Best Saucony Running Shoes of 2024

Saucony is one of the oldest athletic footwear companies in America. Launched in Pennsylvania in 1898, the brand was well-positioned to capitalize on the American jogging boom in the 1970s and 1980s. Nowadays, Saucony is still one of the best all-around running shoe brands. Despite pushes from younger brands like Hoka, On, and Topo, Saucony remains a favorite shoe brand for many runners.

We’ve run in Saucony shoes for decades and collectively logged thousands of miles in the various models. Below, we outline six of the best Saucony shoes currently available. Our pick for the best overall trail running shoe is the classic Saucony Peregrine 14, which continues to be one of the best trail running shoes out there, thanks to its ability to meet the needs of most off-road runners. Likewise, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 is our pick for the best road running shoe for its versatility. It’ll suit most runners for easy runs, strenuous workouts, and even races.

Want to learn more about how we tested the shoes, what to look for in Saucony running shoes, or our answers to frequently asked questions? Read on.

The Best Saucony Running Shoes

• Best Overall Trail Running Shoe: Saucony Peregrine 14
• Best Overall Road Running Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Speed 4
• Best Trail Racing Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Edge
• Best Road Racing Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Elite
• Best Maximum Cushion Road Shoe: Saucony Triumph 22
• Best Stability Road Shoe: Saucony Guide 17

Best Overall Trail Running Shoe: Saucony Peregrine 14 ($140)

Pros:

• Good mid-range lug depth and drop
• Comfortable with improved durability

Cons:

• Not quite a racing shoe

As a shoe that people have loved for well over a decade, the Saucony Peregrine 14 is a tried and true banger. And it’s a classic for a reason. This do-everything trail running shoe has impressed us so much over the years that we continue to feature it in our best trail running shoe guide. What makes it stand out? Let’s start at the base where Saucony employs its PWRTRAC rubber outsoles with five-millimeter lugs, which are the perfect size to easily handle dry conditions and have enough depth to perform well in light mud.

Moving up the shoe, the PWRRUN cushioning is comfortable without being overly cushioned. The 28-millimeter heel and 24-millimeter toe stack height keep runners fairly close to the ground. The 4-millimeter drop is ideal for most runners as it’s not overly aggressive nor in the zero-drop range. Finally, the new PWRRUN+ sock liner provides underfoot comfort, and a new unique lacing system helped lock down the feet.

This incredibly versatile shoe can handle normal training runs, up-tempo workouts, long runs, or races. We took the shoe on steep and technical trails, flat dirt, and crushed gravel paths, and it performed. But perhaps our favorite thing about this shoe is its durability. We put more than 400 miles on a pair of the previous version of these shoes and definitely could’ve added more. We’re a couple hundred miles into these with no noticeable wear or tear.

Of all the shoes in this guide, the iRunFar team has the most miles on the Peregrine models. Over the years, Saucony has continued to improve the shoe, making it one of the best all-around off-road shoes available. The brand offers this shoe in wide and waterproof versions. Look no further if you’re searching for an everyday trainer to take on the trails.

Check out our full review of the Saucony Peregrine 14 here.

Claimed Weight: 9.4 ounces (267 grams) (men’s size 9) | Stack Height: 28/24 millimeters heel/toe | Drop: 4 millimeters | Support: Neutral

Shop the Men's Saucony Peregrine 14Shop the Women's Saucony Peregrine 14

Best Overall Road Running Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 ($170)

Pros:

• Good for training, speedwork, and race day
• Incredibly comfortable and lightweight

Cons:

• It’s hard to take easy days actually easy

At iRunFar, we like versatile shoes that can do it all, and that’s what you get with the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4. While Saucony designed this shoe for racing, it also works well as an everyday trainer. It can serve as a long-run, tempo, or race-day shoe for distances up to a marathon. Constructed with a winged nylon plate, the Endorphin Speed 4 is responsive and delivers a deft energy return. The nylon plate functions similarly to a carbon one but costs much less. The relatively high stack height of 36 millimeters at the heel to 28 millimeters at the toe provides plenty of cushion and comfort. Saucony’s proprietary PWRRUN PB foam is lightweight and responsive, so you get all the cushion without the weight and clunky feel.

Saucony combines that foam with its Speedroll technology to create a responsive, fun ride that left us smiling. We found the 8-millimeter offset to be just about right for forward propulsion. With a claimed weight of 8.2 ounces for the men’s version and 7.2 ounces for the women’s, the shoe is definitely on the lighter side. While we used these shoes for some easy days, they are not pure easy-day shoes. Their design, construction, and weight make it a bit too easy to get plenty of giddy-up in your step.

