Customer Reviews Saucony Freedom 3

Its a significant departure from the Freedom ISO2, which was my favorite shoe. This one feels tighter, even after some miles. It also *feels* a little heavier, though maybe it isn't. It has more cushion, which I don't mind. Time will tell, but I wish they stuck with the ISO.

I bought these shoes after using the Shoe Advisor. I've been wearing a different brand of shoe and felt it was time for a change. Out of the box they felt a little tight around my toes. I ran a 5k in them, they felt comfortable but my toes felt a little squashed. After wearing them for 20 miles in total now they still feel a little tight but I think they are wearing in nicely, no blisters.

I have been doing 6-8 ,iles everyday walking my neighborhood and around our community. This is the first shoe in 10 years that lasted longer than 3 months w/good support.

Nice overall shoe. Better balance from previous freedom, but I miss the iso fit. It gave me a better lockdown fit without heel slippage. No matter how I lace the freedom 3's, I still get heel slippage. Only other negative is color schemes. I miss the blue/citron. I had 3 pairs of that color and I alway got compliments on them. Overall a nice comfortable shoe with boring colors.

This is an almost perfect shoe for me. I loved the Freedom ISO 1 & 2, and this improved on them in many ways, but the heavily structured heel (especially compared to the prior two iterations) knocks a star off for me. The new midsole is great providing a nice balance for both fast and slow days, and the combined blown rubber and crystal rubber sole has better traction in the wet than prior versions. Additionally, while I liked the glove like ISO-fit, this is a great alternative and the upper appears a bit more durable. However, while the new heel structure keeps the foot reasonable well locked in, it took all of four or five medium length (6-10 mile) runs to wear straight through the spandex-like fabric lining the heal cup and since doing that, it has created a massive hot spot just to the side of the achilles tendon yielding some gnarly blisters. I actually think this version is overly structured compared to versions 1 & 2, and this has led to the problem. For me, maybe sizing up another half size will help. For most it will be a great lightweight option, but I may be looking elsewhere for my next pair, seeking a bit less structured heel.

Excellent cushioning and fit but priced quite high at $ 150 compared to $ 110 Kinvara 11...both comparable low weight shoes, same transition drop 4 mm and similiar PWRRUN cushioning...perhaps longevity justifies the price differential? Overall happy with usage both shoes bought in July...Kinvara 11 my favourite for smooth fast ride. Also Freedom 3 upper a bit thick foamfit and not so cool for these summer month runs, breathes less than Kinvara 11's thinner fabric.

I have taken the Freedom 3 on 8 runs ranging from 6.5 to 13.6 miles for 76 total miles. Most of the runs have been pretty easy (around an 8:30 min/mile pace). The 13.6 included some harder miles at the end (7:05-7:20 pace) and I ran about 10 short pickups in them recently (about a 150 meter surge up to a 5:45-6:00 pace at the fastest point). I've run only on roads and taken them on some hilly miles and one wet day. They clearly fall in the "everyday trainer" category. They are fairly versatile, but not really meant for shorter, fast runs. The upper has two layers and runs a little warm on the hottest days. The tongue is moderately cushioned and has a gusset so no sliding around and no pressure from the laces. The laces themselves are round and a little stretchy. That's not really my favorite, but I have not had any issues with them coming untied or any trouble getting the fit right. The heel is comfortable and does not slip. The fit is a little narrower than most Sauconys I have worn. My foot tends to be narrow and it doesn't bother me, but a person with a wide foot might have issues. The toebox is a little shallow. I found it a little distracting on the first run when I was paying attention, but have not noticed it since. The upper is stretchy, so even where the fit is a little tight it does not feel constrictive. The key to the shoe is the midsole. PWRRN+ is definitely softer and lighter than the first TPU foam on the market. You notice the cushion right away and it has a little bit of a bounce to it. The Freedom has a pretty thick slab of the stuff and it gives a nice, even, cushioned ride. They are fun to run in. The foam is reasonably flexible. For as thick as the sole is, it bends well. They feel better going downhill than any shoe I remember wearing no jarring pound up the legs. The tradeoffs are that you do not get much "ground feel" with them and there is no real snap to the run. I can go reasonably fast in them, but it feels like I need to build up the speed, not burst into a fast run (though some of that is probably that I am getting older and my "burst" is not what it was). The new rubber compound on the outsole is okay. It grips really well on dry pavement, especially if the pavement is rough at all. The traction was mediocre on the one day that the roads were wet. I do not see any wear at all on this rubber, though, so I expect it will last extremely well. While the fit is a little narrow, the sole itself is plenty big and feels nice and stable when you land. For a comparison, I'd say the Kinvara is the closest that I can name. Both fit the versatile trainer model. The Freedom is slightly softer. The Kinvara has more snap to it. I expect the Freedom to be more durable. The Kinvara is a bit better for speed work or racing, but the Freedom is a better long/easy run shoe. In all, I'd like them to have a little less of an upper, a slightly taller toe box (especially for my big toe), a hair less cushion, and a slightly grippier sole on wet days. I would not race anything shorter than a marathon in them, but I could see other people using them for a half thanks to the even cushioning and smooth ride. All of the changes I'd like to see are small, but they keep the shoe in the "strong like" range instead of "love." But they are very comfortable, I enjoy running in them, I expect they will be very durable, and they are a very good choice for a shoe to log lots of miles in.

