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Trail Running Shoes • February 10, 2023

Saucony Peregrine 13 Review: A Peregrine for a Modern Era

saucony peregrine 13 cover
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What You Need To Know

Weight

9.2 oz. (260 g.) for a US M9 / 8.1 oz. (230 g.) for a US W8

Midsole

Softer formula of Pwrrun with a little more cush

Stack Height

28 mm heel / 24 mm toe (4 mm drop)

Notable Changes

A little extra cushion and an even better upper

On The Run

Lively and moderately protective with a more comfortable ride

Price

$140

The Intro

TAYLOR: Legacy carries weight around here. Saucony has it. With 125 years of shoe experience, they seem to have the algorithm figured out. Sometimes it means popping off a wild and exciting new shoe. Sometimes it’s the incremental changes that amount to something trusted over time.

In the trail world, the Saucony Peregrine has the legacy stamp. If you were to ask anyone over the last 15 years about a shoe recommendation, it’s likely to be part of the conversation. Known for its lighter weight and excellent grip, the Peregrine has won over many hearts.

2022’s Saucony Peregrine 12 was the line’s most dramatic update. It lost over an ounce with all the changes and made the Peregrine a more relevant shoe again. It was good, but it left me wanting more out of the shoe… as in more cushion. Even though it is a shoe I might grab for a short punch on the trail, it wouldn’t land in my daily rotation.

This year, however, it could be a different story. While maintaining the same basics of last year’s model, the Saucony Peregrine 13 adds a couple more millimeters of stack and an overall softer feel. The first step felt phenomenal, even compared to last year’s model. That’s about all I needed for this review… But you know me, I took it to the dirt anyway.

saucony peregrine 13 toe

The Good

TAYLOR: To be honest, even though last year’s model wasn’t bad, like at all, this year’s model takes the extreme update to another level. This year we’re seeing a lot of attention paid to the midsole and aesthetics in equal parts. Oof. This thing is gorgeous. I got the Fog/Clay (white, gold, with green accents) and am reluctant to get this thing too dirty.

Even though it might be labeled the same Pwrrun, it is not. The Saucony Peregrine 13 gains two millimeters of stack and softens slightly. This makes the overall ride closer to what they claim. It’s now a comfortable, moderately protective (also partly due to a thin rock plate), and a semi-responsive machine. I would say it still feels in the medium-density range but has a bit of an “airy” element. Again, it’s not a lot, but some extra foam makes it feel much better. It would now fall in the realm of the Merrell MTL Long Sky 2, Topo Athletic Pursuit, and Brooks Catamount 2.

Follow the line, and you’ll notice that “softer” is pretty much the theme of this year’s update. The Saucony Peregrine 13 retains many of the same aspects up top as it had in the 12. Fit and feel are almost identical, with a very light and airy engineered mesh that is much more pleasing than iterations before. It is moderately structured via the mesh itself, has minimal overlays, and has a noticeably soft sock liner—no complaints in this department.

Overall fit in the Saucony Peregrine 13 will be a little more discussion-based depending on your foot shape. What’s guaranteed is that this will be a secure shoe throughout. It’s one of the reasons why this shoe has become a “legacy” shoe. It has a dependable fit for a wide range of trail running, including more technical terrain.

The Peregrine 13 has a slimmer toe box (not La Sportiva or Salomon slim, though) that spread out very slightly after the first couple of runs. It will feel similar to a Nike Terra Kiger or an Inov-8 Trailfly G 270 — the forefoot stretch made a difference for my “average” foot because my first run had a little bit of rubbing on my little toe. The midfoot hits perfectly for me. A lightly padded gusseted tongue helps in this area. Last, the moderately padded heel holds nicely. When it’s all said and done, the Saucony Peregrine 13 is slimmer and trimmer and will give confidence for just about anything.

