Details
Brand
Saucony
Heel To Toe Drop
4mm
Breathability
7.6/10
Latest Version
No
Terrain
Trail
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• XT900 rubber outsole• Multi-directional lugs• Aggressive grip and traction• Versatile terrain• Low profile/low drop• FLEXFILM upper• Dual density mesh• POWERGRID Midsole• EBO midfoot and forefoot rock plates for protection• Durable rubberized toe tip
Upper
The Peregrine 5’s FLEXFILM upper, another common design trend among many Saucony running shoes, consists of no-sew overlays comprised of a lightweight bendable mesh material. This material has been finely woven into these trail shoes for the purpose of preventing excessive debris accumulation while running. On the frontmost part of the upper is a wide rubberized toe bumper replacing the breathable mesh with something more solid. This is a necessary amenity for running on the trail where exposure to flying debris is common, but it does detract slightly from the overall breathability of the shoe. On the rear is a finger loop that offers a great way of fastening these shoes quickly. It isn’t a necessary addition, but the inclusion of this feature is nice, to say the least.
Midsole
Saucony’s POWERGRID midsole present in the design for the Peregrine 5 is a staple of many other Saucony running shoes. POWERGRID is lighter than standard EVA foam and provides plenty of cushion while still managing to remain responsive. POWERGRID midsoles are quite common among many of Saucony’s lower profile shoes, and it happens to be a good fit for a lower profile trail shoe as well. That said, the amount of cushion ordinarily present on the vast majority of trail shoes is conspicuously absent with this design choice. While it does keep these Saucony trail shoes from weighing down your feet, the lack of extra layers will likely cause some discomfort in the early stages of ownership.
Outsole
The Peregrine 5’s outsole is comprised of Saucony’s renowned XT900 rubber. This is a carbon rubber material known mostly for being highly resistant against all manner of running-related abrasions. The outsole helps to contribute to the Peregrine 5’s traction with multi-directional lugs. The lugs are faced strategically in order to maximize their effectiveness, front lugs face towards the front, and rear lugs face toward the rear. Although two different kinds of material are used for lug construction, signified with two different colors, the differences between the two aren’t particularly significant. One exception to this is the center lugs, which are firmer and better able to grip onto rough terrain commonly experienced when trail running.
Breathability
The Peregrine 5 mostly consists of the dual layer FLEXFILM material, which helps to both insulate the foot and provide decent airflow. The result of this design is a shoe that maintains a comfortable temperature for your feet whether you are running in hot or cold environments. A consistent interior temperature is nice to have, but this comes at the cost of water protection due to the insulating properties of the fabric used. Furthermore, some customers have noticed that the insulating aspects are overshadowed by the ventilating aspects, meaning they still need to wear extra thick socks when running in the winter.
Comfort
For this iteration of Saucony’s Peregrine trail shoe, a wider toe box has been implemented to increase comfort for runners with wider feet. This may seem like a minor change, but the accommodation of wider feet is something sorely missing in most popular running shoe manufacturers, with the sole exception of New Balance. There’s no need to worry if you don’t have wide feet, though, since the rest of the Peregrine 5’s general design provides a snug and secure fit. Saucony spared the excessive padding common for trail shoes, having implemented just enough to keep runners comfortable and movable. Although it is certainly able to handle long running sessions, customers have remarked that these shoes aren’t quite as popular as many other brands because of this specific design caveat.
Style
At first glance, you may be fooled into thinking the Saucony Peregrine 5 is a low profile road racer. It doesn’t become apparent that these are in fact heavy-duty trail shoes until you approach them more closely and identify the outsole lugs. This interesting take on the standard trail shoe design is likely to attract some more fashion oriented runners, although the lack of possible color choices may turn them off. Although this is a disappointing aspect of their design, what few choices are available still manage to please the eye. The addition of some smaller details is nice as well, such as the mountain and falcon graphics on the upper.
Durability
Despite its lighter weight, these Saucony shoes provide the necessary toughness for trails and inclines. The Peregrine 5’s outsole with its XT900 rubber material holds up exceptionally well, preventing the need for constant replacements. Runners have described these trail shoes as highly resilient, showing minuscule signs of wear and tear after many miles. Based on their estimate, one pair should easily last more than 250 miles.
