I ran over 35 miles in the Saucony Triumph 22 and it’s very different to the Triumph 21 — but is it better?

The Triumph line is one of Saucony’s most popular and the Saucony Triumph 22 looks like one of the most exciting updates to the shoe in years. It has a midsole made from Saucony’s PWRRUN PB foam, which is also used in great shoes like the Endorphin Pro and Speed, and which should have been an upgrade on the PWRRUN+ foam used in the Saucony Triumph 21. On paper, it looked nailed on to be one of the best running shoes of 2024.

However, after logging a lot of miles in the Triumph 22, I can’t say I prefer it to the Triumph 21. It’s a different shoe — a heavier cruiser that only feels good for easy runs, whereas the Triumph 21 has more versatility while still being very comfortable. 

As a long term fan of the Triumph line, having tested the last 10 generations of the shoe, I’m a little disappointed, but the Triumph 22 might win some new fans looking for a very protective shoe and it’s a good option for new or heavier runners.

Saucony Triumph 22: Price and availability

The Saucony Triumph 22 launched at the start of May and is available directly from Saucony and other retailers for $160, which is the same price as the Triumph 21. The price is in line with other premium cushioned shoes, like the Asics Gel-Nimbus 26, Brooks Glycerin 21, and New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v13.

Saucony Triumph 22 review: Design and fit

The Saucony Triumph 22 is available in a medium and wide fit, with men’s and women’s versions of the shoes on sale in 10 colors, so finding one that suits your style should be easy enough.

I found that the shoe fit me well in my normal running shoe size, the same size I have used for each past generation of the Triumph I’ve run in (not to mention Saucony’s other running shoes like the RIde 17). The upper is roomy around the toes and holds the midfoot and heel securely when running.

The shoe has the same 10mm drop as the Triumph 21, and the same stack height of 37mm at the heel and 27mm at the forefoot. The Triumph 22 is wider than its predecessor though, and as a result it has gained in weight — the new shoe tips the scales at 11.3oz in my US size 10s, which is 1oz heavier than the Triumph 21.

Upper

The Triumph 22 has an engineered mesh upper with a lot of padding on the tongue and around the collar of the shoe. It’s quite a thick upper in general, which makes it feel very comfortable when you first put the shoe on, but can result in your foot getting a little hot during longer runs in sunny conditions. 

There is a significant internal heel counter at the back of the shoe that helps to support the foot and add stability. Despite this and the large amount of padding at the heel of the shoe it didn’t irritate my Achilles at all on the run, and in general the upper was comfortable.

Midsole

The star of the show with the Triumph 22 is the new PWRRUN PB midsole. This is the bouncy Peba-based foam used in some of the brand’s best shoes, like the Endorphin Speed and Endorphin Pro, and I hoped it would make the Triumph 22 more springy and fun than the Triumph 21, which uses PWRRUN+ foam in its midsole.

Saucony was clearly concerned about stability with the new midsole, so it made the midsole wider than on the Triumph 21 and added sidewalls of foam to cradle your foot on the run. The Triumph 22 also has an Ortholite sock liner, which is firmer and less bouncy than the midsole foam beneath it.

The midsole felt softer than the Triumph 21’s to me as a heel-striker, but I didn’t find it notably bouncier, which was a surprise given the introduction of PWRRUN PB.

Outsole

The Triumph 22 has a rubber outsole that covers most of the bottom of the shoe. It has gripped well for me on wet pavements, and the thick rubber used promises to be highly durable as you’d expect from a cushioned shoe designed for racking up a lot of miles. 

I did some runs with the shoe on light trails as well as on the road, and this didn’t result in any undue wear and tear on the outsole rubber. If you are planning on spending a lot of time off-road, though, a set of the best trail-running shoes would be more suitable.

Saucony Triumph 22 review: Running performance

I’ve run 35 miles in the Triumph 22, doing most of them at the easy pace the shoe is designed for but with a couple of faster efforts. I have tested many generations of the Triumph in the past and have found them to be great daily trainers that are more versatile than many cushioned running shoes, something that was certainly true of the Triumph 21.

The Triumph 22 has lost that versatility for me, with its heavier, wider design instead making it a shoe that’s very much best-suited to easy runs. The PWRRUN PB foam is soft, and the shoe is very stable and supportive, but it doesn’t spring back much as you roll through your footstrike so it feels harder to run at faster paces.

When sticking to cruising speeds I did enjoy using the shoe, and it would be a good protective option for new and heavier runners. But that is also true of the Triumph 21, which has a faster transition from heel to toe and more responsive ride when you want to increase your pace.

I used the Triumph 22 a lot in the weeks after running the London Marathon, and it’s a great option for a recovery run shoe, but once you’re doing more varied daily training I’d prefer to be in a lighter, more versatile shoe, including the Triumph 21.

While it’s not a stability shoe, the Triumph is a supportive option if you have flat feet, and I’d also say for a running shoe it’s a comfortable one for walking and standing on your feet all day.

Should you buy the Saucony Triumph 22?

The Saucony Triumph 22 is a change of direction for the Triumph line, and if you’re a big fan of the Triumph 21 I’d look to grab that shoe in sales or try the Saucony Ride 17, which has a similar design and feel. Other more versatile cushioned options for daily training include the excellent Brooks Glycerin 21, or Puma Magnify Nitro 2, which is a fair bit cheaper than the Triumph 22.

If you want a highly-cushioned cruiser, then the Triumph 22 will do the job, but even in that category I prefer the Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 or New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v13, while the Nike Invincible 3 offers a livelier ride thanks to its ZoomX midsole foam.