Another classic trait of the Peregrine line is its talons. Perhaps this is what initially grabbed people’s attention originally. Again, the outsole is the same as last year’s. In this case, that’s a fine thing — a bunch of five-millimeter multi-directional chevron-style lugs dig into various surfaces. The Pwrtrac rubber is tacky for dry surfaces, and deeper lugs dig into the softer ground. One benefit of the patterning is that this outsole is prepped for taking on some road miles comfortably if needed.

A few extra positives are a lacing loop to hold down tide laces, gaiter attachments, and all of this comes in a marginally lighter package. My US M10.5 came in at 10.2 oz. That certainly qualifies for the lightweight category. Two more millimeters of foam and lighter? That’s a win.

Shop The Shoe - Men Shop The Shoe - Women saucony peregrine 13 outsole

The Bad

TAYLOR: Like with the North Face Summit Vectiv Pro, there’s one aspect that could be a do-or-die for you, depending on your particular foot. In the past, the very stiff heel cup has wreaked havoc on some runners, whereas some don’t notice a thing. The Saucony Peregrine 13 seems to have received a bit more padding around the collar, but there’s no massive difference in the lower part of the heel. Chances are, if you’ve had friction in the past with the Peregrine, it will happen again. I felt a slight rubbing during my first runs, but it settled.

As mentioned previously, the Saucony Peregrine line has found great success as a slimmer, more secure fit. I appreciate that about this series, but it’s also the reason that I have personally not picked up the shoe repeatedly. If you have even a moderately wide foot, it would be best to try this on in-store or be emotionally prepared to return your Running Warehouse order. For those of you that fit comfortably in it, Godspeed to you!

One of the few hindrances to locking down this ride is the lightly padded tongue. I found that pulling tight throughout the midfoot could add some discomfort over the top of the foot. A little more padding would only enhance the fit and overall comfort. As with the other negatives, this isn’t necessarily a make-it-or-break-it situation. Be mindful of it, though.

Shop The Shoe - Men Shop The Shoe - Women saucony peregrine 13 heel

Saucony Peregrine 13 conclusion

TAYLOR: Before getting this shoe on foot, my big question was, will adding foam sacrifice technical performance? Not at all.

This is one of the cases where a little “growing up” has been a good thing. The Saucony Peregrine 13 has become a slightly softer package all the way around, which helps in both the comfort and overall performance measures. A couple more millimeters of foam and minor adjustments from last year’s model make for a quite pleasant running experience.

If you’ve been a fan of the series, you’ll be very pleased. In my opinion, this is the best Peregrine yet. If you have never been in the line, this will feel like a modern-day trail shoe. In fact, it’s one I would consider picking up for race day again, which wasn’t even on my mind for last year’s major update.

The Saucony Peregrine 13 gets my approval for daily runs and fast efforts on just about any terrain.

You can pick up the Saucony Peregrine 13 for $140 at Running Warehouse (with free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) by using the shop link below.

Want to learn more about how our review process works? Check out this guide.

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Shop Saucony Peregrine 13 Men
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Comments

Have something to say? Leave a Comment

  1. WILLIAM K THEPHASDIN says:

    What are the main differences between the Peregrine 13 and the Endorphin Edge?

    1. Robbe says:

      Endorphin Edge has much more energy return with the PWRRUN PB midsole, but also highly unstable.

  2. robert shaffer says:

    is the extra 1.5mm Pwrrun added to the midsole ? I saw on another website the reviewer indicated it was added to the insole.

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Authors

taylor
Taylor Bodin
Lead Trail Reviewer
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Taylor Bodin is a trail and ultra runner living in Estes Park, Colo., with his wife and daughters. Trail running is pretty much the only hobby he can manage right now and loves it. Every so often, he will pop off a race or FKT attempt because competition is pure and the original motivator for him getting into running anyways. When not running, Taylor is a 1st grade teacher, running coach (track & field, Cross Country, and Trail/Ultra athletes), and volunteers at his church.

More from Taylor
Shoe Size

10.5

Fav. Distance

100K

PRs
  • 27:03

    100M
  • 13:40

    100K
  • 7:42

    50M
  • 4:34

    50K
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