How we tested the shoes
Lars and I have each tested the Saucony Xodus Ultra and the Saucony Peregrine over a longer period of time. Lars has even been off running in the Saucony Peregrine in the Norwegian mountains, and I have been in the Alps with the Saucony Xodus Ultra.
Besides this, we were in Northern Sweden and took part in the Saucony BAMM – an orienteering race in the Swedish and Norwegian mountains. Here we were able to test both the Saucony Peregrine and the Saucony Xodus Ultra in the beautiful and indeed challenging terrain. If you would like to hear more about our experiences wearing the shoes for the race, then read on in the article and/or watch the video below, where you can also see lots of clips from the trip.
Video – Saucony Xodus Ultra vs. Saucony Peregrine
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Firm or comfortable?
More often than not it is straightforward to work out whether or not a shoe is considered firm or comfortable. In practice, however, it is important to point out that a firm shoe may well be the most comfortable, if this shoe is the right one for the type of terrain! For this reason, it is essential to choose the shoe that has the right properties for the route you are going to run, if you want to give yourself the best running experience - especially for trail running!
Saucony Xodus Ultra
The Saucony Xodus Ultra is, in everyday terms, an incredibly comfortable trail shoe; the midsole consists of Saucony's "PRWRUN PB" foam, which provides a soft landing on the ground, as well as an absolutely fantastic roll-through, regardless of whether you are running on trail paths, gravel or the tarmac road. With a stack height of 32.5 mm in the heel and 26.5 mm in the forefoot, there is plenty of foam to land on.
The upper feels just as soft and pleasant to wear, and the stretchy mesh provides both comfort and lots of room for your feet - even on long runs, where your feet may swell a little.
Saucony Xodus Ultra
The sole of the Saucony Xodus Ultra has 4.5 mm long lugs and is made using Saucony's "PWRTRAC" rubber, which provides a good grip on most types of surfaces. In addition, the outsole provides great protection against landing on pointy stones, tree roots etc.
As a result of both the soft sole and the stretchy mesh, the Saucony Xodus Ultra clearly performs its best on smoother surfaces, whether it's a forest path, rocks or tarmac. Here the shoe feels really comfortable and also surprisingly speedy. On uneven surfaces, the shoe's stretchy mesh is challenged, and if you have to venture out onto very uneven surfaces, there are other models that provide a better standard of performance - including e.g. the Saucony Peregrine.
Saucony Peregrine
The saucony Peregrine is almost diametrically opposite to the Saucony Xodus Ultra. The midsole consists of the firmer "PWRUN" foam, and in addition to a firmer choice of foam, the shoe also has a lower drop (4 mm) and smaller stack height (26.5 / 22.5 mm). The outsole is made of the same rubber compound as the Saucony Xodus Ultra, but the lugs are slightly longer (5 mm), which makes it a little more slip-resistant on muddy surfaces, although there are shoes with even larger studs if the amount of mud is extreme.
The upper is comfortable and very firm - it doesn't stretch! Once you have strapped the shoe on, you can count on the shoe being well positioned for the entirety of your run, and regardless of the surface type, the reinforced mesh contributes to a superior feeling of security in terms of the interaction between foot and shoe.
Saucony Peregrine 12
All in all, the properties of the Saucony Peregrine make for a shoe that, on paper, does not have comfort as its primary focus - and it also feels significantly harder to land in, when you are running on a packed gravel road or tarmac. If, on the other hand, you are out in a terrain for which the shoe is designed, then you will experience a highly stable and robust trail shoe, which ultimately provides a good level of comfort and security in uneven terrain.
In other words, the Saucony Peregrine is a very good choice for routes where you may be extra exposed to both uneven terrain, mud and lots of sharp changes in direction.
