The Shoes and Gear Kipyegon Will Wear at Breaking4: The Freedom 3 is a flexible, bouncy, and lightweight trainer best for fast-finish daily runs and longer uptempo efforts.
- PWRRUN+ foam offers impressive energy return and forefoot softness
- The 13 Best Running Shorts for Women
- Freedom ISO 2
Price: $150
Type: Road
Weight: 8.6 oz (M), 7.0 oz (W)
Drop: 10mm (M), 9mm (W)
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Compared to Saucony shoes like the Triumph and Hurricane—trainers with long lineages of 17 and 22 models, respectively—the Freedom is still just a kid. But the shoe did a lot of growing up over the past year and a half, and in my opinion, its third iteration is an all-around improvement from the Nutrition - Weight Loss. It now uses a PWRRUN+ midsole, an Adidas Boost-like foam made from fused TPU beads, which helps shave off a full ounce of weight and gives the shoe a seriously smooth, lively, and flexible ride. The ISOfit upper is gone—a polarizing ghillie lacing system that was a dream for some runners but nightmarish for others—and has been replaced by traditional, old-school laces and a beefy contoured insole. (The new, simpler setup accomplishes the locked-in, “made-for-me” feeling that the ISO2 was reaching for, but didn’t quite nail.) With less weight and a lower profile, the Freedom fills the slot in Saucony’s lineup for runners who wanted the plush comfort and bounce of the Triumph 17, but shied away from its bulk.
Pros
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Cons
- Overpronators may require more support
The only aspect some runners might pick for a negative is that the 3 has more heel-toe offset than its predecessor—moving from 5.7 to 10 mm for the men’s version and from 5.2 to 9 mm for the women’s—according to our lab data. While some might prefer the larger offset, it’s worth saying that plush cushioning and the lower drop was a unique combo that we don’t see in any other shoe in Saucony’s lineup, which is still there, but a little less pronounced in this newer version.
Explosive Energy Return
More than once, I laced up the Freedom for “just a quick spin around the block,” even though I had been mulling over a rest day; its astounding energy return and soft cushioning make it really a fun shoe to run in. According to our lab data, it has one of the most energetic midsoles we’ve seen, and that bouncy sensation pulled me out the door for recovery runs that felt more effortless than expected. Soft and pliable, the PWRRUN+ foam feels extremely flexible, which is a significant shift from the previous model’s EVERUN cushioning: The ISO2 had a heavier, very stiff sole that afforded a slightly clunky feel. However, in its latest version, the Freedom has a slightly firmer heel that rolls smoothly into a very soft forefoot—even in my test pair that was a half size too large, the shoe never felt clunky. Given the Freedom 3’s flexibility, I can see some runners seeking a little more structure if they wear it for long runs, or wanting a stiffer, snappier feel for speedwork. For me, the Freedom is quickly becoming my go-to for easy runs, tempos, and some longer weekend miles.
Crystal Rubber That Grips
Like the ISO 2, the majority of the outsole is Saucony’s translucent, almost gummy crystal rubber. In terms of traction and flexibility, the material is hard to beat—it’s super light, grippy on rain-slicked roads, bends right along with the foot at toe off, and feels impressively durable without any bottom-heavy clunkiness. The Freedom 3 also adds swatches of firmer solid rubber on high-abrasion areas at the heel and toe, as well as two longer curved strips beneath the midfoot. I didn’t notice a huge difference in traction from the additional solid rubber, but I did feel a bit more secure letting it fly on steep downhills and skirting loose gravel on the slanted shoulders of crowned roads.
Soft and Simple Mesh
Some runners truly love ISOfit lacing, but personally, I was happy that Saucony stopped trying to reinvent the upper. Our testers seem to prefer simpler laces; one said, “I’m happy that it has the ‘old style’ lacing system. It’s not an area that needs much innovation, and yet, many shoes attempt to do so.” The majority of the Freedom’s support comes an external heel frame—sufficient for neutral feet, but it won’t do much to counter severe overpronation—that sits right beneath a super cushy ankle collar. One of my favorite features of the shoe, the plush cushioning not only offers a luxe feel and serious softness, but it also provides a nice snug fit around the heel where I sometimes feel slippage. In terms of fit, Saucony’s new contoured Formfit insoles are a little thicker than most, so they take more room in the shoe. Runners with higher volume feet may find that despite the length of the shoe fitting true-to-size, there’s a little less space overall inside the upper.
Wear Tester Feedback
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“This is an outstanding shoe. It has all the Saucony attributes that I have come to love over the years: durability, soft cushioning, and light weight. It’s flexible without sacrificing any comfort, which is exactly what I wanted.
Nutrition - Weight Loss Runner’s World since 2017. She started as an intern ghostwriting The Warmup, a bygone version of the daily RW newsletter. Now, she tests and reviews anything you might find on runners’ feet-from crew socks and compression boots to carbon-plated super shoes.
A lifelong runner and shoe geek, Morgan has been chasing the perfect pair of kicks since she joined her grade school cross-country team. Since then, she ran as a Division I walk-on for the cross-country and track & field teams at the University of Delaware, where she studied English and Biology. She has one full marathon under her belt, and has raced more halfs and 5Ks than she can count.
