The Triumph is Saucony’s premium trainer that now with its 19th version has obviously been around for a while with a tribe of loyal followers. This years Triumph gets some needed up dates to the upper which helped to shed some weight and enhance its breathability. The PWRRUN midsole remains unchanged from the previous version which continues to deliver a consistent smooth transition from landing to toe-off

Saucony Triumph 19 First Impressions

I have to admit that I historically have not been a maximal or cushy shoe kind of runner, and have quickly passed over the Triumph for a more trimmed down speedier version like the Kinvara. However as the years pile on my higher mileage body and my goals have started to shift the Triumph seems like a more appealing choice.

With a PWRRUN midsole and the ISO fit gone this also helped make my apprehension fade away. Once on my feet the shoes were remarkably comfortable like an old pair of reliable jeans. I appreciated the simplicity of the upper which give a very airy and plush feeling.

Initial miles in the shoe were esay and smooth making me wish I hadn’t been such a snob all those years thinking that Triumph was nothing more than a clunker.

Saucony Triumph 19 Sole Unit

Many fans of the Triumph 18 may have noticed that the platform of the Triumph is nearly identical. The T19 midsole has a generous amount of PWRRUN+ foam that is capped off with, to the best of my knowledge, a thin layer of Everun. Despite the trend in running shoes to completely scrap a shoe after each iteration to try something new Saucony has leaned into the if it ain’t broke… approach.

This sole I found to have a nice density to it, and by that I mean it’s not Mushy. It is definitely not by any definition the softest midsole available but fits comfortably between firm responsiveness and a soft pillow feel. They are very comfortable with just the right amount of cushioning for any distance and terrain.

The shoe has a very traditional profile but rolls very smooth through the gait cycle except at faster paces where I found it to be a bit slappy. Speaking of faster paces if one was hoping for a hint of responsiveness for some intermittent speed work this midsole is not it.

I am not saying the shoe cannot pick up the pace but they lack the needed responsiveness needed faster paced running a felt flat when I would pour the coals to them. I want to be clear that I am writing that only as an observation not an insult as the Triumph is really not designed to be a speedier shoe and truly excels at its main mission which is a big mileage trainer.

The XT-900 outsole once again proves not only to be durable but provides reliable traction over all the surfaces I ran on even light trails This is a full coverage outsole with longitudinal grooves that are well placed to keep the shoes flexible and transition with ease. I really don’t have a lot more to say it’s simple, effective, and works well.

Saucony Triumph 19 Upper Unit

As I stated earlier this is my first Foray into the Triumph, and so clearly I have no platform for which to compare anything.

However, in doing my research and reading past reviews the most common thread that kept coming up was the upper and more specifically its lack of breathability. With the 19th iteration is seems to me that Saucony has clearly listened to feedback and completely retooled the upper.

The upper is now made from a engineered mono-mesh which creates a very light and breathable shoe. Even though it is a much more stripped down upper it still maintains a premium feel that fit true to size. The semi-gusseted tongue of the shoe is nicely padded that yields a pressure free fit.

Saucony paired the tongue with a set of elastic thick sausage laces that I found made it hard to get a nice secure fit across the top of my foot, which I will likely toss for something flat and simple. They did provide a pressure free fit but simply had to much give for my liking. Suede inserts and a simple Saucony overlay give the shoe just the right amount of structure for mid foot support.

To the rear of the shoe a rigid heel counter is used that I found to be just the right volume that didn’t cause pressure or allow any slippage not even on steep ascents and descents. The counter is generously padded with a medium density foam that further locked my heel in comfortably preventing any hotspots or chaffing. An added vertical stripe has also been added to help improve runner visibility for those early morning or night sessions.

The toe box of the Triumph is nearly perfect in my opinion. It’s roomy with just the right amount of space and height for toe splay, swelling, and air movement without making it feel sloppy. Aside from my distaste for the laces, which is easily solvable, I have really no complaints about this upper which seems to be a big improvement over the 18 and a clean and effective update.

Saucony Triumph 19 Conclusion

I have to admit that I may have been wrong all these years about the Triumph and wished I had stepped into this a bit sooner. The Triumph is definitely not something that’s going to blow your mind, but it will give a runner comfort for miles and miles.

This shoe is a great option for long easy slow days and runners that prefer a more traditional riding shoe.

While this will not be my first choice for a tempo day or workouts it will definitely find a place in my line up for those long easy cruises or when my tired legs are in need of some rescuing.

As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.
We purchased this pair of Saucony Triumph 19 at Running Warehouse with our own money.