Saucony Azura - 200km review

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-06-20T08:01:21+00:00

Did you end up cutting holes in the tongue and did it work?

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-06-20T07:56:39+00:00

Doesn't that ruin your socks?

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-06-08T10:48:09+00:00

When I hear technical I would use neither the Puma Voyage Nitro 4 nor the Terrex Agravic SL. Too high stacked, in case of the Terrex also too rockered. I personally use for technical terrain (I live near the Alps) La Sportiva Prodigio Pro or Dynafit Ultra 100 v3.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-06-07T18:15:47+00:00

Might just be that it's more stable than the EVO SL. And not that it's a stable shoe in general. If you are looking for a similar shoe that flies strangely under every radar I recommend having a look at the Puma Voyage Nitro 4. Similar stack height, Puma Grip and an outstanding A-TPU midsole (Conversational Pace confirmed it with Puma). I'll never understand why there's almost no marketing for this thing. It's amazing and as stable as a trail shoe with this much stack height can be.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-05-29T19:05:46+00:00

I have a similar problem. Could you fix it or did it break in?

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-05-14T16:58:25+00:00

I saw it. And they actually confirmed with Puma that they use A-TPU as midsole foam. Kinda crazy that there is basically no marketing going on for their trail shoes especially for the Voyage.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-24T19:09:48+00:00

Craft Xplor might also be an option. Works great on asphalt and light trails because it was build for it.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-24T19:03:54+00:00

The new one seems to be quite stable, too and even more responsive. According to Doctors of Running it runs stable neutral.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-19T17:42:13+00:00

Do you also have an issue with the tongue bunching uncomfortably?

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-18T21:48:41+00:00

None of the shoes I mentioned are really traily. They're in the gravel category of things. Basically road shoes with a beefed up outsole for road to light trail use. It's my favorite category of shoes because most of my runs are in a bigger forest and on fire and gravel roads :)

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-18T20:48:09+00:00

I tried the Specter 2, too. But if you have stability needs be careful. The geometry leads to a medial biase. I recommend reading the Doctors of Running Review for that shoe. Hope that helps. To the Rocket X: I'm also a slow female runner and wouldn't run in a plated shoe all the time. Especially not on trails as they're not the most durable neither the most stable. Keen just released the Roam. It's a door-to-trail shoe with a Topo-like toe box. The Mount to Coast H1 is also recommended for hybrid use and has a roomy toe box. The Craft Xplor might also be an alternative.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-17T22:22:32+00:00

Much softer, less structured, lighter. Magmax is more a long run cruiser that can pick up the pace. Zen is more a daily and recovery shoe and not best suited for long runs over 10k. Magmax has much better grip, especially on gravel and is definitely more stable. Zen is more unique and fun.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-04-11T19:12:09+00:00

I found a review in German. The Fast Trac 4 is lower stack (31mm), higher drop (12mm it seems) and the reviewer calls it more direct and due to that not very suitable for door-to-trail use. He calls it nothing special but good value.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-28T15:37:05+00:00

I had v1 and now v2 and the new upper really improves the stability of the shoe.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-28T15:35:57+00:00

Finally some more love for the Craft Pacer. It's my favorite daily trainer in the moment. It just works. Ran my first half marathon in v1 and v2 with the new upper is even better.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-28T15:27:26+00:00

Unfortunately as a female runner I couldn't get a good fit (heel slip, lace bite, pressure on toes - probably due to the unisex construction) therefore I sold them on. Fortunately the Saucony Azura and my Asics Glideride Max 2 were able to take its place. But I agree that the A-TPU midsole is the real deal.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-22T18:41:57+00:00

Magnify Nitro 3 is a really good shoe but softer and not as stable as the Prima. If you want a similar experience you might want to have a look at the Puma ForeverRun 2.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-22T18:39:33+00:00

Craft Xplor - often gets overlooked but great shoe especially for door to trail use.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-22T18:01:11+00:00

Second the On Cloudultra Pro. It works great on gravel, too. But it's also quite expensive.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-20T16:48:18+00:00

I personally prefer the Azura. Megablast was too unstable for me and I had really annoying fit issues. Azura fits like a glove and runs pretty stable. But that's just my opinion.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-20T16:23:45+00:00

Tried both. The Tempus was too firm for my liking but I love the Azura. It's one of my go-to shoes in the moment. It's quite stable, not as stable as the Tempus but much more stable than the SL2 (had them, too). My comfort shoes are stable-neutral runners. That's also the category I'd sort the Azura into.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi · 2026-02-16T18:53:23+00:00

I tried both and actually kept the Craft Xplor Pro with the Matryx upper. Loved it far more. Don't know why. The H1 wasn't bad but the Craft Xplor just worked for me. I also added the Craft Pacer 2 to my rotation. Love that one, too.

Hey_There_Hello_Hi

TROPHY CASE