Every year or two we get to look forward to Saucony’s new updates to one of their most essential shoe models, the Guide. When the Guide 14 dropped in 2021, the main highlight was a makeover for the upper and some more padding in the midsole; it was a fine stability shoe, but maybe not newsworthy. The Guide 15, on the other hand, is chock full of new features and noticeable improvements. Here’s our deep dive on the latest offering from Saucony.

For context, the Guide model is the supportive, comfort-oriented cousin of the Saucony Ride, a similar model which is more focused on speed, and is therefore quite a bit stiffer while offering less overall protection and stability. Both models are well loved, but while the Ride is a perfectly adequate everyday trainer for some, the Guide is the go-to for runners seeking a little extra support, or runners who want to be out on the paths for hours on end and still feel pampered by plush cushioning.

In fact, cushioning is one of the largest upgrades for the Guide 15. The stack height has increased all over by 2.5mm, giving us a 35mm heel and 27mm forefoot. Saucony’s original PWRRUN foam has also received an update to its formula. This latest iteration means the midsole is softer and has more bounce while also shaving off some extra weight; overall, the Guide 15 is 28g lighter than its predecessor, weighing in at 269g for the men’s model and 233g for the women’s.

The underfoot contouring has been overhauled and largely increased to allow your foot to sink deeper into the footbed, which means more softness and a more secure feel. To further bolster this feeling of security, the higher sidewalls are designed to let your feet feel like they’re sitting into the shoe rather than on top of it. And finally, to double-down on their comfort-first approach, the 15 sports a pillowy PWRRUN+ sockliner which combines with the contoured insole and foam midsole for unmatched cushioning.