| Weight | Men 9.2oz (262g) Women 8.1oz (232g) |
| Stack Height | Heel 41mm, Forefoot 35mm |
| Price | £170 |
With marathon season nearly upon us once again, and backyard ultras seemingly becoming more and more popular, having a pair of max cushioned shoes which will go the distance without becoming too heavy or cumbersome after wearing them for a long time is a new market which a lot of runners find themselves shopping in. Sometimes simply adding more and more cushioning creates further instability, but then having a firmer medial post can either over-support runners or it can simply become too uncomfortable to wear. This is where the Saucony Hurricane range is different, giving you just enough correction without burdening weight or instability.
The Hurricane 26 builds on the previous model by introducing the much-needed IncrediLUX foam, which is an Aliphatic Thermoplastic Polyurethane (A-TPU) that sits alongside the firmer, more supportive PWRRUN frame within the foam. For the everyday runner, this essentially means this new foam update shaves off around 10% from the weight (even now with more cushioning being added) and has greater shock absorption without sacrificing that support for those who overpronate.
The IncrediLUX foam is what you feel when you first notice it when you put this shoe on, feeling like you slightly sink into it a little more, and then underneath this sits a layer of PWRRUN, which helps keep the underfoot stable, but you feel that additional softness.
As the Hurricane is the more beefed-up version of the Guide, which is the extremely popular and extremely versatile shoe, the Hurricane adds that extra bit of cushioning needed to cover those longer distances. What continues to make the Guide range so popular is that whether you have any rotational issues or not, this pair is a good option; through the use of its wider toe-box, the CenterPath technology, and higher sidewalls, it offers support without being invasive- and the Hurricane is very similar.
To gear this pair more for longer distances, Saucony has widened the footbed even more, meaning that as your feet begin to swell more over those longer distances, your toes are not being compressed. But even those with narrower feet (like myself), this doesn't create any excessive movement, which you often get when a shoe becomes too wide; it's the higher sidewalls that help to mitigate this by stopping that rotation and really locking your feet in securely.
Comparing with the 25, which had a slightly smaller stack height of 38mm in the heel, adding 2mm more would usually mean adding more weight and making it overall harder to manoeuvre when the fatigue sets in, but with the introduction of the IncrediLUX you get a bounce which is maintained over time without making it too big.
As many brands now are bringing their elite foams into their everyday shoes this makes models like the Hurricane even more efficient, so for those covering road ultras and even backyard ultras where you can be running for literally days on end sometimes, that wider toe box and lighter shoe will help get you across the line- I'm not saying it will make those runs a breeze, but it should help you out a little more!
The XT-900 rubber grip underfoot gives you enough coverage over those key areas, with the slightly rigid layout; this will also make it good across those uneven surfaces and light off-road routes found in the backyard ultras. The outsole grip looks like a slightly less aggressive version of the Brooks Ghost Trail, which is thick enough to maintain grip on those uneven light trails but is also level to run on roads.
Although in previous models like the Hurricane 24s it worked perfectly for those who both pronated and supinated- and having worn 5 pairs for my Norway to London run I definitely got my use out of them! That use of CenterPath technology, which guided the foot from rotating in either direction, worked well. However, the 25s firmed up the medial side, which again worked really well for those who pronated, but wasn't great for those who supinated, having the potential to push the foot out further. In the 26, it seems that the firmer medial post has been reduced slightly so it doesn't cause so much of a supination for those who roll out (or have a dual gait), making it once again an accessible max cushioned shoe for a wide range of people.
So, if you're in the market for a max cushioned shoe for long-distance training, or if you're wanting that more springy cushioning for those races later this year, then this shoe is a great option. Although it comes with a more premium price tag of £170, the changes made warrant this slight increase.
Other shoes which would work similarly to the Saucony Hurricane 26, which will come with a slightly smaller stack height, or if you feel you would need even more support, then these are good options-
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