Saucony Peregrine 13 Introduction

The Peregrine like all shoes has evolved over time with huge popping changes or simple incremental ones, but has always been know for its excellent grip, lighter weight, and nimble platform that has won over many runners myself included.

Last year we were given a dramatic update with the 12 with a reduction in weight but left quite a bit of room in the cushion department leaving runners wanting a bit more for longer efforts.

Saucony listened and answered with the 13 adding in couple more millimeters of stack height giving the shoe a softer feel and more protection for the long trail ahead.

Saucony Peregrine 13 Impressions

The comfort of this Peregrine really opens the range of the shoe compared to before where you could really start felling fatigued after about 16-18 miles, but now as I would approach the higher mileages that fatigue wasn’t nearly prevalent and found it easier to carry out my mileage further.

Not sure what if these are a 100 mile shoe but I personally have unwavering confidence in them up to 50k and would even give them a shot at 50 miles.

I really put the shoe through every condition I could find except ice and snow. Obviously over the more mild rolling tails and bridle paths the shoe was outstanding but excelled when I picked up the pace.

When it came down to technical trails especially those with switch backs, quick ascents and descents, rutted and rocky the Peregrine 13 was fantastic as its just so nimble and grabbed hold of everything beneath it.

After my first outing on such a trail I found myself looking for others that would one up the last because it was so fun running in theses shoes on that type of terrain.

I kind of touch on the fit of the shoe later, but I think the more performance fit and drop of the shoe are what makes this possible.

Saucony Peregrine 13 Protection

Overall the shoe is protective enough for short, middle, and long distance runs.

I have been noticing that many trail shoes are gravitating away from the use of a rock plate. However, the good folks at Saucony have not conformed to this trend and thus have released this version again with a rock plate.

The plate is super functional and with the added cushioning with this version I really didn’t feel the plate underfoot .

This does take a bit of sensitivity out of the shoe but what you gain I think is worth it. The plate offers solid protection from the trail nasties especially sharp rocks.

The toe bumper of the 13 is thicker and a bit more robust than the 12, and provided great protection against accidental rock and root kicks.

A snug heel collar, tight woven mesh upper, and gusseted tongue I found do a reasonable job of keeping debris from finding its way in.

If you are the kind of runner that likes a a little more protection the 13 does have D-ring anchor point for gaiters.

Saucony Peregrine 13 Durability

The highly abrasion resistant mesh upper is very tough despite its thin appearance and shows no signs of distress or premature wear after 50+ miles of tough use.

Additional film overlays give the shoe structure but also an additional layer of protection to some of the high wear areas.

Saucony Peregrine 13 Responsiveness & speed

I have always loved the Peregrine as a low drop versatile reliable trail shoe that I can train and race in. The addition of 2mm of PWRRUN was the single greatest upgrade as it makes it less harsh especially on harder surfaces.

While many may think that this additional foam may affect the responsiveness this could be further from the truth. The shoe is stiff but this is offset by the forefoot rocker that creates a smooth and nimble transition making it easy to pick up the pace when the terrain will allow it and especially when bombing down hills.

The forward facing 5mm chevron lugs beneath the forefoot and multidirectional lugs in the heel give the shoe dynamic and reliable traction that bite into the trail from all directions.

This consistent reliable traction gave me confidence that the shoe would carry me over any terrain or pace that I put them through.

At under 10 oz. The shoe is definitely a contender for a solid race day shoe, and has been mine on several occasions up to marathon distance.

Saucony Peregrine 13 Comfort and fit

The 13 fits me true to size length-wise, but despite having a less tapered toe box it is still snug with a more performance type fit.

This wasn’t a deal breaker for me but if you are particular about toe splay then this might not be the best option. The shoe transitions into a wider midfoot that is still snug and provided me with a secure fit.

The upper mesh of the shoe feels stiff right out of the box but after no time on my first run it molded nicely to my feet and was very light and airy. The gusseted tongue of the shoe is made of the same mesh and is thin with just the right amount of padding to protect the top of my foot and not feel sloppy.

In the past many runners have complained about the stiff heel cup of the Peregrine and wrecking their heels. While the lower part of the heel has a similar rigid counter it has a bit more padding than before.

I found the heel to provide a secure lock down and fit comfortably with no inkling of rubbing or slippage. While not an issue for me if you happen to be a runner with issues in the past it might be smart to head to your local shop and try before you buy.

I wouldn’t push the fit and feel of this upper into the plush category but it’s definitely comfortable and should appeal to a majority of runners, especially those looking to give trail shoes a try as the fit closely parallels that of a road shoe.

Saucony Peregrine 13 Conclusions

It’s amazing what a few millimeters of foam will do. In the case of the 13 its created a slightly softer package that is comfortable but still performs to the standard that runners have come to love about the shoe.

If you’re like me and have run in the Peregrine before, you’ll love this version and dare I say may think this might be the best version yet.

If you’re new to the line or just to trail running this is a shoe I would recommend as the cushioning, traction, and agility make it adaptable to a variety of runners, terrain, and speeds.

In case you haven’t guessed by now the Peregrine 13 definitely gets my nod for daily trail runs, including fast efforts, on any terrain.