crooked tongues magazine News Features

Saucony's Elite pack with Bodega lacks the weak links that ruin a collaborative collection. These shoes have an unnerving level of consistency and while there's no overriding plot sledgehammered into each makeup, colourways like this push the project forward nicely. This makeup of the early '90s' Grid 9000 design, with its sock-like Huarache-era fit is further proof that there's mileage in distance runners like this, offering the next wave of Saucony design DNA, post-Shadow. Technical-looking, still capable of performance and showing off the GRID through that translucent outsole window to audaciously expose the effective technology that cushions and stabilises, the 9000 is a killer design with more panels to play with than your average running shoe. This version feels like the supplement to last season's Mowabb-alike, that smartly played on the ankle hugger angle and the mix of colours here is comfortingly familiar. Tonal suede blocks out the usual highlighted branding, the textured nylon on the collar looks good and the gum sole is tremendous. Once again, premium materials make a good shoe great, and these Grid 9000s drop in February.