Saucony Men's Kilkenny Xc9 Varsity Flat Cross Country Running Shoe

Just to clarify since there is a one star review saying the wrong shoe was received since there were no spikes included.These aren’t spikes and don’t claim to be spikes. It may be a bit confusing because there are spikes with the same brand, model name, and color but those clearly say “Varsity Spike” while these say “Varsity flat”. They are cross country racing flats not spikes.We ordered both these and the spikes and ended up returning these in favor of the spikes but there is nothing wrong with them.

I have finally found a worthy successor to my beloved H-street flats. These shoes are incredible, my scale says they're only about 265g for size 13, which is 30g less than the H-streets and about 100g less than any other "normal" shoe. I'm using them for casual walking and running on the streets, not for cross-country or anything competitive and they are simply fantastic. Especially for somebody with large feet, having these tidy, lightweight shoes makes all the difference when I run. I measure the heel stack to be around 20mm, which is slightly higher than I wanted but much less than most modern shoes... But in exchange for a few mm, you get a wonderfully soft ground feel. The nubs on the soles offer just the slightest bit of compliance which makes your feet glide through every step. I find the fit to be almost perfect, but I agree they are slightly tight up front, just at the point where the laces end near the base of your toes. The width is fine and the toes themselves are happy, but my feet aren't especially wide. The length is fine so I did not go a size up. Yes, the graphics are loud but if you are OK with that I would 100% recommend these shoes to the casual runner.Several reviews mention errors in the listing (which appear to be corrected at the time of this writing). To be clear, the flats are S29081 (the spikes are S29080), but even the manufacturer has some confusing images and verbiage. This review is for the flats, and if you can get your hands on a pair you won't regret it!

My first pair of Saucony shoes. I purchased the Saucony, Kilkenny XC 9 (Flat Varsity) in size 10M, which is approximately 1/2 size up (typically wear a 9.5). The fit is perfect. For me, this was one of those shoes you put on and immediately know it's going to work out. Highly recommend for mid and long distance.For context, I needed shoes to provide additional foot protection over the five-finger Vibrams I have been wearing for years (previous 3-4 pairs of running shoes). For trails with larger rocks and highly variable surfaces, my minimalist shoes provided nearly zero mid-sole and sole protection and this was becoming a problem (bruised forefoot and heel. I started taping up my feet for each run, bought some special compression things, really tried to maintain the shoes I've come to love. To no avail). My biggest concern after wearing Vibrams for 10 years, was "normal" shoes had become unbearable . . . tend to feel like they are smothering my feet; like I'm wearing three pairs of wool socks.So, I chose the XC 9 as the most minimal, breathable, light-weight running shoe balanced with grippy soles that were as close to spikes without being spikes - If i can't feel the ground, I want to feel the forefoot planting well when I strike the ground.The XC 9 has been the perfect shoe to transition from the most minimal Vibrams to a tradition XC shoe. The comfortable and breathable from the very first run. At this point, I've had them a month and wear them on most runs from 2 miles to 10 miles. No doubt I could finish a half marathon in this shoe, although I'm aware most would not recommend it. If you've always worn traditional shoes, your experience might be different. If you're like me and looking for a replacement for almost zero sole and mid-sole protection, this is the shoe.

I wish I’d read reviews before purchasing. The “About this item” says “4-pin spike plate”. And later the description mentioned 6 spikes to dig into ground. But there are NO spikes or a place to add spikes. And the first meet is less than a week away.

He uses the cross country. They do the job.

I had to return it.

We have bought this shoe and the Saucony spikes. BOTH are great shoes. My son has been running track for 5 years and doesn't want any other brand shoe. Yes they do run small but if you know that in advance then you should be fine.

Product description is incorrect. It is listed as shoes with spikes. That is wrong. I received flat shoes and no place to put the spikes.