Article by Jeff Valliere
Saucony Peregrine 15 ($140.00)
Introduction: The Peregrine 15 is Saucony’s all mountain and perhaps most versatile trail running shoe, featuring a new blend of PWRRUN foam that provides more cushion, comfort and flexibility, a newly formulated PWRTRAC rubber outsole and an improved more durable upper.
Pros:
Cushion, comfort, traction, secure fit, versatility, protection, stability, breathable - Jeff V
Cons:
Some minor heel rub, but went away after a few runs and some break in.
Stats
Spec Weight: US men's 9 9.7oz / 275g US9
Prior Version Weight: 9.75 oz / 276 g US9
Sample Weight: US men’s 10 10.25 oz / 288 g US10 , US women’s 8.48 oz / 242g US8
Stack Height: men’s 28mm heel / 24mm forefoot (4mm drop spec)
Platform Width: 90mm heel / 75mm midfoot / 115mm forefoot
Available now. $140
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Jeff V: I have run in every version of the Peregrine since version 5 and the 15 is in my opinion the best yet, with the improvements to the upper, midsole and outsole striking an impressive balance between all mountain high performance and every day, all day running. Out of the box, the Peregrine 15 is classic Peregrine and everything you would expect from the model, with a familiar look and deep 5mm Chevron lugs.
The upper is made of what Saucony calls “a High-strength mesh upper with added protection in the high abrasion areas and a D-Ring for gaiter compatibility”. While I have only run in the Peregrine 15 during December/January, breathability I believe will be excellent, as they feel very airy.
The toe bumper is beefy and protective without being noticeable from the inside.
The upper is overall quite similar in design, fit and feel, with some minor, barely discernible tweaks (at least when wearing the 14 and 15 side by side). The 15 now has a beefed up, expanded 360 degree rand to help keep out some moisture in shallow puddles and wet grass, while offering greater protection in technical terrain as well as abrasion resistance.
In the photo above and the first one in the start of this section, you can see the full 360 wrapping rand.
Fit is again true to size and side by side with the 14, I can hardly tell them apart in a blind test. Upper protection is slightly improved with the extended wrap around rand with lockdown comparable to the previous version, holding my foot well in steep, rugged terrain. Breathability is comparable as well.
Lacing is very positive and secure with perfect stretch(ish) woven laces providing a once and done process (the peregrine image on the tongue is a nice nod to the shoe’s namesake).
The tongue is again gusseted and well padded.
The heel collar is well padded and comfortable, but for the first several runs, I experienced some heel rubbing on uphills that seems to have gradually subsided, but not entirely disappeared. I am not entirely sure if the shoe has broken in some, or perhaps my heel has adapted, or perhaps a bit of both. Even now, after ~65 miles of running, I feel it a little, but only on the steepest uphills and it is very minor with no actual blistering.
Midsole & Platform
Jeff V: The Peregrine 15 midsole is a new blend next-gen PWRRUN EVA blend foam that is a little bit softer than the 14, providing a well cushioned, protective and soft feel to the shoe, while maintaining stability and not compromising control in technical terrain.
The softer PWRRUN foam is welcome on long days and long downhills, offering ample cushion. Response is snappy and quick on the uphills and everywhere else really, as this is a reasonably quick shoe and overall performance oriented. Despite the foam being softer, I find stability to be very good, with protection enhanced by the forefoot rock guard.
Outsole
Jeff V: The Peregrine 15 features a full coverage, newly formulated PWRTRAC rubber outsole that provides better all around traction than the previous models. In loose dirt, steep off trail, packed snow, mud and all around general trail running, the aggressively shaped lugs and pattern provide very good grip, certainly one of the best tread patterns out there. I would however call wet traction to be moderate as in previous versions, good, but not at the level of La Sportiva, VJ or Scarpa.
Outsole durability has improved greatly over previous versions with hardly any wear after 65 or so rough, rocky miles of trail and off trail.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Jeff V: As I said about the 14, the Peregrine 15 fits into the daily trainer and even a bit longer distances category, without really losing the all mountain, fast technical capabilities, which only adds to its versatility. Reasonably light weight, even softer cushion now, great fit, comfort, agility, stability, security, traction and improved outsole durability, the Peregrine 15 continues to rank very high on my list of favorites.
Jeff V’s Score: 9.6 / 10
Ride: 9.5 - Smooth and well cushioned with excellent control, even softer PWRRUN now
Fit: 9.5 - very secure and comfortable
Value: 9.5 - great versatility and you are getting a lot of performance and quality for the money, now even better tread durability.
Style: 9.5 - Most of the colorways I have seen look good, especially the orange as tested (I wore them to a Denver Broncos game and they fit right in)
Traction: 9.5 - wet traction on rock is OK, but otherwise traction everywhere else is top notch
Rock Protection: 10
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5 Comparisons
Peregrine 14 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: Compared throughout. The 15 has a new upper, midsole and outsole, which on a whole makes for a worthy upgrade along with a softer midsole foam and improved outsole durability. I could also easily make a case though for buying the 14 on closeout, as it is still an excellent shoe!
Hoka Speedgoat 6 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Speedgoat is a little lighter, has more cushioning, yet is still very stable and well suited to technical terrain. While the Peregrine has more pronounced lugs and a slight edge in loose terrain, the Speedgoat has better wet traction due to its Vibram MegaGrip outsole. The Peregrine has a slight edge in technical terrain, as it feels a bit lower, more stable and planted, though with the now lighter weight and rockered design, the Speedgoat feels a bit more race ready and faster overall.
Salomon Genesis (RTR Review)
Jeff V: Somewhat close in specs, the Genesis has 2 more mm stack in the heel, but 2mm less in the forefoot (4 mm drop for Peregrine vs. 8mm for Genesis) and is a little bit lighter. The Genesis is a great all around, all trail daily trainer, as is the Peregrine, but I think the Genesis has the edge for longer distance on most terrain, whereas the Peregrine Is better for mid distances and more technical terrain.
INOV-8 Trailfly (RTR Review)
Jeff V: Both very similar in stack and weight and overall versatile usage. The Peregrine has more aggressive lugs which are better in loose terrain, but the Trailfly has a more sticky outsole that grips well and even in the wet. The big differentiator is the wider toebox of the Trailfly, reminiscent of Altra or Topo (closer to Topo), where you have some wiggle room, while still maintaining good control of the shoe.
VJ MAXx2 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The MAXx2 was my favorite shoe of 2024 and for good reason, as it is light, protective, nimble, fast and has excellent grip. It is lighter than the Peregrine, with a bit more cushion and a superior outsole. MAXx2for ripping tech trails at full speed, Peregrine for longer, slightly more toned down outings and more versatile all around running.
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
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SAUCONY
Peregrine 15
Tester Profiles
Jeff Valliere loves to run and explore the mountains of Colorado, the steeper and more technical the better. He has summited all of the 14ers in the state, many 13ers and other peaks in Colorado and beyond, plus, he has summited his local Green Mountain over 2,100 times in the past 20 years. He can be found on mountain trails daily, no matter the weather, season, conditions or whether there is daylight or not. On the side he loves to ski (all forms) bike and hike, often with his family, as he introduces his twin daughters to the outdoors. Jeff was born and raised in New Hampshire, but has called Colorado home for over 25 years. He is 5’9” and 145 lbs.
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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