This shoe quickly became our favorite road running shoe this past winter. We took it on easier runs, tempo workouts, and long runs, and it performed well on each. If you’re looking for a shoe to ensure you take your easy days easy, check out the Triumph 22 or Guide 17 below, but if you’re looking for a do-it-all shoe that blurs the lines between everyday training, speed workouts, and racing, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Endorphin Speed 4.

Claimed Weight: 8.2 ounces (233 grams) (men’s size 9) | Stack Height: 36/28 millimeters heel/toe | Drop: 8 millimeters | Support: Neutral

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Best Trail Racing Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Edge ($200)

Pros:

• Responsive three-quarter length carbon plate
• Comfortable and lightweight

Cons:

• Not as expensive as other carbon-plated shoes, but still pricey

The Saucony Endorphin Edge is a very teched-out shoe, and we love it. The carbon-plated super shoe movement that started in the road-racing scene is slowly making its way to off-road running. Saucony was one of the early brands to place a carbon plate in a road shoe, and now they’re doing the same with a trail shoe. This shoe employs a three-quarter length Carbitex MonoFlex carbon plate with asymmetrical flexibility for a quicker push-off and more stable landing. Saucony plants the carbon plate between a full-length rock guard and a dual layer of PWRRUN PB foam, one of the brand’s higher-end foams. Saucony uses its PWRTRAC outsole and four-millimeter lugs to provide traction on various surfaces. Like Saucony’s other racing shoes, the Endorphin Edge also features their Speedroll technology.

In an increasingly complex and competitive world of off-road racing shoes, we put the Endorphin Edge in the top three currently available, alongside the Hoka Tecton X 2 and the Nike Ultrafly. While expensive, it costs less than these other two options, making it an excellent value. These shoes have handled the technical and rugged trails of California’s Coast Range and Santa Monica Mountains through multiple races, up-tempo workouts, and many long runs. Overall, the grip is good but not great. We did slip some at faster speeds on more technical trails with loose rocks. But since this shoe, with its 4-millimeter lugs, is built more for speed than extreme grip, this was expected.

We have over 300 miles on these shoes and have found them quite durable. These are not your everyday trail running shoes — those are the Peregrine 14s above — but they are an excellent choice for any trail races or speed workouts.

Check out our full review of the Saucony Endorphin Edge here.

Claimed Weight: 9 ounces (255 grams) (men’s size 9) | Stack Height: 35/29 millimeters heel/toe | Drop: 6 millimeters | Support: Neutral

Shop the Men's Saucony Endorphin EdgeShop the Women's Saucony Endorphin Edge

Best Road Racing Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Elite ($275)

Pros:

• Excellent technology to create a responsive and fast ride
• Lightweight and smooth

Cons:

• Expensive

Designed to compete with the top marathon offerings in the super-shoe market, the Saucony Endorphin Elite is one of our favorites available in the field and our top pick among the brand’s road racing lineup. Being a high-end marathon shoe, it comes with all the bells and whistles, and like a classic super shoe, the focus is on energy return. The midsole features the brand’s proprietary PWRRUN HG foam, and Saucony stacks it high at 39.5 millimeters at the heel and 31.5 millimeters at the toe. It’s an aggressive stack height, but the 8-millimeter drop is pretty tame. The slotted carbon plate boosts energy return and provides a smoother ride. This shoe is light, weighing only 7.2 ounces (204 grams).

Saucony spent four years developing this shoe, and it paid off. From the moment we put it on, we found it more comfortable than other super shoes. And like other super shoes, the Endorphin Elite feels better and more natural as your cadence and speed pick up. The shoe truly felt better at a sub-six-minute mile pace than anything slower. We logged hundreds of miles on this pair, mainly during long road tempo runs and workouts of up to 22 miles in preparation for multiple marathons. In our opinion, it performed nearly as well — and in some cases better — than the Nike Alphafly, which is considered one of the best marathon shoes currently available. We say this because of its better comfort and what felt like increased energy return for longer distances. The Endorphin Elite seemed to maintain its bounce and energy return past mile 20 during long tempo runs, while the Alphafly’s energy return waned some. Saucony really made this shoe comfortable, responsive, and fast, and we love it.

