Saucony ProGrid Guide 19 Prism Haze Splash

The History of Saucony: Where Two Rivers Come Together

Saucony is one of the oldest running shoe brands in the world and also one of the most exciting discoveries in the lifestyle sneaker sector.
The brand's roots date back to 1898 when four businessmen founded a small shoe factory on the banks of Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
The name is derived from the Native American word "saconk," meaning "where two rivers run together." This image of converging rivers also inspired the wave-like brand logo with its three distinctive dots, representing the brand's core values: performance, health, and community.

In parallel, in 1910, Russian immigrant Abraham Hyde opened the company A.R.
Hyde & Sons in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The two companies merged in 1968, combining their expertise.
This combination quickly paid off: in 1977, Consumer Reports recognized Saucony as the best quality brand in running shoes, leading to a demand increase of over 2000 percent.
A milestone that cemented the brand's reputation among serious runners for decades to come.

Saucony Jazz, Shadow, and Grid System: The Milestones

The Trainer 80 marked the entry into the modern era and is now considered the epitome of 80s running shoe design.
This was quickly followed in 1981 by the Jazz, technically the most advanced running shoe of its time, developed in close collaboration with podiatrists to ensure maximum comfort over long distances.
The Jazz remains one of Saucony's best-selling shoes to date and has firmly established itself as a lifestyle classic.

In the early 1990s, Saucony introduced perhaps the brand's most significant innovation with the Grid System: the first cushioning system that combined shock absorption and stability in a single technology.
The Shadow 6000 became the flagship of this era, with its combination of EVA and PU midsole, offering maximum comfort.

Saucony Off the Track: From Space to the NYC Marathon

Saucony also has a remarkable history beyond running.
Its parent company, Hyde, manufactured the shoes for the first American astronaut to perform a spacewalk in 1963.
And Rod Dixon won the New York City Marathon in Saucony shoes in 1983 in one of the most dramatic sprint finishes in running history.

Saucony Originals and Streetwear Collaborations

Since the 2000s, Saucony has purposefully connected its performance heritage with sneaker culture.
The Originals line brings back icons like Jazz, Shadow, Shadow 5000, and the ProGrid Omni 9, reinterpreting them with contemporary materials and colorways.
High-profile collaborations with Extra Butter, Bodega, KITH, Jae Tips, and Westside Gunn from Griselda have put Saucony on the radar in the streetwear scene.
The combination of authentic running shoe DNA, retro aesthetics, and thoughtful limited editions makes Saucony the perfect alternative for anyone looking for sneakers with real history beyond the "big three."

Saucony at Coziness

At Coziness, we carry Saucony because the brand proves that over 125 years of heritage and contemporary streetwear relevance are not contradictory.
Saucony sneakers incorporate real running shoe technology, look incredibly good, and are worn by a growing community that values substance over hype.