Saucony Ride 5 Earns Runner’s World’s ‘Best Buy’ Award

LEXINGTON, MA (July 23, 2012) – Continuing to deliver unrivaled performance at superior value, global performance running footwear and apparel brand Saucony® is proud to announce that the all-new Ride 5 has been named “Best Buy” by Runner’s World, the worldwide authority on running, in the magazine’s Fall Shoe Buyer’s Guide. The fifth-generation Ride features the brand’s groundbreaking Geometry of Strongâ„¢ technology and a redesigned midsole, delivering outstanding responsiveness and flexibility in a neutral cushioned shoe.

“A ‘Best Buy’ pick that tops $100?” asked the Runner’s World editors. “If you’re shopping for new shoes, you know they’re getting more expensive, but the Ride 5 is indicative of a trend we’re seeing. The Ride 5 resonated with testers, who rated it the highest of any shoe in this guide for comfort, cushioning, and ride. The Bottom Line? The Ride 5 offers cushioning for long runs but is light enough for fast efforts,” said Runner’s World.
“The entire Saucony team is honored to be recognized once again by Runner’s World,” said Patrick O’Malley, senior vice president of global product. “Innovation continues to be the driving force for our product team and the new Ride 5 is testament to that resolve. Packed with cutting-edge performance features and engineered meshes, the Ride delivers outstanding responsiveness and flexibility in an incredibly light and sleek package.”

The Ride 5 features the brand’s exclusive full-length ProGridâ„¢ foam, providing the ideal blend of cushioning and responsiveness. The shoe’s revolutionary heel-to-toe offset, reduced from 12mm to 8mm, positions the foot during impact in a way that creates a greater range of motion for the Gastrocnemius-Soleus-Achilles tendon system, allowing for a more powerful running stride. Additionally, the shoe’s lower offset makes it easier for the runner to land midfoot, resulting in a lower impact strike.

The new Ride 5, both lighter and more flexible than the previous edition, provides increased cushioning, thanks to Saucony’s IBR+ Outsoleâ„¢, a new injection-blown rubber compound that is 33 percent lighter in weight than traditional blown rubber. IBR+ is also proven to absorb twice as much energy than traditional blown rubber, providing amazing and long-lasting forefoot cushioning. The Ride 5 also features a Comfortrideâ„¢+ Sockliner and SRC (Super Rebound Compound) Impact Zone which provides shock attenuation and sets the foot up for a smooth transition from heel to toe-off.

The Ride 5, now available at select specialty run retailers, comes in men’s sizes 7-13, 14 and 15 and women’s sizes 5-12. The Ride 5 is available in widths. The suggested retail price of the Ride 5 is $110.00. To find a retailer near you, call 800-365-4933 or visit www.saucony.com.

To read the entire Runner’s World 2012 Fall Shoe Buyer’s Guide, check out the September issue of Runner’s World on sale at newsstands July 31, or visit www.runnersworld.com.

For more information, please contact Sharon Barbano at Saucony® (617-824-6126), sharon.barbano@saucony.com or Jeff Lawrence at Mullen (617-226-9945), jeff.lawrence@mullen.com.

About Saucony, Inc.: Saucony, Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc. is a leading global running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation and style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898, Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award winning innovations, including Flexion Plate™, ProGrid™, Arch-Lock®, and ViZiPRO™ apparel. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.

About Collective Brands, Inc.: Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zacâ„¢, the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections Lela Rose for Payless, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose, alice + olivia for Payless, Christian Siriano for Payless and STLP x Airwalk, among others; Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children’s footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider®, Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand’s units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.
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