Saucony is an OG in the running shoe space, and I have a couple of its classic long-standing shoes in my rotation. The ones most commonly known are probably the Guide and Ride series. Both are similar-ish, with some tangible differences, but they’re also generally accessible options that work for a wide range of runners.
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So seeing the Saucony Ride TR3, a new road-and-trail shoe, it sort of makes sense. Take that familiar and straightforward feel of a road shoe and give it a little more ability for some off-roading without losing the ability to be completely viable on the roads. It’s a road/gravel/light trail option all dialed together for $150.
Looks
The Ride TR3 looks very similar to the most recent Ride 19, right down to the colorway. At least in our review pair, the Steel Blue option is pretty transferable between the two shoes. The TR3 does have a little more rugged visual appeal than the strictly road version. It looks like a Ride, just with perhaps a little more teeth to it.
Construction and Fit
I encourage you to read our review of the Saucony Ride 19 for a general breakdown of what to expect from the TR3. It’s not a completely lateral, pound-for-pound similarity with lugs simply tossed on underneath, but I found the ride and construction to be similar enough that I think that review still works as a good starting point.
There are obviously differences, the first being the addition of those aforementioned lugs, which come in at 3.5mm.
The TR3 unsurprisingly has approximately an ounce more weight attached to it, and the stack is reduced a solid amount, while upping the drop. It does retain the PWRRUN+ midsole. The upper seems perhaps a little more strengthened as well, which makes sense when you’re asking the shoe to handle more strenuous and chaotic trail options as opposed to strictly road running.
I don’t think it’s terribly different from the Ride 19, but there are some areas that appear to have been reinforced as a result.
Specs
- Stack Height: 37mm heel / 29mm forefoot
- Drop: 8mm
The Ride – literally
The Ride TR3 feels familiar, and that’s probably its biggest selling point. If you’ve spent time in the Ride series, there isn’t a huge learning curve here. It still feels like a comfortable daily trainer, but the outsole gives it considerably more freedom to leave the pavement.
I’ve found it particularly useful when I don’t necessarily know what a run is going to look like. Road for part of the run? Fine. Gravel? No problem. A light-to-moderate trail? That’s where the TR3 butters its metaphorical bread
It’s also been a good travel shoe for me. If I’m going somewhere where I might run roads one day and trails the next, I don’t necessarily want to bring two pairs of shoes. The TR3 gives me one option that can handle both while remaining comfortable.
Conclusion
I think this is a very admirable addition to a running closet, especially for those who already enjoy the Ride 19 or for runners looking for something more accessible for light to moderate trails without diving in and breaking the bank on a super-technical trail shoe.
Let’s be honest: most of us probably don’t need as much technology as we think we do on our feet anyway.
The TR3 has been one of those great shoes to take when I’m hopping between terrain, or even when traveling and I need something that can handle roads and trails without requiring multiple pairs of shoes.
Even better, there is also a GTX (GORE-TEX) option that runs an additional $30. That version is better equipped to handle wet and muddy terrain at the same time, which might be particularly useful for Oregon multi-terrain running nine months out of the year.
This may not be a 100% “must-have” shoe, but it’s definitely a worthwhile option to consider for filling a relatively important niche for a lot of us.