Claimed Weight: 7.2 ounces (204 grams) (men’s size 9)| Stack Height: 39.5/31.5 millimeters heel/toe | Drop: 8 millimeters | Support: Neutral

Shop the Men's Saucony Endorphin EliteShop the Women's Saucony Endorphin Elite

Best Road Running Maximal Cushion Shoe: Saucony Triumph 22 ($160)

Pros:

• Lots of cushion without being heavy
• Very comfortable

Cons:

• Might be too much stack height for some

When you’re looking for as much cushion as possible for your easy-day runs, the Saucony Triumph 22 will keep your feet happy. It is a classic road running shoe in the Saucony line, and this updated version has more cushion, a wider midfoot, and a more balanced platform than previous versions. This allows it to accommodate more foot types. Saucony stuffed it with its highly responsive PWRRUN PB foam to a heel stack height of 37 millimeters and a toe stack height of 27 millimeters. The comfortable midsole is combined with a comfortable engineered mesh upper, adaptive lacing system, and padded tongue, all of which make this shoe ideal for easy days.

This shoe has received significant updates from previous versions, so those accustomed to the Triumph 20s or 21s will notice a major difference. There are some positives and negatives that came from this update. The positive is that this shoe is more comfortable than previous versions, regardless of the distance we ran. This remains one of Saucony’s most maximum-cushioned running shoes and is ideal for easy runs. We’re usually not fans of aggressive heel-to-toe drops, but we found the 10-millimeter drop here just fine on our easier runs.

But the drawbacks of more cushion and a wider platform are to be expected. At 10.1 ounces for the men’s version, this shoe is on the heavier side. Combine the weight with the massive stack height and drop, and it can feel clunky. We compare it to the Hoka Bondi, which is an excellent shoe for anyone looking for true easy run shoes or concerned about joint longevity running on pavement. This clunky feeling decreases the versatility of the shoe. It’s not much fun when trying to increase the speed.

That said, this shoe is excellent for easy-day runs. And if you’re like the main tester for this guide and struggle to make your easy days truly easy, the Triumph 22 is a good shoe to have in your quiver.

Claimed Weight: 10.1 ounces (286 grams) (men’s size 9) | Stack Height: 37/27 millimeters heel/toe | Drop: 10 millimeters | Support: Neutral

Shop the Men's Saucony Triumph 22Shop the Women's Saucony Triumph 22

Best Road Running Stability Shoe: Saucony Guide 17 ($140)

Pros:

• Higher stack height and lower drop
• Very comfortable

Cons:

• Only provides light stability

The Saucony Guide 17 is Saucony’s premier stability shoe. We liked it so much that we included it in our best stability shoes guide. Like the Triumph 22, the Guide 17 got a fairly major overhaul, including the addition of the brand’s CenterPath Technology. which combines an asymmetric profile with a broad platform and higher sidewalls to guide your stride (get it?) into a more neutral gait. This shoe is one of the more comfortable stability shoes we tested, thanks to a high stack height of 35 millimeters at the heel and 29 millimeters at the toe. The shoe has the brand’s PWRRUN midsole and PWRRUN+ sock liner.

This shoe also received more rocker, which we like quite a bit. That, combined with the PWRRUN midsole, creates a daily trainer with good turnover. Weighting 9.4 ounces, it is perfect as a daily trainer, as it doesn’t feel clunky and can work for light fartleks or tempos. We did one short fartlek workout in these shoes, and it performed well enough. The traction and design of the outsole were good enough to handle flat dirt and crushed gravel paths.

Overall, this is a light-stability shoe, so it is for runners looking for just a bit of extra support. If you’re looking for a stability shoe with more guidance or if you’re a hard overpronator, this one might not live up to expectations.

Claimed Weight: 9.4 ounces (266 grams) (men’s size 9)| Stack Height: 35/29 millimeters heel/toe | Drop: 6 millimeters | Support: Stability

Shop the Men's Saucony Guide 17Shop the Women's Saucony Guide 17

Comparing the Best Saucony Running Shoes

SHOE	PRICE	WEIGHT	STACK HEIGHT	USE
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4	$170	8.2 ounces	36/28 millimeters	Everyday, speed, race
Saucony Peregrine 14	$140	9.4 ounces	28/24 millimeters	Trail, every day
Saucony Endorphin Elite	$275	7.2 ounces	39.5/31.5 millimeters	Road race, marathon
Saucony Endorphin Edge	$200	9 ounces	35/29 millimeters	Trail race, speed
Saucony Triumph 22	$160	10.1 ounces	37/27 millimeters	Everyday training
Saucony Guide 17	$140	9.4 ounces	35/29 millimeters	Everyday training

Glossary of Running Shoe Terms

The anatomy of a running shoe can be complicated. We try to avoid jargon in our buyer’s guides, but sometimes it’s inevitable, so we put together a glossary of frequently used terms when describing running shoes.

