It's not every day we see Saucony Originals come out with a brand new hybrid model, but this season they've bucked that trend and introduced the GRID 8500. As some of you will work out from the title, it's a GRID 8000 and GRID 9000 hybrid, with the sole of the former and the upper of the latter. This Black colourway is one of three debut iterations.
The upper consists of a variety of premium materials. At the toebox we have a very smooth, supple nubuck, along with a thick, layered mesh, with both providing great comfort. Along the midfoot we see a mixture if neoprene and nubuck, with the Saucony logo coming in a very soft leather, providing a different shade of black to the rest of the upper. Around the heel we again see a neoprene collar with a reinforced leather running along the top of the midsole, providing a secure fit. A crisp white midsole brightens the shoe nicely, which is nicely complemented by a gum outsole.
GRID technology sits in the heel, providing a great level of cushioning under foot, which when combined with the descending sole offers an almost barefoot walking experience. The tongue is half-gusseted, too, making the shoe much more snug and secure. Finally, the outsole features a complex tread pattern, meaning traction won't be a problem on any surface.
We also have a host of other Saucony Originals styles, including the GRID 9000, GRID 8000, DXN Trainer, Shadow 6000, G9 Shadow and Jazz Original.