Ride 8 GTX

How close are you to your goal now? Your goal time is certainly generally achievable without a carbon plated racer - people did run that fast before 2017 after all; my first HM under 1:50 was with a Saucony Ride 8 with its 26mm heel stack of EVA - and the Superblast is a perfect non-plated option for a HM. If you would like some extra oomph to get to your goal, want to try the plated experience, and are ok to spend the $$, then go for it.

I mostly road run and have a pair of Goretex shoes (Saucony Ride GTX, several years old now but it looks like they still do GTX in some models) that I use only if I'm gonna be running in a lot of snow or puddles. They do keep the water out and I haven't had an issue with water getting in (but tbf I don't wear them often while it's actually raining). My complaint about them is that foot sweat seems to get trapped *in* so they're gross and clammy at the end of the run. So I typically only use them for a handful of runs each winter where the sloshy melted snow is bad enough to be worth the foot sauna.

How about Brooks Ghost or Saucony Ride? Both are about 7mm more than the Kinvara, so that probably qualifies as "a bit more" that you are looking for. These classics are going strong and are on their 17th and 18th iteration for a reason. I think this subreddit is so focused on the latest trends that commenters forget that these classics continue to exist and sell in huge numbers for a reason. Also, I'm not sure if you want low stack or firm - it's not necessarily the same thing! For example, On Cloudmonster 2 is higher stack but much more firm than the aforementioned Ghost and Ride.

If you want something that lasts and is worth the money, look at the Saucony Ride or Guide series. Most "hyped" Running shoes use soft foams that bottom out after 200 miles, but Saucony tends to use slightly firmer, more resilient materials that hold their shape for a long time. Don't buy into the expensive carbon-plated trends yet; just get a solid daily trainer.