Saucony Blaze TR trail running shoes

The Saucony Blaze TR is a cheap, lightweight, fast, simple https://test-runner.com/pc/running-shoes/trail-running-shoes/trail running shoe that does a lot for its price. While cheap isn’t necessarily for beginner runners, novice runners who don’t run longer distances or don’t insist on very high shock absorption will also enjoy the Blaze TR. The Blate TR is primarily for shorter, faster trail runs on less technical muddy terrain

The Saucony Blaze TR trail running shoe has a upper made of a mesh material that has good breathability compared to other trail running shoes. Foot protection is provided by multiple rubber and TPU layers. The upper is narrower in the middle and back, with ample room at the front of the footbed. The tongue of the shoe is moderately cushioned, providing good protection against debris ingress. The heel collar is rigid and moderately cushioned, providing good and secure support for the foot. The materials of the uppers are cheap and the durability is not the best, but for the price of the shoe, the uppers are very good.

The midsole of the Saucony Blaze TR trail shoe is a very well-timed middle ground between soft and hard soles. The material of the midsole is Saucony’s popular PWRRUN midsole, which makes a big difference in how thick the sole of the shoe is. The Blaze TR’s midsole has an average thickness of 31.5mm (27.5mm at the toe and 35.5mm at the heel), which is a middle ground, not overly soft but not hard, so it’s both lightweight and dynamic, and can provide enough cushioning. The midsole is not wide, which is advantageous in terms of keeping the shoe light, but not for stability. This is compensated for by the fact that the midsole is not high, and the outsole makes the midsole stiff enough to keep the Blaze TR trail running shoe stable overall. Overall, the midsole is best suited for shorter, sub-half marathon distances for faster runs.

The outsole of the Saucony Blaze TR trail running shoe is made from Saucony’s XT-900 rubber compound, which is surprising because the same material is used in the upper-end Endorphin series, albeit for shoes designed for asphalt. This rubber compound is durable, harder than the PWRTRAC compound used in other Saucony trail running shoes, and therefore has a poorer grip. The grip of the harder compound is made up for by aggressive rubber spikes that are 4mm thick and have a pattern reminiscent of the more expensive Saucony trail running shoes. Because this compound is tougher, it’s also more durable and can offer greater protection against sharp rocks.

Overall, Saucony Blaze TR trail running shoes were a good idea and idea from the Saucony brand. They wanted a cheap, good value for money trail running shoe, and they did it well. The Blaze TR performs well mainly on shorter distances under half marathon, it’s for faster more dynamic runs. That being said, if you don’t want a cheap trail running shoe for fast runs, the Blaze TR is a good choice for those who don’t want to run longer than half marathons.