REVIEW: Saucony Triumph 17

The Saucony Triumph is one of the brand’s most popular shoes–and it’s been given some high-end upgrades. The Triumph 17 is quite different from its previous iterations, but despite a lot of change, it runs better than ever. The latest shoe from Saucony is building on years of experience to bring the runner the ideal ride.

To clear one thing up, the ISO 5 was the last model of the Triumph–in case you were confused by the ’17’.

Shoe category: Neutral
Drop: 8 mm
Price: $200.00
Cushion: Responsive
Weight: 261 grams for women’s 9
Surfaces tested: Road, trail
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RELATED: SHOE REVIEW: Saucony Kinvara 10

Updates

Runners want to feel fast, and the latest Triumph reflects this desire. Their new foam, PWRRUN, which replaces EVERUN, is lighter and snappier than the previous midsole material. It’s 25 per cent lighter, to be exact, with a more responsive cushioning. PWRRUN is still a TPU foam (the same as EVERUN) but it’s made of beads, similar to Adidas Boost foam.

The Triumph remains one of the company’s most supportive shoes. It’s a neutral cushion shoe (meaning that there’s no posting or motion control through the midfoot) and it’s got the right cushion to go the distance. As a person who likes a stiffer shoe, I’m a big fan. Previous iterations of Triumphs with EVERUN were a little softer, but PWRRUN is an exciting update.

The upper on the 17 is also softer than the Triumph’s predecessor. The ISO fit bands are gone (the old lacing system) and replaced by a mesh overlay, which holds the foot in nicely.

What stayed the same

The fit, drop and footbed all stayed the same. The drop remains 8 millimetres, a middle ground that satisfies most runners. The footbed uses Saucony’s FormFit, which is designed to cradle and mould to the runner’s individual foot. The fit is similar to the previous model–I wore a size 9 in the ISO 5 and I’m wearing a 9 in the 17.

Ideal use

If you’re a marathoner, this shoe is a dream for a long run. If you’ve got a 30K on tap, lace up the new Triumph up and hit the trails. Because of its newfound light weight and bouncy foam, it could also be a long tempo or workout shoe, but if you’re interested in doubling up (it only makes your shoe last longer) then consider the Kinvara 10 for the faster workouts or races.

If you’re a trackie or shorter-distance runner, then pop this shoe on for a long day or a recovery day. It’s got enough cushion to help save your legs, without feeling too soft or squishy. As a track runner, I wore this shoe the morning after a hard evening session. I’m in the middle of cross-country training, so my legs are nearing death three times a week. These shoes helped the next morning’s miles go much smoother.

The heel counter is also usually a point of contention for me, but the Triumph was no problem. If the counter is too stiff, around kilometre eight or nine my foot usually begins to throb, but no throbbing was induced by this shoe.

The Triumph 17 is available today in Canada.