Saucony, Inc. announced that the ProGrid Kinvara minimalist shoe has won Outside Magazine's “Gear of the Year” award.

The award was announced in the Fall/Winter 2010 Outside Buyer's Guide which hit newsstands October 2nd.

“In a year that many running shoes are embracing minimalist design, our test team found that the Saucony ProGrid Kinvara had the best balance of ultra-low weight while maintaining a remarkably smooth and enjoyable ride,” said Justin Nyberg, executive editor of the Outside Buyer's Guide. “The Kinvara is really an incredible shoe: our test team absolutely loved it. It's a shoe that really encourages a neutral midfoot running gait, inspiring our testers to report that they felt faster than they really are when running in the Kinvara,” added Nyberg.

Lisa Jhung, lead tester for the Buyer's Guide, oversaw a designated test group of 25 dedicated runners with a variety of foot types. The team tested 23 new models of road and trail shoes, cumulatively logging 100 miles in each shoe. Testing was conducted on roads and trails in Boulder, Colorado over a period of four months.

“The whole Saucony team is honored to be recognized by Outside for our commitment to innovation and our drive to create the products and experiences that resonate with runners,” said Patrick O'Malley, senior vice president of global product for Saucony.

The “Gear of the Year” award marks the latest in a series of notable accolades for the Kinvara. Runner's World magazine awarded the Kinvara “Best Debut” in the publication's 2010 Summer Shoe Buyer's Guide. The Kinvara was also named “Best Shoe in the Performance Category” in the Running Network's 2010 Fall Shoe Review and “Best Debut” in Endurance Sports Media Group's Fall 2010 Shoe Guide.