Saucony Peregrine 8 - Completely Revamped, Improved Traction, Cushion and Comfort

Article by Jeff Valliere

Saucony Peregrine 8
Weight:  US Men's size 9 approx.11 oz/312 g, US Men's size 10 11.25oz./319g (test sample),
25mm heel/21mm forefoot (4mm drop)
$120 Available now

Initial Impressions:

My, how the Peregrine has changed!  Once known for being a reasonably light, low to the ground, protective well treaded race machine, the Peregrine 8 has been completely revamped with a visibly different upper, thicker midsole and a reconfigured outsole.  It feels a little bit heavier in the hand gaining approximately 1.4 oz/40 g, and I was uncertain as to what to expect with these updates, but was optimistic, as the Peregrine has improved notably each year since I began using the Peregrine 5.



Upper:

The upper has been improved dramatically, having removed the TPU overlays found on version 7 and instead features a more open, engineered mesh for added breathability and FlexFilm overlays on top of a panel style wrap (similar to IsoFit) for improved structure, comfort and support.

The toe bumper, though moderate, seems substantial enough and is a slightly more substantial than the previous version.

Fit is similar to the previous version, true to size with a secure performance feel.  I found the Peregrine 7 to have a little bit of excess material vertically in the toebox, but that has been fixed with version 8.  Overall this is a somewhat narrow shoe, even for my narrow, low volume foot, which fits me well, but the upper has just enough give as to not feel constricting or confining (though I don't have too much leeway).

The tongue is gusseted to improve fit and keep the tongue in place.  The woven laces integrate well with the eyelets and provide great snugging, though I did have to re-lace several times to find tension that was not too constricting.

The tongue is also plush and very well padded, perhaps a bit more than necessary.

The heel collar is also very well padded and cushioned.  Heel hold, height, comfort, protection and stability are all very good.

Overall I found security of the upper to be very good and hold my foot comfortably, with very little give even when pushing on steep, technical terrain with varying camber, hopping rock to rock and cornering hard.

Side by side with the Peregrine 7 (left), the upper has been notably re-designed.

There is a lot more open mesh, which improves airflow and has a little more give, without compromising security. 

RIGHT: Saucony Peregrine 8 LEFT: Peregrine 7

Midsole:

The Peregrine 8 retains the full length Everun topsole for great cushion and response, but the EVA has been upgraded to the more premium PWRFOAM compound for a more fogivingly cushioned feel. I found cushioning the Peregrine 7 to be firm but adequate for the purpose of the shoe (shorter, more technical fast runs), but the addition of the PWRFOAM and the 2.5 millimeters more of it, bumps this shoe into the "all day" category for me, while retaining response and agility.

Outsole:

One of the main draws for me in any version of Peregrine, has been the deep and aggressive lugs that provide very good traction in most conditions, especially, loose, off trail conditions.  The Peregrine 8 builds upon this with a revised lug pattern that features super toothy 6mm lugs and an improved rubber compound that is stickier and adheres better, particularly on dry or wet rock.

Additionally, the (extremely stiff) rock plate that was so obvious in previous versions has been omitted.  Given the rocky trails I run almost exclusively, I am usually cautious of shoes without a rock plate, but increasingly, these concerns are becoming unwarranted with improvements in midsole materials and thickness, coupled with more sturdy outsoles with thicker lugs.  In the case of the Peregrine 8, I do not miss the rock plate whatsoever and find that protection is equally good or better, while improving forefoot flex which improves agility and contours over rocks and rough terrain better.

Traction is about as good as you can get in loose junk, steep off trail, scree, etc... and is also pretty good in the snow.  A recent run in mixed snowy/icy/slushy/muddy conditions was very encouraging, as the Peregrine 8 stuck very well to most of it, all but the most hardened water ice, where only metal spikes would have a chance.

Compared with the Peregrine 7 (left), both have very aggressive lugs, but the Peregrine 8 has superior tread.

Performance/Recommendations:

The Peregrine 8, though heavier than the previous versions, is a far superior shoe for my day to day runs.  Most often, I typically gravitate toward more protective/cushioned shoes, with traction, but they also have to be at a reasonable weight and agile. The Peregrine 8 has all of those things.  The more breathable, but still secure upper, combined with a more compliant and more cushioned midsole for longer runs, better flexibility and better traction is a winning combination.   The Peregrine 8 runs surprisingly light and is fast, responsive and agile, great for fast runs in technical terrain and now with the improved cushioning and would be a great shoe for just about any distance, up to all day adventures (though for all day outings, one with wider feet may look for a little more wiggle room in the forefoot for swelling and long term comfort).

Jeff's Score:  9.8/10

- .1 for weight, still a touch on the heavy side despite running light
- .1 for minimal room in the forefoot

Comparisons:

Saucony Peregrine 8 vs. Salomon XA Elevate (RTR review here):  The XA Elevate was my favorite shoe of 2017 because of it's all around performance, versatility and value.  The Peregrine 8 is slightly more limiting with it's massive tread and tighter fit, but if your foot fits the Peregrine 8 and you are looking for maximum traction and slightly a slightly more cushioned feel, the Peregrine 8 is very worthy of consideration.

Saucony Peregrine 8 vs. Hoka One One Speedgoat 2 (RTR review here):  Not quite in the same category, but both very capable trail shoes for long distance and tough terrain.  Traction is superior with the Peregrine 8, fit on both is fairly similar.  Of course the Speedgoat 2 has better cushion, but the Peregrine 8 is very cushioned and protective in its own right.

Saucony Peregrine 8 vs. Saucony Peregrine 7 (RTR review here):  Long time Peregrine users will be somewhat skeptical of the added weight, 1.4 oz or so and cushion/stack height, but I would say to give the Peregrine 8 a chance, I think it will be a pleasant surprise.

Saucony Peregrine 8 vs. Saucony Xodus ISO (RTR review here):  The Peregrine 8 is creeping up on the Xodus in weight, but is a completely different shoe.  It is much more responsive and agile than the Xodus, with better traction and comparable cushion.

Reviewer
Jeff Valliere is a former pro cyclist who now runs and climbs the mountains of Colorado. He has been top 5 Masters, top 25 overall, at the Pike's Peak Marathon several times, finishing 2d Masters in 2015. Jeff loves vertical accumulating more than 500,000 vertical feet per year, has climbed all the Colorado 14's and 200 of the 13's and has held FKT on several. 

Photo Credit: Jeff Valliere

The Peregrine was provided at no cost. The opinions herein are entirely the author's.

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