Protection
Most of the protection offered by these trail shoes can be found on the bottom of the shoe. The multi-directional lugs placed on the outsoles are your main line of defense against the hazardous and unpredictable terrain. The front-facing lugs near the forefoot help you climb uphill and the back facing lugs near the heel work as brakes on downhill runs. EBO rock plates placed on the front and center of the midsole work together with a POWERGRID heel unit so as to discourage small rocks and other fragments from harming your stride. Finally, a FLEXFILM upper maintains a secure fit in order to prevent any loss of traction.
Responsiveness
The Peregrine 5 owes the majority of its responsiveness to its POWERGRID midsole. This proprietary Saucony design harnesses energy from each foot strike, redistributing it evenly across the entire sole’s surface. The same concept applied to other Saucony trainers can be seen in these trail shoes, and the effect it has on the trail running experience is profound. The energy absorbed and redistributed acts as rocket fuel, helping to propel runners into perpetual motion.
Support
As a neutral trainer, these shoes provide the most appropriate support for runners with mild overpronation. You’ll get enough cushioning to get you where you need to be but you’ll feel it the entire way there. With its lower profile, lighter weight, and extremely mild heel drop, you’re guaranteed a more neutral footing and a more intimate experience with the ground you run on.
Terrain
As a trail shoe, the name of the game is domination of terrain. Despite being meant primarily for running on trails, the Saucony Peregrine 5 functions essentially as an all-terrain shoe. This means that it’s still effective when running on hard dirt, sand, gravel, and even flat roads. Due to its low heel drop and numerous similarities with other road shoes, this transition from trail to the road is near-seamless. The only minor drawback is the lack of adequate water protection. For this reason, it’s best to run with these shoes in dry conditions.
Price
Considering the prices of competing for trail shoe brands, these shoes are appropriately priced. It’s a fair amount to pay for the features on display, like the high durability and unique lightweight design, but these aren’t exactly sold at a deal. Price fluctuation is conspicuously absent, despite being a newer model available on the market. This can be taken as a sign that these shoes are far from obsolete and that the cost of entry is well justified.
Drop
The heel drop measures in at around 4 mm. This neutral heel position is yet another aspect of this Saucony shoe’s design that discourages any heel striking whatsoever. If you are getting into trail running from a background in regular track running, this can be a difficult transition to make. An easier transition is to come from a more minimalist road running style to the Peregrine 5. This shoe’s low drop makes it very adaptable to switch from road to trail environments without losing speed or form, providing an excellent compromise between these two shoe designs.
Stability
The Peregrine 5 has a low profile, helping to contribute both stability and neutral arch support. This is a design that discourages heavy heel striking, instead of promoting more of a midfoot or forefoot strike. As a result, these Saucony shoes aren’t suitable for runners with more serious pronation issues. If you happen to be this type of runner, you definitely do not want to be messing with low profile shoes on the trail anyway as you’re much more likely to sustain a serious injury due to the uneven surface. In that respect, the Peregrine 5 is ideal not just for runners with a more functional stride but for runners who are more familiar with the rugged terrain. Essentially, the stability on display is good enough for runners who know what they’re doing, but beginners need not apply.
Flexibility
Traction, protection, and flexibility are all on display with these Saucony trail shoes, forming a rare triple threat. As previously mentioned, Saucony’s FLEXFILM upper is known for its impressive malleability. Coupled with the downplayed cushioning, the result is a shoe you can bend, twist, and contort in any conceivable direction without much resistance, a testament to its flexibility. This translates directly into higher performance on the trails, according to many satisfied customers.
Traction
In order to provide the much-needed adhesive momentum between ground and shoe, the Peregrine 5 outsoles’ lugs and XT900 rubber material are the key ingredients. Despite its lower profile, a pair of these shoes are still fully capable of chewing through the terrain like a piranha. Additionally, many customers have expressed their approval of the outsole’s high resistance to mud and dirt, although water will still be an issue.
Bottom Line
Much like Jedi Master Yoda, you shouldn’t judge this shoe by its size. The Peregrine 5’s talent on the trail at no point comes into question, despite its diminished cushioning and lighter weight. It’s a David-sized shoe able to take on Goliath-size challenges. With these trail shoes, Saucony has dispelled the notion that you need a set of extremely heavy and cumbersome boot-like shoes for running on trails while maintaining safety and comfort. That is not the case here, thanks to Saucony’s impeccable design prowess. It also dispels the notion that more protection comes at the cost of more weight, laying that idea to rest with one of the lightest highly protective trail shoes on the market. Essentially, what you get with the Peregrine 5 is a magnificent shoe that’s light, flexible, dependable, and aggressive on both trails and roads.
