My favorite running shoe is still Saucony Jazz

No matter what I try I always fall back in love with my Saucony Jazz Original running shoes. That's not true, actually. I started off only running in Nike Pegasus running shoes--The Original Nike Pegasus to be exact--back in middle school. The original Nike Pegasus bears a striking likeness to Saucony Jazz Originals.

I had been running in maximalist running shoes from Hoka One One but I don't think they're for me, especially since I discovered the International Slow Jogging Association and read Slow Jogging: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun with Science-Based, Natural Running by Hiroaki Tanaka and Magdalena Jackowska cover-to-cover. So, since slow jogging advocates very slim-soled running shoes, I returned to my trusty rainbow threesome of Saucony Jazz original running shoes.

 After reading the book I looked around for the perfect pair of shoes to replace my Hokas. I first thought that maybe Onitsuka Tigers were the way to go. Then, I thought that Saucony Bullets where the way. Finally, I came all the way around to when I ran 4 miles every morning before work and then 8-10 miles on Saturday and Sunday.

I used to love them because they're the dual purpose motorcycles of the running world. They're neither off-read enduro dirt bikes nor are they road-only racers.

 They wear like wrestling shoes, they have a little bit of cushion (and the included inserts really improve their comfort), and the Saucony Jazz running shoes benefit from enough of a tread that I always feel sure-footed whenever I ran in the rain or in the show.

I know for a fact that both the original Nike Pegasus--or even the first Nike, the waffle iron racing flat--and the original Saucony Jazz running shoes were designed for the road and the track but these days, this level of lug is more common on trail-running shoes--thus be comparison between the Saucony Jazz Originals and a dual purpose motorbike. For me, it's the best of both worlds and virtually no compromise--at least for me. In addition to all of its other shining qualities, Saucony Jazz shoes are some of the best erg shoe for indoor rowers.

I tend to wear them without socks because they're a little snug when I add socks to them. I wear men's size 13 US / 12 UK. They fit perfectly and there's still a little room for when my feet swell during a run.

At around $50-$60-a-pair, they're easily replaceable when they start to fall apart, though that doesn't happen. I hadn't been running in these three colorful pair of Jazz shoes I had only been using them when I am on my Concept2 Indoor Rower. While there's a little bit of a heal wedge and they're not perfectly flat like Converse All Stars or Feiyue Tiger Claw martial arts shoes, the midsole and outsole of these Jazz runners is negligible.