Saucony Axon 3 review

10 expert score
5.5 user's score
As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples. We purchased this pair at Running Warehouse with our own money.
Review written on 28th March by Michael Mason-D'Croz Long distance runner, shoe expert.
90 other reviews

Saucony Axon 3 Verdict

The Saucony Axon 3 is the perfect case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" for shoes. The Axon 2 was nearly perfect and, for the Axon 3, Saucony didn't change the good parts; they only improved the outsole.

The pros

  • The best buy in neutral running
  • Lots of cushion
  • Bouncy feedback
  • Tons of grip to make you feel secure
  • Excels on all types of runs

The cons

  • The upper can get hot on hot runs

Where to buy

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Rating breakdown

Comfort
10
Build quality
10
Upper
7.0
Sole unit
9.0
Landing
9.0
Transition
9.0
Toe-off
9.0
Traction
10
Durability
10
Value / Price
10

Facts / Specs

Brand
Model
Axon 3
Previous model
Weight
8.5 oz (241 g)
MSRP
90.00

Heel
mm.
Toe
mm.
Heel drop
4 mm.
Carbon plate
No plate

Size/Fit

Sizing
True to size
Heel fit
Tight
Midfoot fit
Normal
Toebox fit
Normal

Cushioning & ride

Type of cushioning
Balanced
Amount of cushioning
Highly cushioned
Stability
Not particularly stable
Flexibility
Medium

Usage

Racing
Speedwork
Daily training  
Long distance racing
Ultra distance racing

Who should buy the Saucony Axon 3 ?

The Saucony Axon 3 is for any runner, it can do all the workouts. At the price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option.

Who should not buy the Saucony Axon 3 ?

If you are an elite runner training to win races, you probably want a higher-end offering. Otherwise, these are for everyone.

Saucony Axon 3 Introduction

Saucony has been offering some of the best running shoes for years, and the best cheaper offerings of the past few years. In the neutral scope, the Axon has been a new mainstay for budget-friendly offerings. At $100, the Axon is priced well below the other main neutral offerings

At that price point the Axon will compete against the New Balance FuelCell Propel, Brooks Launch, and Nike Winflo.

I’ve run in three of those offerings, and the Axon is far-and-away the best of that bunch. In fact, I would put this shoe up against any of the $150 offerings and would probably choose the Axons.

Saucony Axon 3 First Impressions

Picture of Saucony Axon 3

Since I ran in the Axon and Axon 2, I was very excited to see what the Axon 3 would be like. When they arrived, I noticed that the colorway was a bit more subdued (on all offerings) than on the Axon 2. Although not as visually attractive as the 2s, the 3s made up for it in the extra bounce of the sole unit.

On my first run in the 3s, I was very impressed with the bounce and feedback. Beyond that, the aggressive toe-roll pushed me forward for one of my favorite runs of 2023.

Saucony Axon 3 Upper

Picture of Saucony Axon 3

Again, Saucony doesn’t try to muck things up here with the design of the upper. It is very simple in design and execution, and that is an excellent quality. Using an engineered mesh upper, the brand claims the upper is supremely breathable.

Just like the Axon 2, the upper is designed true-to-size, and has a great transition from heel to toe. It starts with a tight heel, and slowly gets wider as the the foot transitions to the toe.

The toe-box is wide enough to make almost anyone feel comfortable.

The mesh is flexible, and moves well with your feet, keeping you comfortable throughout your runs no matter the distance.

Saucony Axon 3 Sole Unit

Picture of Saucony Axon 3

Saucony continues to use the PWRRUN material in the midsole, with plenty of cushion–35mm in the heel, and 31mm in the toe–underfoot. The material used to be the main cushion for the brand, but is more dense and less bouncy than current top-line offerings. With that said, the material in the sole unit has been updated a little, with a slightly bouncier feel.

The shoe uses an aggressive rocker design which pushes you forward and helps you push through your heel-toe transition. With the rocker design, your toe-off is natural and helps to keep you at your desired pace.

Picture of Saucony Axon 3

On the outsole, Saucony updated the material to a carbon rubber, and used a thicker material. This results in a slightly heavier shoe, but the grip is superb.

In the Axon 2, my only real complaint was the traction on wet surfaces, but this new outsole has solved that problem.

I have yet to experience any slipping in the Axon 3s, despite running in the rain and through multiple yard waterings. Fantastic update.

Saucony Axon 3 Conclusions

Picture of Saucony Axon 3

If you’re here for the frills, then you’re looking at the wrong shoe. There are no frills here. What there is, is a very quality shoe that gets the job done for a great price.

I took this shoe out for a lot of short and quick runs, and also for longer and tempo runs. They performed incredibly well for each of the types of runs.

One of my biggest concerns from year-to-year is that a brand will take one of my favorite shoes and “update” them in a way that ruins it for me (New Balance More v4).

However, Saucony definitely didn’t mess with a good thing, and made sure that the aspects of this wonderful shoe stayed true to their original design.

I was anxious, but when I got these on my feet, it felt like reuniting with an old friend, and I loved it.

How does the Axon 3 compare?

Nike Winflo 10
Saucony Axon 3
Saucony Ride 16
Expert score
10
10
8
User score
Best price
Retail price
US$99.99
US$89.95
US$139.95
Weight
9.9 oz
8.5 oz
8.8 oz
Heel Drop
10 mm
4 mm
8 mm
Recommended for
Daily training
Daily training
Daily training
Cushioning type
balanced
balanced
responsive/balanced
Cushioning amount
Medium cushioning
Highly cushioned
Medium cushioning
Flexibility
flexible
medium
medium
Stability
very stable
not particularly stable
some stability
Sizing
true to size
true to size
true to size

Why you can trust us

As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.
We purchased this pair of Saucony at Running Warehouse  with our own money.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our policy.
Lowest price:

$89.95

Saucony Axon 3 price comparison

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Reviewed by Michael

This review was written by Michael Mason-D'Croz on 28th March.
Michael Mason-D’Croz lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, working as a Spanish Teacher and soccer coach. Because training isn’t enough, he gets to chase around his almost 2-year-old daughter when he gets home from work and runs. On his free time — what little of it there is — he likes to play board games and sample tasty local beers.

User feedback (2)

  • avatar-comment-1037444
    RJ
    2 months ago
    10 score

    Love these shoes!
    I’m a lady with wide feet and narrow heel and these are perfect.
    Super comfortable and they’ve held up really well.
    I walk 3 miles most days with my mom and run 20 -25 miles a week in these shoes.

  • avatar-comment-1036111
    AJ
    4 months ago
    1 score

    Not suitable for wider feet. Very dense foam. Actually hurt my foot just to walk in these.

Lowest price:
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Where to buy

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Sorry - Product not found. Please try RunningWarehouse.Com to check in their assortment.
This page contains affiliate links Read more

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