Saucony Journey 17 Introduction
Of all of the mid-range, impartial day by day trainers, the underrated Journey sequence from Saucony will not be some of the standard ones. You will note way more Pegasus, Ghosts, Cliftons, or Novablasts on the roads today. The primary purpose for that is that the Journey lacks aptitude.
It doesn’t look very thrilling and it doesn’t have an thrilling journey, primarily as a result of its quaint EVA midsole. The Nike Pegasus and Brooks Ghost additionally lack aptitude however they’ve constructed up loyal fanbases.
Within the Saucony vary, the Endorphin Pace has much more aptitude than the Journey: it’s softer, extra energetic, lighter and it has a plate in its midsole. Though it was designed to be a velocity coach, many runners now use it as a day by day coach as an alternative of the Journey.
I reviewed the Journey 16 final yr and I actually loved how versatile it was. I usually favor tender trainers however I didn’t discover it too agency. What I appreciated most about it was how simply it might choose up the tempo. It was one in all my favorite day by day trainers of 2022.
Within the Saucony midsole foam pecking order, PWRRUN HG is on high, adopted by PWRRUN PB, PWRRUN+, after which PWRRUN. The Journey sequence has used PWRRUN as its primary midsole foam for the final 4 variations, because the Journey 13. It is smart that this yr’s Journey 17 midsole will get upgraded to PWRRUN+.
The Journey 17 now weighs 10.1 oz (286 g), a considerable improve of 1.3 oz (37 g) over the Journey 16. It has an additional 2 mm of stack peak. It now measures 37 mm within the heel, 29 mm within the forefoot and it nonetheless prices $140.
Saucony Journey 17 First Impressions
My first run was an 8 km straightforward run. It didn’t blow me away however I used to be actually happy with how balanced and the way steady it felt. What I appreciated most about it was that the journey felt extra trendy than earlier Journey variations. There was extra rebound and extra cushioning depth.
I additionally appreciated the truth that there was no squeaky sound with every footstrike. This was noticeable within the Journey 15 with its shiny EVA midsole.
The shoe that it jogged my memory of most was the Saucony Freedom 4. The Freedom 4 had a PWRRUN PB midsole which is a step above PWRRUN+ however the rides felt comparable. The Journey 17 felt extra cushioned and extra comfy than the Freedom 4.
Saucony Journey 17 Higher
The Journey 17 has a easy however efficient higher and it’s comprised of a mesh which is of common breathability. My favorite characteristic is the perforated facet panels which permit air to circulate in.
The tongue is gusseted however Saucony made the error of not including a loop on the tongue so there’s nonetheless some tongue slide. Heel lockdown is nice with out the necessity to use a runner’s knot.
It has a real to measurement match with a standard heel, a roomy midfoot and forefoot however a slim toe field. I’ve to cinch the laces on the midfoot part greater than common to get a superb lockdown and I feel that the midfoot may very well be a bit extra fitted.
Saucony Journey 17 Sole Unit
In case you lowered the stack peak of the Triumph and made its midsole wider, the end result could be the Journey 17. Each Saucony trainers have PWRRUN+ midsoles however the Journey 17 feels firmer and extra steady. It additionally has a wider midsole base than the Journey 16.
There aren’t many non-plated day by day trainers that are extra versatile than the Journey 17. Simple runs, reasonably paced runs and brief tempo runs are all very comfy in it. It’s a textbook day by day coach.
Its midsole is cushioned sufficient so that you can run a full marathon in it and it has clean transitions which make it straightforward so that you can get right into a rhythm. Whereas it doesn’t have SpeedRoll expertise (a excessive toe spring & rocker), it additionally doesn’t really feel sluggish.
The Journey has by no means been a tender day by day coach and I additionally wouldn’t describe the seventeenth model as tender. The Brooks Ghost Max (and 15) are firmer than the Journey 17 however the different day by day trainers are softer and extra squishy. The Journey 17 encourages fast-paced day by day runs.
The brand new PWRRUN+ midsole is a giant step up from the earlier one and it offers an honest quantity of power return. It’s not almost as bouncy as ZoomX or Puma’s Nitro foam nevertheless it feels vigorous sufficient to make day by day junk miles not really feel like a chore.
The large distinction between the Journey 17 and different old-fashioned trainers just like the Pegasus 40/Ghost 15 is that within the Journey 17, you exert much less power doing the identical tempo. The Ghost 16 will get a brand new nitrogen infused midsole subsequent yr and will probably be attention-grabbing to see the way it compares.
The Journey 17 nonetheless has a thick, detachable insole fabricated from PWWRUN+. This offers much more cushioning and luxury instantly below your ft, and provides it a plusher, extra luxurious really feel than one thing just like the Endorphin Pace which doesn’t have it.
Thick, arduous rubber protects the froth on the outsole and there’s extra rubber than on the Journey 16. PWRRUN+ can also be a sturdy foam so that you received’t see a lot put on early on. That is simply some of the sturdy day by day coach outsoles available on the market. Because of the outsole being so arduous and thick, it makes a slappy sound when it strikes the highway or pavement. This takes a while to get used to.
PWRRUN+ is extra proof against creasing and compression over time than PWWRUN, so you may count on the Journey 17 to retain its cushioning longer than any of its predecessors.
Saucony Journey 17 Conclusions
The Journey 17 is a wonderful replace. Whereas it nonetheless doesn’t have a lot aptitude, the broader base and the change of midsole foam makes a giant distinction. The Journey 17 doesn’t really feel flat anymore; it appears like a very polished, trendy coach which might deal with most forms of runs. I really feel that the additional 2 mm of stack peak makes it much more versatile.
As a mid-range, impartial day by day coach, there’s not a lot incorrect with the Journey 17. It has sturdiness and luxury in spades, and it represents higher worth than the Triumph 21 which additionally has a PWRRUN+ midsole.
It has a way more participating journey than the Pegasus, Ghost and InfinityRN that are extra standard day by day trainers than the Journey.
Its greatest disadvantage is that its weight is on the upper facet for a day by day coach in comparison with the competitors nevertheless it does have a extra vigorous journey than most. I don’t thoughts the additional weight as a result of I received’t be utilizing it for racing or speedwork.
The Novablast 3 which is similar value, is the Journey 17’s greatest, non-plated competitor. It weighs over an oz. lower than the Journey 17 and it additionally has a contemporary, versatile journey.
The Journey nonetheless is extra steady and extra sturdy than the Novablast.
