As the market continues to shift to different methods of stability, the maximum stability category of running shoes have begun to evolve. The Saucony Hurricane 22 is a great example of this, featuring a new soft midsole material, a less pronounced medial post and a new heel bevel. This shoe returns completely redone, providing a very different ride compared to any previous Hurricane models.
Weight: 11.6 oz (men's size 9)
Stack Height: 32mm / 24 mm
Drop: 8mm
Classification: High Stability High Cushioned Trainer
HIGHLIGHTS
The Saucony Hurricane 22 returns with a complete redesign featuring a full length PWRUN+ midsole, an increased heel bevel and overall rockered sole and a new Jacquard mesh upper. A heel to midfoot post similar to the Guide 13 provides moderate guidance, although less than previous versions. For those looking for a stable but highly cushioned, protective and smooth shoe, the Saucony Hurricane 22 may be your shoe.
The Saucony Hurricane 22 fits about a quarter to half size long in my normal size 10. There is plenty of room throughout the length of the shoe despite a thick engineered Jacquard mesh. The heel fits on the wide side thanks to the heavily cushioned heel collar, but tapers very gently into a more normal width midfoot. I did have to lace lock the shoe to get a better lock down. The forefoot has plenty of room, particularly for a Saucony shoe. The upper is quite thick and heavy, giving it little breathability . The FORMFIT is technically part of the upper, although meets it more at the sole. This provides a form fitting cradle around the foot bed that helps guide the foot naturally.
RIDE: Smooth and Soft Cushioning
The Saucony Hurricane is both a smooth and soft shoe. The full length PWRUN + midsole is extremely soft and bouncy throughout the length of the shoe. The heel/midfoot post gives more structure in the rear of the shoe, but landing anywhere along the length of the shoe gives a soft bouncy feel. Heel landings are super smooth thanks to a very large bevel that encompasses the entire heel. Paired with some significant toe spring at the forefoot, there is somewhat of a rockered shape. It does not feel like other maximal shoe as there is some decent flexibility in the forefoot for how much sole there is. Transitions throughout the length of the Hurricane 22 are smooth. There is an 8mm heel drop that I almost did not feel. Given how soft the midsole is, the actual heel toe offset will depend greatly on where you land. Combined with the awesome new heel bevel, the drop is not noticeable at all and feels much lower (thanks to dynamically loading the soft sole).
SPEED: Tank
The 11.6 oz weight (men's size 9) paired with soft PWRUN+ foam makes the Saucony Hurricane 22 best for recovery runs, long miles, and easy days. This is not a fast shoe and the weight definitely holds it back. That being said, this shoe is not meant to go fast. It is a highly cushioned shoe for mileage. The PWRUN+ foam is bouncy and responsive.
STABILITY: Moderate
The Saucony Hurricane series has always been a luxurious high stability model. Version 22 keeps the luxurious line, but the stability has changed. As opposed to the huge medial post in the past, a slightly smaller, but still above average sized post is present. The post is embedded a bit more into the soft PWRUN + midsole, but still runs from the heel to the midfoot. The soft PWRUN + midsole, although awesome, does decrease the overall stability. Softer shoes are inherently less stable. The wider last and FORMFIT does help make a more stable ride and help with guiding the foot forward. The stability overall is more integrating than obtrusive than the past. For those concerned about aggressive stability, the post feels mild and well integrated into the sole. So those looking for a bit more cushioning with just mild to moderate amount of stability should take a look at the Hurricane 22. For long time wearers of the Hurricane, know this version may not have the same stability you are used to.
DURABILITY: High
The Saucony Hurricane is a tank of a shoe. The midsole has not changed at all after extensive mileage and not a single seam is loose in the upper. The crystal rubber outsole is extremely durable and shows little wear after 76 miles. There is a little wear in the rubber at the posterior lateral heel, but other than that the shoe looks and feels like it did at mile one. I expect a very high number of miles out of the shoe and likely far higher than the industry standard of 300-500.
