Saucony Grid Cohesion TR6 Review

I live in a delightful part of the country where winter lasts approximately five-and-a-half months.  In this area, snow plows outnumber fire trucks, and we experience weather conditions on a daily basis that could easily paralyze a major city for days (I've lived farther south, and I've seen it happen).

Even though it's August, I knew I had to start looking for appropriate shoes so I wouldn't have to go into runner hibernation at first snowfall.

Now, I'm fairly new to the running game so I don't know a lot about shoes.  I know that I should be going to a running store to figure out which shoe would support my foot the best, but I was reluctant to spend so much money on a hobby that I have only started getting into.

I was at a big box shoe store looking for some cheapo sandals to enjoy the rest of summer in when I decided to take a stroll down the athletic shoe aisle.  I was very delighted when I came across this pair of Saucony's on clearance.

Let's get into the pros and cons:


Pros:

• Moderately heavy treads, which I suppose, is necessary in trail shoes.
• They grip slippery surfaces quite well.  I've only tested them in mud, because it hasn't started snowing...yet.
• These run true to size, maybe even slightly big.  I like that I don't have to suck up my pride and buy my shoes two sizes larger *coughnike*
• Mesh upper.  I looooove mesh uppers.  So comfy and breathable.
• Lightweight, not just for trail shoes, but for running shoes in general.
• They feel rugged and well-built.
• Pretty colors - but then again, I'm a sucker for mint green.

Cons:

• The tread pattern and height of the sole makes them unstable on pavement.  However, this isn't a huge con because I bought them specifically for running in snow and rough terrain anyway.
• Mesh upper.  As much as I love them, it means that they are not waterproof.  Since my feet will inevitably get wet in the snow, I will have to be extra careful not to get frostbite.
• While I tend to favor more minimalist road shoes, I almost hoped that these shoes would have a little more support, especially in the ankle.  Rocks and tree roots happen.

These shoes are an older version, which was probably why they were so cheap.  I'm quite impressed with the deal that I got, and they seem to be working out really well so far.  Hopefully, we'll have many more (winter) miles together.