Somehow, the Triumph just keeps getting better. Our wear-testers almost-unanimously gave the daily trainer high ratings in every category, from fit to comfort to cushioning. Even the one tester who gave less-than-impressed feedback on the shoe’s weight and speed—“it’s a few fries short of a Happy Meal”—couldn’t deny the Saucony Triumph 21 a high score. “This shoe does a lot right, with its cozy fit and interior,” he said. From the lacing to the midsole, that coziness won out as our testers’ favorite feature.
Pros
- Saucony Kinvara 7 Mens
- Secure lacing
- Plush collar and padded tongue
Cons
- Some testers felt the shoe ran hot
- Less stable
- zapatillas de running Saucony asfalto pie plano talla 39
Key Specs
| Type | Neutral Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.8. oz (M), 8.8 oz (W) |
| Drop | 10 mm |
| Heel Height | 37 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 27 mm |
- Who It’s For: Runners who want a soft, but not squishy, max-cushioned trainer with a plush upper for long-run comfort
- Preceded By: Triumph 20
- Zapatillas hombre Saucony Canyon TR 2 Acid Azul Raz: saucony omni iso 2 grey black s20511 2 size 9 11 new, Altra Paradigm 7, Hoka Clifton 9
- Midsole Foam: TPU-based Pwrrun+
- Key Tech: Pwrrun+ midsole and sockliner; flat-knit upper with more secure lacing system
“The laces have a little stretch, making it really easy to cinch down the shoe and feel secure without discomfort,” said tester Jonathan Durand, an underpronator and heel-striker. “The padding through the tongue and upper was the perfect accompaniment in creating a lovely harmony for my high arches.” Might I add, Durand was the runner who made the Happy Meal comment.
Saucony redesigned the flat-knit upper and lacing in this iteration for a more secure fit. And the pillowy shock absorber underfoot, a Pwrrun+ midsole, is springier and 28 percent lighter than the original Pwrrun foam.
“These were not the snappiest shoes I have worn,” said Alyssa Dever, an overpronator and midfoot-striker. “But despite being so cushioned, they never felt too dense or like they were sapping my energy.” Dever drew comparisons to the Asics Gel-Kayano, a model she’s run in for more than 1,000 miles. “Though I’m only 130 miles into the Triumph, they feel just like they did on the first run.”
What We Liked Most: Cushioning
I’ve been a fan of the Triumph since its 17th version. The Triumph 17 was the first Saucony shoe I tested that won me over with its ride and, above all else, supreme comfort. It had raised the bar for me with daily trainers. I had avoided more cushioned shoes up to that point, fearful they’d weigh me down. Not only did the Triumph 17—and now the Triumph 21—provide a springy ride, it made me realize that more cushioning doesn’t necessarily have to make a shoe slow and clunky.
Tester Dee Koutsourais had the same thoughts when she began running in the Triumph 21.
“It’s crazy to think that just 10 years ago we were trying to go so minimal that we were almost barefoot,” she said. “The tables have definitely turned and I’m grateful for it. As I’m getting a little bit older (late 30s) and I’ve been running for about 25-plus years, I can feel that my body craves a shoe that has more to offer underfoot.”
Koutsourais runs 45-mile weeks at an average pace of 7:45/mile. A loyal Saucony wearer for 20 years, she was tempted to switch to Hokas for the bulk of her training out of a desire for more cushioning. (In her 10 years as a wear-tester, this was the first time we assigned her a shoe from her favorite brand.) She changed her mind after a couple of runs in the Triumph 21, remaining a steadfast Saucony devotee.
The Triumph 21 was the first Saucony shoe wear-tester Gabe Franc ran in. Franc, who trains at 7:30 pace and logs 50-mile weeks, told us the Triumph 21 is his favorite shoe he’s tested so far.
“The high level of cushioning helped keep me fresh during runs of any length. I felt very protected in this shoe, and it’s fairly low weight for having such a high stack height,” he said. “The Triumph reminds me of the New Balance 1080 in that way. But overall, I think the Triumph is a better total package.”
Too Heavy for Speedwork?
At a time when so many shoes are decked out with plates and Pebax foam, it can be hard to go back to a shoe like the Triumph 21. It has none of those frills, but still provides support, durability, and energy return with a full-length Pwrrun+ midsole and sockliner. It’s a dependable, simpler neutral workhorse that’s built to endure high mileage.
Dever, who averages 50 miles a week at 8:00 pace, said the shoe only had two negatives: that it isn’t built for speedwork, and that it doesn’t dry quickly in wet conditions.
“The first is sort of a given due to the type of shoe that it is, and I do not think this detracts from the value of the shoe,” she said. “Based on the build of the shoe, these are meant to be an everyday trainer and long-run shoe.”
On the other hand, after coming off a testing cycle with a bulkier Saucony shoe, our newsletter editor Pavlína Černá felt she could step on the gas in the Triumph 21.
“The shoe has just the perfect amount of cushioning,” she said. “It does not feel too soft to the point that I feel like I can’t speed up, as the Saucony Echelon 9 did. While the Triumph would not be my first choice for fast miles, I could still use them for speedwork in a pinch.”
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
