Saucony Triumph 19 After 100 Miles: A Max Cushion Favorite That Keeps Going

Introduction

The Saucony Triumph 19 quickly became one of the standout max cushion shoes of 2021, and after 100 miles of testing, it has held up remarkably well. This long-term review covers how the shoe performs now, from its cushioned ride to the wear on its outsole.

What Is the Saucony Triumph 19?

The Triumph 19 is a max cushion daily trainer built around a 32.5 mm stack height with an 8 mm drop, of which 24.5 mm is PowerRun Plus midsole foam. PowerRun Plus is a PU foam that looks and behaves a lot like Boost, but in this shoe Saucony puts it to better use than Adidas has with Boost in the UltraBoost.

The outsole uses Saucony’s XT-900 rubber, their premium carbon rubber, with generous coverage across the footbed. It is not quite a full coverage outsole, since a couple of spots show exposed foam, but coverage is strong overall. The upper is a comfortable mesh that borrows cues from the Endorphin Pro and Endorphin Speed, which works very well here. The tongue carries a moderate, almost light amount of padding, and the heel cup adds a little extra padding along the sides and back without going overboard. A relatively low heel cup follows a wire mesh pattern along the back of the shoe.

The shoe also uses Saucony’s Formfit system, a three-material setup. The top layer is an insole designed to mold to the foot. Under that sits a soft glued-down layer on top of the midsole that contributes to softness and step-in comfort. Below that is the PowerRun Plus foam that makes up most of the midsole. A black border layer between the upper and midsole appears to act as a rail system, helping keep the heel and foot from sliding around laterally. All of this comes in at 10.2 oz or 289 g.

Ride Feel and Performance

The Triumph 19 is a bit of a Goldilocks shoe when it comes to max cushion. The amount of squish feels just right: comfortable without making you feel stuck. The foam is soft but still somewhat bouncy, without being so bouncy that the ride turns firm.

That liveliness also means the shoe can pick up the pace when needed. Pushed to around mile race effort during strides, it still feels well cushioned, but the weight and squishiness start to hold you back. In the easy or easy-plus pace range, though, the shoe feels eager to lace up, making it a strong choice for long runs and recovery runs alike. The toned-down upper adds a lot of comfort for a max cushion shoe.

Durability After 100 Miles

After 100 miles, the most visible wear is discoloration on the white upper, about what you would expect from a shoe that has actually been run in. Beyond that, everything holds up well: the fit is unchanged, all upper materials are intact, and the midsole still delivers a great mix of squish and bounce. That suggests plenty of happy miles left in the PowerRun Plus foam.

The outsole is the real highlight. A few outsole etchings show slight wear, but even in those areas there is no major damage. The tester’s highest wear spots, right under the pads and along the sides of the heel, show almost nothing. For a max cushion shoe typically run at slower paces with more shuffling, this is better than average durability.

Buying Advice

For runners focused on price per performance, the Triumph 19 delivers real value. It is not the shoe for fast race-pace work, where the weight and squish catch up, but for easy runs, long runs, and recovery days it is a genuinely pleasant companion with durability to match.

Anyone who wants a max cushion shoe that does not feel like sinking, and who plans to put serious mileage on it, will get a lot out of this one.

Conclusion

At 100 miles, the Saucony Triumph 19 remains comfortable, lively, and impressively durable. Its well-balanced cushioning, comfortable upper, and hard-wearing XT-900 outsole make it an easy recommendation for runners looking for a dependable max cushion daily trainer.