• Stack Height: This is the amount of space between the bottom of your foot and the bottom of the shoe, measured in millimeters, and includes the midsole foam and outsole. Most shoes have a higher stack height at the heel than the toe, and the difference is referred to as drop. Others have the same stack height at the heel as the toe, and these are called zero-drop shoes. These days, most stack heights are in the 20- to 40-millimeter range, with most falling between 25 and 35 millimeters. Generally, the higher the stack height, the more cushion a running shoe will have.
• Heel-to-Toe Drop (or just Drop): This is the difference in stack height from the heel to the toe of a shoe. Drops in running shoes typically range from zero, where the heel and toe stack height is even, up to 12 millimeters. Some runners prefer zero-drop shoes, while others prefer a higher drop of 10 millimeters. We recommend shoes in the 4- to 8-millimeter drop range, as they’ll work for most runners.
• Outsole: This is the bottom-most layer of a shoe that contacts the ground. It’s generally a rubber or rubber-like compound. Outsoles are grippy to keep you from sliding around, and some have lugs to provide grip on dirt roads and trails.
• Lugs: These are the protrusions of material on the bottom of an outsole designed to provide traction. They are typically found on trail running shoes. Most trail running shoes have lugs that are three- to six-millimeters deep. However, some more aggressive trail running shoes for muddy conditions could have lugs up to 12 millimeters deep. Most road running shoes do not have lugs, though some might have very small ones in the one- to two-millimeter range.
• Midsole: This is the spongy component, or foam, between the outsole and your foot. Midsoles are made from various foams and range from minimal thickness to nearly three centimeters of material. Most companies create proprietary midsoles optimized for comfort and energy return. For an overview of Saucony’s proprietary foams and midsoles, scroll down.
• Rock Plate: This is the protective layer usually made of plastic that sits somewhere between the shoe’s outsole and sock liner. Its purpose is to protect the bottom of the foot as rocks or roots push through the shoe from below. Rock plates vary in length from the entire length of a shoe to the forefoot only. Saucony includes a rock plate in the Peregrine 14.
• Carbon Plate: Similar to a rock plate, a carbon fiber plate sits between the outsole and sock liner and can increase energy return with each foot strike. While the rock plate’s purpose is protection, a carbon plate’s purpose is performance. Saucony places a carbon plate in the Endorphin Elite.
• Upper: This is the material that connects with the midsole and sock liner and wraps around your foot. Engineered mesh is the most common material currently used in running shoes.
• Toebox: This is the forward cavity of a shoe that covers your toes. Toeboxes tend to be narrower in trail shoes aimed at faster or more technical running, while many runners prefer roomier toeboxes as the length of their runs increases to multiple hours.
• Rocker: The design feature elevates the front and back of running shoes slightly to increase stride efficiency.

Why You Should Trust Us

iRunFar’s team of testers has decades of experience running. We’ve logged thousands of miles in many shoe brands and models, including Saucony. We put at least 100 miles on each pair of shoes recommended for this guide. But we’ve tested previous versions for many of these models for many years. We’ve scattered our testers across the American West in Colorado, Oregon, and California. We regularly log miles on trails, pavement, and gravel roads. To create this guide, we tested a dozen Saucony shoes and chose the six we believed would work the best for the greatest number of people.

Glossary of Saucony-Specific Running Shoe Terms

Most running shoe brands use many proprietary materials and technologies, which can be confusing to understand. Below, we break down some terms specific to Saucony shoes.

• PWRRUN: This is Saucony’s base-level EVA-based midsole foam. It is durable and provides excellent energy return and spring.
• PWRRUN+: This is Saucony’s mid-range beaded polyurethane-based midsole foam. It’s used in Saucony’s higher-end shoes as it provides a soft, cushioned feel and is incredibly light for the amount of loft it provides.
• PWRRUNPB: This is Saucony’s top-end PEBA-based midsole foam used primarily in its racing shoes. It’s the lightest and most durable, and it provides the best spring and energy return.
• PWRRUNHG: This foam is used only in the Saucony Endorphin Elite and does everything the PWRRUNPB does, except on another level.
• Speedroll Technology: Saucony’s Endorphin collection features Speedroll technology. It is a shoe geometry designed to propel you onto your toes efficiently by elevating the midsole cushioning and providing a stiff forefoot.
• PWRTRAC Rubber: This is the outsole material used for the Peregrine. Saucony claims it is three times grippier than the rubber used in its road shoes.

