The Saucony Peregrine has long been a popular model for many trail runners.

The shoe is known for being comfortable, fairly light (10.7 ounces for men; 9.3 ounces for women) and able to handle a wide variety of terrain.

The Peregrine 10 is my third different model and there are noticeable changes, mostly for the better.

Saucony Peregrine 10 – Pair

Saucony completely overhauled the Peregrine 10 (27mm heel, 23mm) forefoot which improves the shoe with a better grip, improved durability and a strong rock plate.

The Everun foam in the midsole has been updated with Saucony’s more responsive PWRRUN cushioning.

During speed work runs on trails, I was able to accelerate quickly, something that the previous Peregrine models lacked to a point.

Additionally, the new FormFit upper has been designed to cradle the foot and offer more protection. However, the biggest drawback to me was the tight heel fit.

I believe it caused soreness/pain in my left heel, based on the timing of runs I made in the Peregrines. Your results may differ.

In any case, I would recommend trying on the shoes and running in them first to see how the heel works for you.

Among other changes is a customizable outsole platform with 12 port holes which is what Saucony also did in its new Mad River TR trail shoe.

The idea behind this is to allow for better drainage if runners are going to encounter creek crossings or snowy conditions.

The shoe works well on most trails up to moderately technical. However, its aggressive lugs don’t play well on gravel, bike paths or other harder surfaces.

I would not recommend it for roads-to-trails runs and especially not races, if more than 10 percent of the race is on a hard surface.

Saucony Peregrine 10 – Sole

The Peregrine’s full-length plastic rock plate provides adequate protection against trail hazards like rocks, roots and other obstacles.

Its upper features mesh which is heavily overlaid. This helps protect the foot from obstacles and also keeps the top dry from water, snow, etc.

Again, the heel is built to be tight and secure for protection. But it may be too much for some runners, depending on your feet, natural gait and other individual factors.

Saucony Peregrine 10 – Top

The Peregrine 10 did not show any noticeable wear or tear after my 50 miles of test runs that were mostly on lightly technical trails and a high school cross-country course.

For those who do choose to run on bike paths or roads to get to a trail, I would imagine that the lugs would take a beating.

It’s worth noting that the lugs themselves could deteriorate faster than the rest of the shoe, which would then compromise its ability to handle the moderate terrain that it does so with ease.

Saucony Peregrine 10 – Toe

The Peregrine 10 offer more responsiveness on trails as compared to previous models. During speedwork such as strides, I was able to get good turnover and maneuver quickly down the trails.

That’s thanks to its responsive midsole. But it is only an advantage to a certain point or distance. I would envision wearing these in a race or for a training run up to a half marathon or a tad longer.

For longer training runs where the runner wants to be able to hammer down, I would recommend other options that would better accommodate speed work.

And definitely for races longer than a half marathon, I would recommend other options like the Nike Kiger that are lighter and speedier than the Peregrines.

Or for longer races with more challenging terrain, there are options from Hoka such as the Speedgoat and Challenger that would offer a better combination of protection and responsiveness.

Saucony Peregrine 10 – Medial Side

The Saucony Peregrine’s fit is very snug, so much so that runners might want to consider sizing up. The narrow heel cup and front of the shoe make it a pretty tight shoe.

The toe box does seem to be a bit roomier than others, but Altra wide but enough to give the toes some room.

The tongue and midsole are moderately cushioned, which allows for the top and front of the foot to be comfortable.

Saucony Peregrine 10 – Heel

The Saucony Peregrine 10 has a lot to like in updated version. It’s a better shoe than its predecessors.

However, when looking across the vast line of trail shoes, there are other options that may make more sense for runners, depending on what their intentions are with the shoes.

Looking to go fast in a marathon or short ultra? A lighter shoe would be optimal.

Looking to explore highly technical terrain or run in the mountains? A shoe with more protection would be idea.

Looking to run on roads and trails? There are better options available.

But if you focus your training runs on distances up to a half marathon or so on moderately technical trails, the Peregrine 10s offer a lot to like.

They can easily find a place in most runners’ rotation of trail shoes.