Saucony Triumph 21 Review

The Triumph 21 is a cushioned triumph. It won't win any speed contests, but that isn't what we want this shoe for anyway. Saucony has managed to put a thick chunk of soft and bouncy foam in a package that isn't too heavy and topped it with a comfortable and very breathable upper. We think this is a perfect shoe for runners looking for a non-plated and well-cushioned cruiser that will last hundreds of miles.

Performance Comparison

Cushioning and Landing Comfort

Saucony uses variations of their TPU foam in a variety of shoes to great success. In the Triumph 21, the PWRRUN+ feels soft and uniquely bouncy. With a measured 38mm in the heel and 27mm in the forefoot, this shoe has one of the higher stack heights in the test, and it shows every time you land. There is no bottoming out even on the hardest impacts, and the 11mm drop feels natural with a very slight rocker geometry.

Really, it's the cushioning of the Triumph that put it on our awards list. The sensation of bouncing along at an easy pace in these shoes is fantastic. It's not in any way intrusive, just pleasant. We've found that well-cushioned, higher-stack shoes can sometimes feel pillowy and pleasant but also dead. In contrast, the cushioning of this shoe feels pleasant and lively. Think very mild trampoline rather than soft pillow.

Cushioning on this shoe was tied for the highest score with the Nike Vaporfly 3, which is impressive. Nike's ZoomX foam has long been lauded as some of the most enjoyable on the market. The two shoes obviously feel drastically different; the Vaporfly is a race day shoe, after all. But the ability of the foams to absorb impacts at the end of long runs was similar.

Because of that, the Triumph was among our favorites in the test for easy runs of moderate to long distances. On the flip side, that thick chunk of cushioning doesn't really do any favors when you're trying to hit faster paces. We definitely didn't enjoy trying to hit 5K paces in this shoe, where we felt like we were working against the weight and the softness of the cushioning. The Triumph might work for racing a marathon, depending on your running style and pace, but we'd go with a lighter and faster shoe in that scenario.

The Triumph provides solid grip on uneven and loose surfaces, a pleasant surprise. We also found that landings on cold, wet pavement were surefooted — something we aren't used to with Saucony trainers.

Responsiveness

Typically, a highly cushioned shoe isn't the most responsive, and that holds true with this model. The responsiveness isn't bad, but you definitely sacrifice some for the excellent cushioning. We've been talking about this shoe as an easy day cruiser because that's where it thrives. As bouncy as the foam is, there isn't an aggressive rocker geometry, a plate, or multiple layers of different-density foam to promote a snappy toe-off. Instead, you have a bouncy feeling ride, but it doesn't drive you forward.

Again, this isn't a shoe you'll seek out for workouts. If you're used to running in heavy, high-stack shoes, you might find it works for speed days. But if you are used to lighter and faster shoes for hard efforts, you'll be disappointed if you take this pair out for a threshold session.

The Triumph does have a very slight rocker geometry that helps promote a bit of turnover, but not much. Initially, we were torn on whether we'd like to see a more aggressive geometry. On one hand, a bit more responsiveness would make this shoe more versatile. On the other hand, a more aggressive geometry would likely mean it isn't as comfortable to relax in on easy runs — which is what this shoe does best. After running a couple hundred easy miles in our test pair, we decided that Saucony hit the mark by sacrificing responsiveness and letting us enjoy the shoe at slower speeds.

Stability

This is a high-stack, neutral trainer. With good lockdown from the upper, we didn't find the shoe particularly sketchy on uneven terrain, but it wasn't good either. We did roll an ankle multiple times in the Triumph when going around faster turns on grass. The 37mm of foam in the heel definitely puts some leverage on your ankles; this shoe does best on smooth surfaces.

Over the course of our testing, we noted that the foam in the Triumph seemed to mold to our footstrike during runs more than others. This is a neutral trainer, so this isn't much of an issue. However, we're noting it because following a two-hour long run on a crowned road, the left (outside) shoe felt beveled on the next run. It evened out after a few miles, but it was unusual.

For those looking for a shoe that provides support, we'd look elsewhere. If you're comfortable in neutral shoes and stick to fairly even terrain, we think the Triumph will serve you well.

Upper Comfort

The relatively lightweight and plush upper does well. We never experienced any issues with heat, regardless of sock thickness. The upper is relatively thin in most areas but has plusher padding around the heel and ankles that does a good job of limiting abrasion on long runs.

The tongue is well padded. We didn't experience any slippage or hot spots as a result of lacing. The laces themselves are fine and were easy to achieve great lockdown with. Initially, we found the toe box to be a bit roomy, although that was solved with some lacing adjustments. Heel lockdown is great without being intrusive, and a loop to pull the shoe on is an underrated feature we're glad the Triumph offers. We aren't sure why more shoes don't have some type of tab or loop. It's not essential, but it's nice to have.

Weight

The Triumph boasts a thick stack of foam and a comfortable upper, great attributes for a daily trainer. None of that suggests this should be a lightweight shoe — and it isn't. We weighed it at 10.37 ounces per shoe and definitely noticed the weight at faster paces.

But, given the intended purpose of this shoe, we don't really care that it's a little heavy. Also, it manages to have some of the best cushioning in the test without weighing the most, so it's a nice balance. Similarly, we're fine with carrying some extra weight for the good traction this shoe provides.

Should You Buy the Saucony Triumph 21?

If you like neutral cushioning and are looking for a shoe to stack lots of easy miles in, the Triumph is for you. It feels fantastic on easy days and leaves your legs fresh after long runs. You won't love it for workout days, so it's best as part of a rotation if you do regular hard sessions. The Triumph is the shoe we'd pick for most easy days on smooth surfaces, and we think you'll love it for that, too.

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