Saucony Triumph 23 Review: Soft and Fun to Run Done Right! 5 Comparisons

Article by Sam Winebaum

Saucony Triumph 23 ($160)

Introduction

The Triumph is Saucony’s easier going, plush and softer conventional geometry every day street coach.

For its 23d version, essentially the most vital change is an enormous drop in weight of 1.32 oz / 38g in my US8.5 to 9.3 oz / 263g which places it squarely at a weight I discover appropriate for a every day coach.

The 37mm heel, 27mm forefoot and 10mm drop doesn’t change; I feel a very good factor given the smooth and energetic PWRRUN Pb foam that continues from the 22 and which is a mix of EVA and PEBA in supercritical expanded pellets type.

The outsole will get extra strategic rubber protection, most notably much less mid foot protection, additionally a very good factor because the 23 is properly versatile

The higher is a comparatively easy, fairly dense engineered mesh that gives very strong help all through.

Gentle(er) weight, energetic experience, and strong higher result in a enjoyable bouncy but on the identical time supportive using coach. Let’s get into the main points!

Execs:

Energetic smooth midsole with plenty of rebound

By no means ponderous at any tempo: low weight, broad steady platform, affordable stack peak, 10mm drop,

Versatile: broad vary of coaching paces

Comfy very safe higher

Cons:

Overdone considerably primary higher: fairly thick including weight and never notably breathable

Stats

Spec Weight: males’s 9.25 oz / 262g

Pattern Weights:

males’s 9.3 oz / 263g US8.5 (Triumph 22: 10.5 oz / 296g 9.3 oz US8.5)

Stack Top: 37mm heel / 27mm forefoot, 10mm drop >unchanged

Platform Width: 95mm heel / 75mm midfoot / 120mm forefoot

First Impressions, Match and Higher

The Triumph 23 in my gentle grey, charcoal and tan highlights is for positive just isn’t a kind of tremendous playful Saucony colorways.

The design alerts reliability and consistency with its broad platform and flaring rear midsole and easy higher. The design additionally alerts severe substance, plenty of shoe, but it’s gentle at 9.3 oz in my US8.5 pattern, lighter by 38g / 0.8 oz than its predecessor. Not precisely a design that delivers an impression of a “enjoyable” experience which is what the Triumph 23 actually delivers for me.

As quickly as I noticed the higher I assumed “Indonesia” because the manufacturing nation and that’s actually the place it was made. It seems and feels similar to numerous adidas Supernova uppers, additionally in sneakers made in Indonesia.

To not overgeneralize, however this higher and the others are typically fairly easy in design, dense, thick, and stretchy-and that’s what now we have right here. The maintain could be very strong throughout, the consolation excellent and the breathability so so which is what I discovered on my runs right here in spring’s reasonably heat situations. I’d name the higher “plush” however not luxuriously so and likewise not overdone with over smooth collars, an over puffy tongue or over stretchy toe field.

The heel counter is substantial, inflexible and supportive.

In a intelligent transfer, the grey high of the Achilles collar is a separate component that holds the achilles solidly however individually from the decrease inflexible areas of the heel counter.

The froth collars are “intelligently” padded. They’re comparatively skinny for an opulent shoe, not overly smooth and have nice maintain.

The 22 proven above had a softer, extra plush and decrease rear collar. I discover the maintain improved within the 23 if not fairly as “luxurious” in really feel.

The midfoot maintain depends on the density of the mesh, a considerable however once more not overdone gusset tongue and as soon as and executed lacing. The lockdown at midfoot is safe and cozy.

On the toe field once more Saucony counts on the dense barely stretchy mesh to carry the foot. There may be simply sufficient stretch, however not an excessive amount of, so my foot even with the smooth foam under by no means felt it wasn’t completely safe, not straightforward to do with softer foams under. The entrance maintain is helped by a for positive current semi inflexible toe bumper which fortunately is vertical with no actual wrap backwards over the toes.

The match is true to measurement and safe throughout for my slim to medium ft, one thing I typically wrestle with in most unstructured stretchier mesh uppers.

Whereas I’ve some issues that this higher mesh might add weight. is sort of thick and dense and I’m not anticipating it to be very breathable I get one heck of a positive match: safe, comfy, true to measurement. Not a pace shoe higher or match however a really strong every day coaching one.

Midsole & Platform

The midsole foam is PWRRUN Pb a supercritical expanded beads mix of EVA and PEBA. It isn’t referred to as out as completely different from the 22 however my sense is that it’s each barely softer and springier. A very nice mix that has by no means felt mushy or over smooth or for that matter over taut and dense.

I favor a tauter denser extra springy foam akin to adidas Dreamtrike within the Supernova Prima or or Nike Zoom X together with Cushlon in layers within the Vomero 18 for quicker paces however right here for the extra mellow run days I take advantage of the Triumph for it’s a positive foam and a enjoyable one.

I do discover the froth if not fairly as fast reacting however extra nice than the denser feeling Brooks Loft v3 foam within the competing Glycerion 22. Among the New Steadiness Recent Foams are comparable however I discover them mushier and over smooth with much less rebound than right here. The FF 1080 v13 involves thoughts as over smooth whereas the Balos with its I imagine comparable EVA/PEBA mix nearer in really feel.

The platform and weight play a big function within the high quality of the midsole and experience. Saucony retains the stack peak at an inexpensive 37/27 with a 10mm drop. Many rivals are actually above 40mm on the heel with larger forefoot stack heights that are inclined to make the sneakers stiffer with a rocker required to toe off (Glycerin Max and Superblast examples).