How to Choose: A Buyer’s Guide for Saucony Running Shoes

Intended Use

When deciding on a pair of running shoes, consider your intended use. Are you looking for shoes to go out and run easy miles every day? Are you looking for shoes that will work for speed or tempo workouts? Are you looking for racing shoes? Or are you looking for a shoe that can do everything? We try to recommend shoes that can serve a few different training purposes, so we chose the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 as our top overall road running shoe in this guide. It is a solid option for anyone looking for a shoe that can work for everyday runs, speed sessions, and even races. We picked the Saucony Peregrine 14 for the best overall trail running shoe for the same reason. You could easily use it for everyday trail runs, up-tempo efforts on trails, or races.

Running Surface

You’ll also want to consider your most frequent running surface. Do you primarily run on paved roads, sidewalks, and paths, or more on dirt, rocky trails, or gravel roads? Or are you like many runners who do a little bit of both? If most of your runs are on pavement, you might consider a maximum cushion shoe like the Saucony Triumph 22 that can also handle light dirt trails and gravel roads. But if you’re primarily running on gravel roads, dirt trails, or especially technical rocky or steep trails, you’ll definitely want a trail running shoe like the Saucony Peregrine 14. Trail running shoes tend to have grippier outsoles and deeper lugs for increased traction, while road shoes have smooth outsoles.

Cushion

There was a time when if you wanted maximum cushion, you’d have to run in a heavier or clunkier shoe. Those days are mostly over as shoe companies have created lightweight and responsive cushioning. For example, the lightest shoe on this list — the Saucony Endorphin Elite — also has the highest stack height. Also, the days of minimalist running shoes are mostly gone and most shoes will have plenty of cushion. Unless you’re seeking a minimalist shoe, the question is not whether you should get a cushioned shoe but how much cushion you should seek. The answer depends on your personal preference, running style, the frequency of your runs, and the surface on which you tread.

Generally speaking, we recommend at least moderate cushioning for most runners — especially if you’re running primarily on pavement, which can be hard on the body. The shoe with the lowest stack height in this guide is the Saucony Peregrine 14, with 28 millimeters at the heel and 24 millimeters at the toe. The Saucony Triumph 22 is a great everyday trainer with a high stack height of 37 and 27 millimeters at the heel and toe. The 10-millimeter drop is pretty aggressive, and some might prefer the 6-millimeter drop and high level of cushioning of the Saucony Guide 17 instead.

Support

Most shoes provide a neutral level of support, which works for most runners.

Some people who have ankles that pronate too much could benefit from a stability shoe. The easiest way to determine if you are an overpronator and need a stability shoe is to go to a running specialty store, hop on their treadmill, and have an employee watch your stride. What’s overpronation? Let’s start with pronation, which is the natural inward collapse of the foot’s arch as it absorbs and distributes impact while running or walking. Everyone pronates. Underpronation — also called supination — is when the arch barely collapses at all and is generally associated with anyone with high arches. Those who supinate or have a normal range of pronation are good with neutral shoes. However, if you overpronate, meaning your arch collapses past the typical range of pronation, you might consider stability running shoes. Generally, those with flat arches are more likely to need stability shoes. Again, it’s tough to tell on your own if you exceed the typical range of pronation, so having a running specialty store employee take a look isn’t a bad idea.

Stability shoes provide more support with a wider midfoot or overall platform, higher side walls, additional foam, or a rocker profile to help guide the foot into a better stride. Some, like the Saucony Guide 17, go a bit further by providing all those features with an asymmetrical design intended to guide your foot even more.

Fit

If you go to a specialty running store, you might also have them measure your foot to ensure you’re getting the correct shoe size. Generally speaking, you’ll want about a thumb’s width of space from the end of your toe to the front of the shoe.

Frequently Asked Questions About Saucony Running Shoes

What are the best Saucony running shoes?

We believe the shoes listed above are currently the best Saucony shoes available that will work for a wide range of people. Running shoes are deeply personal, so what works for us might not work for you. That said, over the years, we’ve run in nearly every model of Saucony running shoe available and feel strongly about our picks above.

Are Saucony shoes better than other shoe brands?

Again, running shoes are deeply personal, and what works for someone might not work for another. Saucony is known as a good generalist brand that tends to make shoes that fit and work for many people. In addition to standard running shoe sizes, Saucony offers many of its shoes in wide versions, which is typically an indicator that the brand wants to meet the needs of most runners.

What makes Saucony shoes great? 

We love Saucony shoes for the reasons listed above. They are an excellent generalist shoe brand that meets the needs of most runners. Saucony shoes are relatively affordable and widely available online and in brick-and-mortar running stores.

Call for Comments

• Do you have any experience with the Saucony running shoes in this guide?
• What is your most important element in a great pair of running shoes?
• Tell us about your favorite pair we might have missed so we can test them.