Women’s Saucony Peregrine 16 Review

Bottom Line

We’ve been hiking in the Saucony Peregrines for years, and this iteration remains a great all-around performer. Comfortable right out of the box, the mesh uppers are breathable, quick to dry, and have plenty of room for wider feet. The updated outsole provides excellent durability and traction on both wet and dry surfaces, while the revamped PWRRUN midsole increases comfort and enhances shock absorption.

We enjoyed the Peregrines’ slipper-like feel and just-right balance between cushioning and ground feel, making them well suited for terrain ranging from hard-packed dirt to soft sand and mud. The Peregrine also stands out as a solid value, especially for runners who want a shoe they can hike in, too. The mesh upper may not hold up to prolonged use on rugged terrain, but it’s fine if you stick to maintained trails. For more great options, look at our full guide to the best women’s hiking shoes.

How We Tested

We took the Peregrine 16 on a whirlwind through the desert southwest both hiking and running. We started out with a section hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in southern California, which was predominantly compacted sand, with some loose, soft sandy stretches. 

From there, we headed to Torrey Pines State Park for a jaunt along their packed-dirt trails and finished with a jog down the beach. We finished up our testing with a day hike on the New Mexico Continental Divide Trail, which was mainly packed dirt with some slickrock sections, and a run on the Arizona Trail’s varied terrain (dirt, loose sand, compact soils). 

We logged a lot of miles during our southwest tour on a variety of desert surfaces and in primarily hot and dry conditions. However, temps in both New Mexico and in Torrey Pines were decidedly cooler and with a bit more moisture than other areas. We splashed through our only creek crossing of the lot on the Arizona Trail, just to see how well the Peregrine 16 drains and dries.

Traction

The updated Vibram Megagrip outsole improves traction on slick surfaces and compacted trails. We found the Saucony 16s to be incredibly stable on slickrock and compacted surfaces. However, the lugs have been reduced from 5 mm in previous iterations to 4 mm on this one. While they still dug into softer terrain, we noticed their slightly less aggressive traction, especially when things get steep or muddy. 

Unlike some of the other models tested, the Peregrine 16 provides excellent traction without feeling stiff or too confining. They also work well on harder surfaces, such as the packed-sand trails of the desert. On softer singletrack, we never feel like we’re in danger of losing our grip, making these one of our top picks for traction. 

Trail runners looking for a trail shoe that goes the distance comfortably for a lower-than-average price point will find a lot of value here.

Comfort

The Terraventure 5, like its predecessors, is not the most comfortable fit out of the box, especially if you’re used to softer or more forgiving uppers. However, we are big fans of the firmer, long-lasting foam, which offers the perfect balance of ground feel and cushion. The flexible ESS rockplate is indispensable on rocky sections of trail where we otherwise end up bruised from the sharp edges. We noticed that the arch support seems slightly too far forward and felt uncomfortable on our first few runs until we got used to it.

The Topo standard wide toe box remains in version 5; however, our testers did notice a significantly snugger fit in the midfoot, exacerbated by changes in lace placement. On very long days, our feet were aching from the pressure. This was not an issue in previous models, and we hope that it will be corrected in any subsequent versions of the Terraventure.

Weight

The Peregrine 16 is lighter and feels nimbler than previous editions, despite changes to the upper. We were pleased to find that even after a full day on the Pacific Crest Trail, we didn’t feel bogged down by our shoes. The Peregrine 16 ranks as average weight (1lb 1.2 oz) among the trail runners we tested, and combined with its other features, it is a solid, well-rounded shoe that will work for a lot of runners.

Durability

Saucony has added a mesh upper to the Peregrine 16, which is a welcome improvement over previous models. This edition seems adept at resisting abrasion, even as we took it scrambling through rocks and rough trails in the desert. Reinforcement overlays also help minimize damage to high-wear areas. 

We did note that the upper materials in the 16 are less forgiving than in the past. If you have a high-volume foot, you may notice that. However, on the plus side, we didn’t experience any issues with stretching out of shape in this version.  

In addition, Saucony has increased toe protection, which has reduced wear and tear on the front of the shoe. Given the improvements, we feel more confident that the Peregrine 16 will withstand extremely rugged conditions, such as abrasion and repeated snagging. 

We also noticed that the sides seemed stronger and less prone to failure with repeated lateral movement; however, we will still keep the off-camber terrain to a minimum when wearing these shoes to prolong their lifespan.

Breathability

The mesh uppers on the previous iteration offer excellent breathability and airflow, landing them high in our rankings. Unfortunately, they traded some of that for improved durability, which left us feeling hot and swampy in the Peregrine 16s. 

We also found them a bit slower to dry after stomping through Cienega Creek on our run on a section of the Arizona Trail. This could be a drawback for those who regularly train in very hot or wet climates.

Additionally, the wide width is only available in black, which is disappointing given the great color palette for the B-width shoes. It’s also another factor in making our feet hot and uncomfortable on our desert hikes and runs. 

We ended up with several hot spots on the warmest days due to heat buildup in black shoes with lower breathability. Runners who need the wide sizes and run in hot and/or wet climates should definitely look elsewhere.

Responsiveness

The Peregrine 16 is a highly responsive trail runner that strikes a near-perfect balance between cushion and ground feel. The increased amount of PWRRUN foam makes these shoes feel even more soft and comfortable underfoot. But this doesn’t come at a loss. Instead, it promotes impressive energy return no matter the pace. 

The Peregrine 16 propells us down (and up) the trail without a significant loss of energy, which really matters on long days. 

Our testers were pleased to find that the cushion isn’t so thick that it drowns out feedback from the running surface. We appreciate feeling the trail without our feet getting banged up or fatigued from impact. This balance makes us feel in control in every situation, even more technical ones. We even feel confident doing some light scrambling given the fit, traction, and ability to feel connected to the rocks.

Should You Buy the Saucony Peregrine 16?

At a lower-than-average price point and with excellent versatility, these shoes are a fantastic value for casual trail runners and hikers, as well as for those logging double-digit distances per session. The Peregrine 16 is at home on a broad range of trails, but they truly excel on smoother tread. Runners who stick to well-maintained trails free of extremely rocky sections or other major obstacles will find these shoes to be ideal. 

However, it is important to note that they have breathability issues that may make them unsuitable for runners in hot and/or humid conditions. Additionally, those needing the wide width will find they only come in black, which exacerbates overheating/lack of breathability. For most runners, the Peregrine 16s will provide many miles of comfort and performance, but those who prioritize breathability should look elsewhere.

What Other Women’s Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?

IIf the Saucony Peregrine 16 isn’t for you, check out the options below or head to our gear guide to the best women’s hiking shoes for more options.

Altra Lone Peak 9 Review: If you want more space for your toes to splay and an overall more natural shape, check out the classic Altra Lone Peak. The latest version offers improved durability and responsiveness for trail runners and hikers alike, although the zero-drop design takes some getting used to.

HOKA Speedgoat 7 Review: For a more stable and weather-resistant option, the Speedgoat 7 is another trail runner that hikes very well. These shoes are more at home on rugged trails than the Peregrine but not as agile or responsive underfoot.

Salomon X Ultra 5 Low Review: Moving to a true hiking shoe, the X Ultra 5s have a stiffer and more robust platform with a higher heel-to-toe drop. If you plan to do more hiking than trail running, the X Ultras might be worth the weight penalty.