oz heavier, 9.5 mm more heel stack, 4 mm more drop, $35 more at list.
- 10.1 oz
- 10 mm drop
- 37 mm heel
- $145 list
The Pegasus is the traditional-trainer cross-shop: firmer and heavier than a Kinvara but still snappy, with a jump in drop from 4 mm to 10 mm that changes how the shoe meets the ground.
Against your Saucony Kinvara 11: 2.3 oz heavier, 8.5 mm more heel stack, 6 mm more drop, $35 more at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Saucony Kinvara 11 still available?
- No. Amazon's stock of the Saucony Kinvara 11 is gone in both men's and women's sizes, and old-model stock does not come back. Your move is the successor or a close alternative.
- Is the Kinvara 12 a downgrade from the Saucony Kinvara 11?
- No. The Kinvara 12 keeps the same ride and fixes small things. If you liked the Saucony Kinvara 11, the update carries over without an adjustment period.
- How much lighter is the Kinvara 12?
- 0.3 oz lighter in a men's US 9: 7.5 oz against the Saucony Kinvara 11's 7.8 oz.
- Is the Saucony Kinvara still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Saucony Kinvara 16, released in 2025, 5 versions on from the Saucony Kinvara 11.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Saucony Kinvara 11?
- The Saucony Ride 19. Nothing else in Saucony's lineup rides like a Kinvara, so the Ride is the practical next stop: the same brand's neutral daily with more foam and more protection for similar money. Expect more shoe and less ground feel.