I've been fortunate enough to score myself another pair of Saucony shoes to wear and test, and of course review. The Saucony Triumph ISO is one of the premier range shoes from the Saucony catalogue. The pair I received came in a limited edition box, which makes it a little more special.
The Triumph ISO falls under the neutral category. Meaning to say that the shoes are designed to promote neutral foot motion, rather than correct pronation. The arch support is intended for runners with medium to high arches. To be honest, being someone with virtually no arch at all, I was a bit skeptical in using these shoes. Historically, I've believed myself to be an over pronator but in recent years with continuously working on my running biomechanics, I've been able to adapt more neutral like shoes.
The Triumph ISO is one of the three Saucony models that comes with the new ISOFIT system (
the other two being Hurricane and Zealot). Put simply, the ISOFIT system is the entire construction of the upper part of the shoe. The inner sleeve is made out of ultra soft stretchable mesh, providing more ventilation and improving comfort. The lacing of the shoes goes through a zig zag cage like material, which would cradle the foot and morph to it for a sock like feel.
The shoes come with the IBR+ (
Injection Blown Rubber) for it's outer sole construction, a feature which most Saucony shoes would have. The rubber is liquid molded rather than cut, is lighter than standard blown rubber yet more durable and provides better cushioning. This is great for those who enjoy a plushy feel in their running. Tipping the scales in 10.3 oz, the shoes are relatively lighter in comparison to shoes from other brands with similar features. These shoes are great for the everyday mileage clockers but also would come in handy for those seeking extra cushioning on the race day.
Powergrid+ is used for it's midsole, another feature present in most Saucony shoes. This goes very well with with the SRC Impact Zone in the back part of the sole towards the heel, The molded stabiliser of the Powergrid+ over the lateral crash pad of the SRC Impact Zone prevents the heel from leaning too much towards the outside. These shoes provide full outsole ground contact and therefore improving stability. With an 8mm heel to toe offset, there is ample heel and forefoot flare, making for a solid base underfoot.
At the nose end of the shoes, the honeycomb mesh like construction provides great ventilation for those running in the tropical climate. The silver strips that contain the wordings of Triumph and PWRGrid+ are luminous in the dark, which is great for those running before sunrise or after sunset.
I've had these shoes for about 4 weeks now and pleasantly surprised with the results. My skepticism with whether or not neutral shoes are suitable for me, have been thrown out of the window. It's nice to have another pair of shoes in addition to my Guide 8 for the long miles.
The Triumph ISO comes in a variety of colours, some louder than others, depending on your preference. Thank you Saucony Malaysia for these awesome shoes!