I've put a little over 2400 miles in Saucony's since 2017 on trail and pavement. I burned through 4 pairs of the Freedom 2's and loved every step. While I love the new model, it's the first shoe I had to pull off mid first run in them due to cramping. After about 5 miles is when they started to loosen up for me. I would echo other reviews missing the iso fit. The new power run foam is great though! After 200 miles in them, they're great. In short, break them in a bit before you hammer down. Thank you for another great product Saucony!

I loved last years Freedoms, but feel this edition is even better. They looked narrower coming out of the box, but feel great while running. The upper hugs my foot perfectly. I'm not sure how the weight compares to the previous edition, but these feel lighter on the run. The ride feels softer, but more responsive. To me, it has been the perfect shoe.....so comfortable you never think about them. Would love to see some more colors to add to the collection.

Is comfortable, light weight and good cushions. But the Powerun+ although thicker than Altra Escalatnte does not seems to offer more protection and it has less energy return too.

Wish the toe box was a little wider to let the toes fully splay. Fit otherwise is awesome. Love the response of the foam. Only had first two runs in them, 6 and 8 miler, not one issue.

Great shoe but got the wrong size. I need the right size.

Shoe feels a little unstable when running through tighter curves or uneven ground. Feels like my foot is going to slip off the side.

I trained in the Freedom 2's last year and loved them, so I was excited to try the 3's when they came out. Compared to the 2's, I was very disappointed in the color options, it was pretty boring. But whatever, they look fine. I have put about 270 miles on the 3's so far. They are very comfortable on both short fast runs and long slow runs, and provide a good feel for the road. They're lightweight which is great. However, part of the outsole has already worn through, which is about 100 miles sooner than it happened in my 2's. So for the price, I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't get more life out of the shoe, particularly when it's still comfortable and springy. I'm planning on trying the Altra Escalante or Torin next because the outsole looks more durable on those shoes while offering similar cushioning and stack heights.

I'm an exclusive Saucony user for the last 8 years. Comfort and fit is just perfect. Had Triumph's, Guide, Zealot and now Freedom 1's and now 3. Run 30-35 km per week and they normally last 650-700 km. I use neutral shoes without significant degradation caused by pronation or supination. This Freedom 3 feels different from the Freedom 1. I damaged it significantly after just 280 km (supination) to the point that I got through the first sole layer and got to the foam. This is very unusual. I went to my dealer who replaced it swiftly with the approval of the Saucony rep. Great after-sales service. Don't know how long will the new pair last. They seem a bit less stable. My only comment to Saucony is that the feeling of the shoes moving from different versions of the same model (lets say Freedom) varies more than what I would like. I liked the Freedom 1, did not liked the Freedom 2 as it changed too much and now Freedom 3 does not feel like the 1 at all. I know that multiple components have changed between the versions but the overall model feeling should remain.

Haven't use the shoes yet for break in, but judging the way it fits in my foot feels so comfortable to the extent to notice that the toe box are way room from my previous two freedom ISO (all the same size 8). Love the bounce feel of the new powerrun cushioning

My foot is transitioning laterally and I don't feel stable. Very disappointed. Would like advice for future purchases. I bought a neutral shoe just like my last time and I loved my last shoes. They were ISO 5

This is the second pair of Freedom 3's I've had. I loved the first pair I got. They were super light and springy. This lastest pair, the blackout color way, has been tearing up my feet. I have lots of hot spots and I've gotten multiple blisters. I'm 50 miles into this pair.

Love the style, length is perfect, just wish they offered this shoe in a wide width. Unfortunately they are too narrow for me feet. Otherwise would be great.

I'm normally a half size down in Saucony shoes. These are a good 3/4"-1" longer that the previous ISO 2 version. I'm about a thumb and a half from my big toe in these where my last pair (iso 2 version) are less than a thumb. It's so far off from previous versions of freedom and ride that I've worn, I can't help but thinking these we're miss marked/tagged at the factory? I love saucony shoes but these have been way off on size? The pwr run sole is superb though!

I like Saucony's and have a few models - the triumph, peregrine, etc. I generally dont have issues with shoes. I was really hoping to like these freedom 3's but they are just really unstable for me. It's overly tight in the middle but a too much room in the toe box, so much that my foot actually feel like they're going over the sole.

I've ran in the Kinvara for years and thought I would give the Freedom 3 a try after passing on it several times because of the price. The shoe itself is high quality and lightweight. The problem I experienced was the shoe being too narrow and I don't have wide feet. My foot pushes out over the sole due to the sidewall material. It makes it incredibly uncomfortable to run in and I could only do a few runs before retiring the shoe and going back to the Kinvara. Maybe it was the color I chose (all black) and other colors use different materials but I couldn't run in this shoe. Should have stuck with my gut and stayed with the Kinvara.

Sometimes change is not progress. I LOVED the Freedom 1 and 2 ISO. Ran countless miles in them. The 4mm drop Is just right for me and the way the ISO fits without locking you in was perfect. And then, you decide to scrap the ISO. BOOOO! The upper made me feel like I had a tightened band around my midfoot. Hate the new heel cup (hate is a legit word here). Feel a hot spot on my forefoot that I never (never ever) had in 1 and 2. Never understand why shoe companies lose their way like this. You've lost me as a customer for the Freedom.

Bought this shoe and I'm not that impress. They hurt my feet while running. I love the Freedom ISO 2 shoes. These freedom would not recommend.