The Saucony Peregrine trail shoe has been around long enough to be on version 11, but just released in January 2021 is a special version: the ST. Abbreviated for “soft terrain”, these shoes caught my eye first, and my heart after just a few miles.
My favorite feature is the outsole. I’ve made the tradeoff of poor traction for other features in my favorite running shoe and I’ve finally found a pair where I don’t have to compromise. The PWRTRAC lugs are a whopping 6.5mm and are multi-directional for extra assurance. I wandered around Smith Rock and felt like I could barrel down (and back up) the technical singletrack without even thinking. I’ve plodded through the mud in Forest Park and never had to second guess it. As a trail runner, finally being able to finally trust the grip on my shoe was a new and welcome feeling!
The STs have a 4mm drop and has 23mm of midsole foam, so your feet are protective without being overly weighted. These feel stiff out of box, given the built-in protective rockplate, they loosened up and felt great after just a few miles and it pays off in durability for those extra long adventures.
Another favorite feature is the quick-lace system. The lace garage is over the top of the foot rather than other styles in the tongue, which not only provides protection for the laces from debris, but also avoids additional bulk in the tongue on your ankle joint. I found the laces to be needlessly long, so given the abundance of lace to tuck in, having it over the foot rather than at the pivot point was great.
I found that these shoes ran a full size smaller than my historical shoe size. I’d highly recommend finding these in store and trying them on, if you can. I also generally like a wider toe box for my running shoes and these were neither too narrow, nor too wide and I’ve enjoyed the snug and secure feeling, while still providing enough space for my toes to adjust throughout the run.
The STs also have a stretchy heel pull, for those who use and like that feature, and a small tab on the toebox for gaiters to attach.
It’s an attractive and versatile shoe that I hope stays in Saucony’s main Peregrine lineup. I look forward to spending my summer and early fall races wearing down these lugs. Anyone who is already a fan of Saucony or the Peregrines specifically can attest to their performance already. But this ST version is just…*chef’s kiss*.
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Specs (from website):
- Weight: Women’s – 10.1oz (288g) | Men’s – 11.5oz (326g)
- Heel: 27mm
- Forefoot: 23mm
- Offset: 4mm
- Category: Neutral
More about Saucony:
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A big thank you to Saucony for providing us with a sample. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
