The Saucony Peregrine series has been one of the best trail running shoes around, and the Peregrine 14 lives up to the high standards of its predecessors, being a great off-road shoe that’s comfortable on a variety of terrains. However, it’s also similar to the Peregrine 13, so the best value is to hunt for a deal on the older shoe.
Saucony Peregrine 14: Price and Availability
The Saucony Peregrine 14 was released in February 2024 and costs $140 in the US and £135 in the UK. This is the same price as the Peregrine 13 in the US, but a £5 rise in the UK. There’s also a Gore-Tex version of the shoe with a waterproof upper that costs $160/£155.
How I tested this running shoe
I’ve run 35 miles on the Peregrine 14, mostly on muddy forest trails and grass, with stops on harder, gravel trails and on the road. I’ve also tested several previous versions of the Peregrine, including the Peregrine 12 and Peregrine 13 GTX, as well as a number of the best running shoes from other brands.
Design and implementation
The main changes to the Peregrine 14 are all in the upper, which has a more comfortable tongue and has been modified to offer better protection from debris. I tested the Gore-Tex version of the Peregrine 13, so I can’t accurately compare the uppers between generations, but it doesn’t seem to be a change that will make a huge difference to many runners.
It’s a good upper, and the fit was comfortable and secure in my usual running shoe size—the same I’ve used for several generations of Peregrine. A toe guard protects the foot from inadvertent contact with roots and rocks, and padding around the collar and tongue is comfortable and helps hold the foot in place when hitting hills.
As with the Peregrine 13, the 14 has a midsole made from Saucony’s PWRRUN foam, with a PWRRUN+ sockliner that is softer and fuller than the midsole foam. Saucony says the PWRRUN foam in the 14 is softer to increase the new shoe’s comfort on long runs. Stack height is 28mm in the heel and 24mm in the forefoot for a 4mm drop, which is plenty of cushioning for longer rides while allowing you to feel nimble on zig-zag trails. There is a rock plate under the midsole to protect the foot on rocky trails.
The Peregrine 14 weighs 10.4oz/295g in my UK size 9, which isn’t particularly light, though not heavy—especially considering the 5mm chevron lugs on the PWRTRAC outsole. These bite well on soft ground and also grip well on harder surfaces, even in the wet. They are the key to the Peregrine 14’s all-terrain versatility.
Running performance
I have long heralded the Peregrine as a trail shoe that can handle the bogs that appear on many trails during the British winter. That’s still true of the Peregrine 14. It’s also comfortable on harder, drier and rockier trails, and the outsole grips well on soft stuff, even when the mud is deep.
During testing, the Peregrine 14’s outsole also sheds mud quite well during runs, which is important for maintaining good traction and not being weighed down by picking up chunks of mud. I’d go for a more mud-focused shoe with 8mm studs for downhill or cross-country running—when you’ll be spending almost all of your time in grass and mud—but the Peregrine 14 handles the softest terrain you’re likely to encounter. routes, and is more comfortable and grips better on hard trails.
My longest session in the shoe was an easy 90-minute run on forest trails, covering about 12 miles at the end of a long week of marathon training. The shoe was comfortable throughout and I’ve found it protects the feet well on recovery runs the day after training, but I don’t think it’s any softer than the Peregrine 13. If you’re doing long runs like ultramarathons, then the softer feel of some shoes, such as the Saucony Xodus Ultra 2, may be preferable.
The Peregrine 14 is a fairly nimble shoe that feels lighter than its weight when running fast up hills or along twisty trails. It’s not light enough to use for short trail races, when I prefer a shoe like the Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed, but for longer mixed-terrain events, the Peregrine 14 is a good choice for trail races.
Is The Saucony Peregrine 14 Worth It?
The Peregrine is an easy shoe to recommend to people looking for a general trail shoe, and indeed it’s the one I most often recommend to friends and family when they ask for a tip. It can handle mud and icy ground in winter and is comfortable on hard and dry trails.
It’s also a shoe that’s often on sale, especially if you pick up an older version, which I would do now. The Peregrine 14 is a great trail shoe, but similar to the Peregrine 13, which is heavily discounted at the time of writing.
Other good all-round trail shoes include the Saucony Xodus Ultra 2, which is softer and bouncier than the Peregrine, and the Puma Voyage Nitro 3, another comfortable and good quality outsole shoe that can handle most trails.