THOUGHTS AS A DPT
The Saucony Hurricane 22 is a really nice... mild to moderate stability shoe. I would not classify this as a high stability shoe given how soft the midsole is. The concept of stability in shoes is NOT limited to how much arch support, posting or wedging a shoe has. While that is the traditional thinking, stability comes from many different areas. Sole flare, sole durometer/firmness, upper locked down, ground feel (aka body proprioception), heel counters (somewhat debatable depending on who you ask) and more influence how stable a shoe feels. Different shoes will also feel like they have different levels stability among different people. How the human body interacts with a shoe and all the components is a variable too! In the case of the Hurricane 22, the soft and bouncy PWRUN+ sole, although super comfortable, is not very stable. Given the higher stack height and softer weight, this leads to a little less stability. Combined with a less aggressive post that is more integrated into the sole rather than being a glaring part of it, the Hurricane 22 does have less stability in my opinion than previous models. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, given the massive size of the medial post. Most people need a little guidance, but the use of extreme motion control shoes is questionable. The research has shown that motion control shoes do influence foot motion in those who pronate (Cheung et al., 2007; Malisoux et al., 2016). Remember as always that pronation isn't bad but for some a little too much may an injury risk factor, which may be influence by this footwear type (Malisoux et al,, 2016). To match people to this footwear type however, you have to watch them move. Assigning shoe types based on static foot postures has not been shown to influence injury risk (Knapik et al., 2010). So motion control shoes may work well for someone with excessive motion of THE FOOT AND ANKLE. Whether or not it is positive or influences things up the chain highly depends on the individual. Additionally, whether or not you need a ton of it is up for debate, and how much is needed is debatable. Given that runners should be using as much of their own natural musculoskeletal stability systems as possible, less is more.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The sizing and thick upper are my two major change recommendations for the next versions. Having run in all three of the Endorphin series shoes, I have faith that Saucony can make durable, comfortable and light uppers. I highly suggest they fix the sizing and make that upper far thinner. This should also help a bit with the incredibly high weight.
CONCLUSION
Although challenged by an overly thick upper and some sizing issues, the Saucony Hurricane 22 is an extremely comfortable, soft and moderate stability shoe that is very different from previous versions. Those looking for a combination of max cushion and moderate stability should take a look at the Saucony Hurricane 22 if weight is not an issue. The PWRUN + is one of the most luxurious foams I have tested so far. For those looking for a super soft, cushioned and responsive ride for the weight, check out either the Triumph 17 or the Hurricane 22 if you need a little more stability. My only challenge to Saucony is to either lighten these shoes up, or introduce this foam in some of their lighter models (the Saucony Freedom 3 has this and the Kinvara 11 has the PWRUN + as a topsole).
GRADING
Fit/Upper 8.5 / 10 (Comfortable, -1.5 for thick upper and 1/2 size long)
Ride/Midsole 9 / 10 (Super smooth PWRUN + and new heel bevel, -1 for heavy weight)
Stability 9 / 10 (Well integrated stability, -1 for decreased stability due to soft ride)
Speed 6 / 10 (Nice bounce from PWRUN+, but far too heavy and soft for anything fast)
Durability 10 / 10 (Built like a tank)
TOTAL: 85%
TESTER PROFILES
Dr. Klein is a 140 lb male with notable PRs of 14:45 for 5k and 2:32:44 for the full marathon. He typically runs 70-100 miles per week and trains at a variety of paces from 8min per mile recovery runs to 4:40 per mile 1k repeats. He prefers firmer and responsive shoes with snug heels and medium to wide toe boxes. He is particular to less cushioned shoes and close to the ground shoes, but can handle a little cushion when he gets beat up. IG handle: @kleinrunsdpt
Thanks for reading!
Editor's Note: As always, the views presented on this website belong to myself or the selected few who contribute to these posts. This website should not and does not serve as a replacement for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I am currently taking clients for running evaluations.
Matthew Klein, PT DPT OCS FAAOMPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists
Nathan Brown PT DPT MS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Masters in Anatomy and Clinical Health Science
Movement Performance Institute Certified in Advanced Functional Biomechanics
David Salas PT DPT CSCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
***Disclaimer:
These shoes were purchased for their full US retail price. This in no way affected
the honesty of this review. We put at least 35-75 miles on trainers and 10-25 miles on racing flats prior to reviewing them. Currently I have 76 miles on my pair. Our views are based on my extensive history in the footwear industry and years testing and developing footwear. If you are a footwear rep looking for footwear reviews or consultations on development, we are currently looking to partner with companies to assist, discuss and promote footwear models. Partnership will not affect the honesty of our reviews.
References
Cheung, R. T., & Ng, G. Y. (2007). Efficacy of motion control shoes
for reducing excessive rearfoot motion in fatigued runners. Physical Therapy in Sport, 8(2), 75-81.
Knapik, J. J., Brosch, L. C., Venuto, M., Swedler, D. I., Bullock, S.
H., Gaines, L. S., ... & Jones, B. H. (2010). Effect on injuries of
assigning shoes based on foot shape in air force basic training. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 38(1), S197-S211.
Malisoux, L., Chambon, N., Delattre, N., Gueguen, N., Urhausen, A.,
& Theisen, D. (2016). Injury risk in runners using standard or
motion control shoes: A randomised controlled trial with participant and
assessor blinding. Br J Sports Med, 50(8), 481-487.
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