Right here now we have a broad 95mm heel platform which helps disperse the touchdown with no sense of a low heel given the smooth foam. The midfoot is a comparatively slim 75mm and, in a change from the 22, has much less rubber there. This will likely make the 23 a bit much less steady however the narrowish midfoot and fewer rubber there permits for extra flexibility and a better transition to toe offs at any tempo. Few sneakers grasp a smooth foam and a easy experience in addition to the Triumph 23 does.

Outsole

The outsole will get extra strategic in its rubber protection with much less midfoot rubber, lowering weight and serving to make the shoe extra versatile and doubtlessly a bit much less steady. Proven under the Triumph 22 outsole

The 23’s outsole thus far has had nice grip helped by new mini extra distinguished lugs up entrance which sit on a extra plate like association which clearly additionally reduces weight and will increase flexibility.

Experience, Conclusions and Suggestions

Whereas the Triumph 23 doesn’t have any new tech or geometry adjustments, it’s for me is a considerably improved coach, primarily as it’s so a lot lighter than earlier than. Its weight at about 9.5 oz in a US9 vs. effectively over 10.5 oz within the 22 places the mannequin way more squarely within the every day coach class of sneakers making it versatile for many coaching runs, besides pace work or longer quicker tempos. Saucony has the Endorphin Velocity and Tempus for that.

The experience is smooth and energetic with a pleasant mixture of bounce and spring. The broad platform, 10mm drop, and outsole design maintain the softness largely underneath management and shifting ahead however I do want for a barely firmer experience upfront to higher deal with quicker paces and ship extra response. That stated, the T23 offers Saucony a “enjoyable” to run, sensible common objective coach should you favor smooth and bouncy plush kind rides and now additionally importantly at a aggressive weight.

Sam’s Rating: 9.4 /10

Deductions for higher weight and breathability and want for a bit extra faster tempo response off the entrance..

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5 Comparisons

Triumph 22 (RTR Evaluate)

The important thing change and enchancment is the lighter weight and improved midfoot flexibility which makes them faster and smoother working with out altering the platform or the midsole.

Saucony Experience 18 (RTR Evaluate)

At a 35/27 stack peak, the Experience is 2mm decrease on the heel, weighs about the identical and is on narrower platform. Its midsole is PWRRUN + an expanded TPU beads which isn’t supercrtiical because the Pb within the Triumph is. Whereas each are smooth I discover the Experience much less energetic and mushier in really feel. The narrower platform and softness additionally makes the much less steady for me than the Triumph 23 though each are clearly impartial kind sneakers. Whereas $30 lower than the Triumph 23 in a smooth using shoe, I favor the T23. Each have comparable becoming uppers.

Salomon Aero Glide 3 (RTR Evaluate)

Salomon new AG3 has a supercritical eTPU expanded beads foam midsole which, together with a lightweight higher, make it 0.8 oz lighter than the T23 on the next 40/32 stack peak. The froth really feel and experience is comparable in being smooth and really energetic. The distinction comes all the way down to the uppers and their help. Whereas gentle on the foot and cozy, the Salomon higher just isn’t almost as supportive because the considerably for my part “overbuilt” T23’s. When you have environment friendly type, have a tendency to coach at quicker paces and are effectively aligned with out want for additional help the Salomon, in any other case the T23.

361 Eleos (RTR Evaluate)

The closest experience comparability to the Triumph, the $145 Eieos additionally has a smooth and bouncy EVA/PEBA mix midsole and sits at about the identical heel peak however at a considerably larger 30mm on the forefoot and on a barely broader platform. Its heel with a 6mm drop feels decrease than the T23’s. The results of the variations in geometry (platform width and forefoot peak) is it weighs about 0.5 oz greater than the T23. The 361 higher is considerably dishevelled and never fairly as safe because the T23’s. Very shut between these two tremendous enjoyable and energetic rides and it might come all the way down to price range and match in your wants.

Nike Vomero 18 (RTR Evaluate)

Additionally a 10mm drop shoe, the Vomero is significantly larger stacked at 46/36 and better weight at simply over10 oz and so is clearly extra cushioned and stiffer. Primarily made from the identical supplies because the Saucony, it layers ZoomX (PEBA) underfoot with a firmer EVA kind foam on the floor whereas the Saucony blends the 2 components into beads then expands them tremendous critically. The distinction in development results in a extra constant really feel within the Saucony. For longer, quicker runs the Nike is my alternative as it’s extra responsive, extra deeply cushioned and extra steady. For reasonable every day coaching miles with extra smiles the Saucony.

Brooks Glycerin 22 (RTR Evaluate)

A straight competing larger drop coach, the Brooks has 1mm extra stack peak back and front of Brooks Loft v3 supercritical foam. It weighs 25g greater than the Saucony in my measurement and that’s felt in addition to its denser not as bouncy experience that’s considerably extra steady than the Triumph’s. Its higher is but extra supportive than the T23 and a bit extra deluxe throughout. In the event you want “regular” go together with Brooks. If you would like extra bounce and smooth enjoyable go together with the Triumph.

Index to all RTR evaluations: HERE

The Saucony Triumph 23 can be accessible June 2025

Tester Profile

Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Highway Path Run. He’s in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 53th yr of working roads and trails. He has a a long time previous 2:28 marathon PR. Lately he runs halves within the simply sub 1:40 vary if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week largely at reasonable paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, climbing or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he isn’t having fun with too many positive New England IPA’s.

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