Saucony Peregrine 12

Very comfy for descents, terrible for ascents.

My quest for a decent trail runner continues and, unfortunately, these are not the one.

The Peregrine 12's are a very lightweight trail running shoe with amazing grip. But uphill comfort and longevity fall short.

At first I thought the heel rub on ascents was just a matter of stiff shoes needing to be broken in, but now broken in, they still rub.

The heel rub is most noticeable on uphill climbs. Now with almost 40 miles on them, they should be broken in. So there is no longer an excuse for the heel rub I am experiencing. 

My most recent and probably last hike with these was 6 miles uphill with 4000' gain. I had to stop midway, roll my calf length sock down below my heel, in essence doubling up socks in order to continue. I made it the rest of the way blister free, but had to take them off and rest feet at the top.

On fast descents and flats, the rock plate and comfy insole work incredibly well at absorbing shock. And if flat or downhill is your thing, then these work well. Coming down the 6 miles and 4000ft was great. No heel rub and great comfort. But, damage was done and the next day my heels were sore. On a multi-day hike, I would have been in trouble.

Overall, I cannot recommend the Peregrine 12's. I've tried many lacing methods, heel lock, regular, not using upper lace holes... Nothing seems to stop the uncomfortable heel issues. I believe the padding in the heel is not sufficient to keep the heel from moving about.

I reached out to Saucony about the lugs coming off, and was told they only warranty items bought through their store.

I've also reached out to others about the newer Peregrine 13, and they are having the same experience.  It seems the heel cup on the 12 and 13's is poorly formed resulting in the heel rub and discomfort along the ankle.

Background

Lots of shoes with lots of miles