Hiking is a great way to admire nature and get some good exercise at the same time. In many ways, a long walk can provide much better exercise than running, but that’s only if you have a good set of hiking shoes.
Without the proper footwear, your feet will tire fast, and if you aren’t careful you could risk sustaining an injury.
Saucony has built their Peregrine line with hikers in mind, providing a comfortable and stable shoe for almost any kind of terrain.
In this review, we will be taking a look at Saucony’s Peregrine 11 model, to see how it stacks up when compared to its predecessors.
Who Are Saucony
Saucony started as a single factory located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania which is near the Saucony Creek from which the company took its name.
Their logo is based on three boulders located at the creek, and these boulders represent the three core principles of Saucony: good performance, good health and good community.
Today, Saucony is owned by Wolverine World Wide, and they specialize in making high quality running and hiking shoes for all types of feet.
Peregrine 11 Overview
The Peregrine 11s offer a few significant upgrades over the 10s and sport many of the luxurious features that athletes have come to expect from this brand.
These shoes are primarily designed for trail running, and as such, they are built to provide comfort when moving over rough terrain.
You don’t need to use them for running, however, and they will be equally suitable as a lightweight hiking trainer.
There aren’t many differences between these shoes and their previous iteration, which is a good thing, since the 10s were also a high quality trail running shoe.
Comfort
One of the main things to consider when shopping for a trail running shoe is how comfortable they are. You don’t want to be running over wooded trails, or dirt paths in a shoe that doesn’t support your feet.
Thankfully, the Peregrine 11s are very comfortable and offer a true fit with just a little room left at the end of the toe. This is a good thing, since it gives your feet room to breathe, and your toes the wiggle room they need.
The company offers a wide version of this shoe for those with broad feet, and the toe box has been praised for its success among a variety of testers.
That said, these shoes do have a slightly narrower heel cup than the 10’s which some may find uncomfortable.
They also have an extra eyelet for the laces, and there is a little extra padding in the tongue, so you can get a nice snug fit.
Protection
When running through woodland, you want to make sure your feet are protected from injuries.
The aforementioned narrow heel cup on the Peregrine 11s helps with this by restricting how much your foot can move around inside the shoe. This is vital for minimizing the risk of your ankle twisting while you are running.
The mesh upper of this shoe is very tough, and there is lots of padding behind it to protect your foot from pebbles or rocks. There is also a PWRRUN midsole that provides lots of bounce and cushioning.
Underneath this midsole, you will find a rock guard made from tightly woven nylon fibers that will protect your feet against any sharp object they land on.
Traction & Speed
The outsole on these shoes is made from PWRTRAC rubber and is largely unchanged from the outsole on the Peregrine 10s.
There are 4mm lugs on the sole that are soft enough to provide excellent traction on rocks and gravel. However, they are not so soft that they would wear down too fast.
The fact that the lugs are 4mm also help to prevent too much mud caking in between them when running in wet conditions.
That said, if it is very wet or muddy, you won’t be able to avoid this problem entirely.
Where these shoes struggle is moving through snow or excessively muddy terrain. There are small holes where you can screw on extra lugs for dealing with these conditions, but doing so will require buying extra lugs.
These shoes are also slightly heavier than other popular trail running shoes. The extra weight means that you may be slightly slower when running in them.
However, what they lack in speed, the Peregrines more than make up for with responsiveness.
The outsole helps you to feel the track under your feet, so you navigate with agility over rocks, dirt and gravel.
Stability
These shoes are remarkably stable thanks to all the padding found in the midsole.
They can soak up most impacts with no problem at all, and the rubber outsole provides sufficient traction to prevent you slipping or tripping.
As such, these are great shoes for those with delicate ankles that are worried about sprains or other injuries. They will protect your feet from rough terrain, and also keep them in the proper position for running.
Who Are The Peregrine 11s For?
The Peregrine 11s are a great set of shoes for anyone interested in cross-country or trail running. They offer all the support and stability you could want when navigating difficult terrain, without sacrificing comfort.
The extra lace eyelet is very helpful when getting a snug, but secure fit over your foot, and the 4mm lugs will provide excellent traction over both rocks and gravel.
In the next few sections, we will compare the Peregrine 11s with other popular trail running shoes to see how they stack up.
Peregrine 11 vs Hoka SpeedGoat 4
The SpeedGoat 4s made by Hoka are very similar to the Peregrines in appearance, but different in their approach to trail running. These shoes sport 5mm lugs on a Vibram outsole, which makes them slightly better in wet or snowy conditions.
They also have an EVA foam midsole that provides more bounce than the PWRRUN midsole of the Peregrines.
As such, these shoes are very comfortable, and running in them feels like jogging over clouds. However, the thicker sole means that they are slightly less responsive, which may present difficulties when moving over very rough ground.
Another feature that the SpeedGoats provide that the Peregrines don’t is a structure toe cap. This helps to protect your feet from flying pebbles or protruding roots.
Hoka have built their shoes to be very durable, with a nice, roomy toe box that is perfect for those with broad feet.
However, all of the extra padding also means more weight. As such, the SpeedGoats are much heavier than the Peregrines, which will slow you down on the trail.
One thing the SpeedGoats don’t have is the narrow heel cup found on the Peregrines. This is another feature that makes them much more suitable for runners with very broad feet, who need a little extra room.
Overall, we would recommend the SpeedGoats for anyone who does have wide feet and needs a little bit more cushioning when trail running.
On the other hand, if you have the need for speed, the Peregrines are much lighter and slightly more responsive for greater agility.
Peregrine 11 vs Brooks Cascadia 16
The Cascadia 16s made by Brooks have slightly shallower lugs than the Peregrine 11s. However, most testers found that the 3.5mm lugs didn’t make too much of a negative impact on their performance.
While the bottom of the shoe does get caked in mud slightly faster, they still offer a very comfortable running experience.
In many respects, the Cascadias are very similar to the Peregrines, although they are slightly heavier. This is because they have a thicker midsole made with DNA Loft 2, which provides superb comfort without missing out on responsiveness.
They also have a ballistic rock shield that is much stronger than the nylon one found in the Peregrines.
While the Brooks are better in some respects, the Saucony’s still win in terms of stability.
Since they are a more rigid shoe, the Peregrines are better at holding your heel in place, so it can’t twist or move in dangerous ways. However, this is suitable for those with broader feet, who find the narrow heel too restrictive.
Much like our last comparison, the Brooks Cascadia 16s are better suited for those who value comfort and have wide feet.
Meanwhile, the Saucony Peregrine 11s still excel in terms of speed and stability and are better suited for runners who want maximum agility while out on the trail.
Conclusion
Overall, there are certainly better trails running shoes than the Peregrine 11s, although few available at such a low price point.
For their price, they are an excellent set of all-terrain running shoes that provide plenty of stability for those with weak ankles.
They are also quite lightweight, which will help you maximize your speed without sacrificing comfort.
If your feet aren’t exceptionally broad, and you think you can handle the narrow heel box, then the Saucony Peregrine 11s just may be the trail running shoe for you.
