THE SELL: One of the most popularhigh-performance stability shoes ever gets a makeover. THE TEST: Don’t expect drastic changes in this classic. It’s still a traditional stability shoe for heel strikers and mild-to-severe pronators, with a lot of torsional stiffness, a fat heel, and a big, gait-correcting medial post. But we found the latest tweaks鈥攁n improved lacing system and softer footbed鈥攂oost its comfort and help balance out an otherwise firm shoe. There’s no getting around the high-off-the-ground feeling, but the midsole is slightly flatter and “less heel-strikey,” as one tester put it, giving the new Kayano a slightly smoother feel. THE VERDICT: Loads of stability without feeling like you’re wearing bricks. 12.6 oz; 10-mm heel-to-toe drop.
Flex: 3.5
Cushioning: 4.5
Speed: 3
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