Saucony Journey 17 Introduction
Of all of the mid-range, impartial each day trainers, the underrated Journey collection from Saucony is just not some of the widespread ones. You will note much more Pegasus, Ghosts, Cliftons, or Novablasts on the roads lately. 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. Regardless that it was designed to be a velocity coach, many runners now use it as a each 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 want gentle 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 each 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 collection has used PWRRUN as its predominant midsole foam for the final 4 variations, for the reason that Journey 13. It is sensible that this yr’s Journey 17 midsole will get upgraded to PWRRUN+.
The Journey 17 now weighs 10.1 oz (286 g), a considerable enhance 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 simple run. It didn’t blow me away however I used to be actually happy with how balanced and the way secure 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 related. 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 made out of a mesh which is of common breathability. My favorite function is the perforated facet panels which permit air to move 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 dimension match with a traditional heel, a roomy midfoot and forefoot however a slender toe field. I’ve to cinch the laces on the midfoot part greater than normal to get 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 secure. It additionally has a wider midsole base than the Journey 16.
There aren’t many non-plated each day trainers that are extra versatile than the Journey 17. Straightforward runs, reasonably paced runs and quick tempo runs are all very comfy in it. It’s a textbook each day coach.
Its midsole is cushioned sufficient so that you can run a full marathon in it and it has easy transitions which make it simple 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 gentle each day coach and I additionally wouldn’t describe the seventeenth model as gentle. The Brooks Ghost Max (and 15) are firmer than the Journey 17 however the different each day trainers are softer and extra squishy. The Journey 17 encourages fast-paced each day runs.
The brand new PWRRUN+ midsole is a giant step up from the earlier one and it gives a good quantity of power return. It’s not almost as bouncy as ZoomX or Puma’s Nitro foam but it surely feels full of life sufficient to make each day junk miles not really feel like a chore.
The large distinction between the Journey 17 and different old style 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 manufactured from PWWRUN+. This gives much more cushioning and luxury immediately underneath your toes, and provides it a plusher, extra luxurious really feel than one thing just like the Endorphin Pace which doesn’t have it.
Thick, exhausting 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 gained’t see a lot put on early on. That is simply some of the sturdy each day coach outsoles in the marketplace. As a result of outsole being so exhausting 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 superb 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 looks like a extremely polished, trendy coach which may 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 each day coach, there’s not a lot unsuitable 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 partaking journey than the Pegasus, Ghost and InfinityRN that are extra widespread each day trainers than the Journey.
Its largest disadvantage is that its weight is on the upper facet for a each day coach in comparison with the competitors but it surely does have a extra full of life journey than most. I don’t thoughts the additional weight as a result of I gained’t be utilizing it for racing or speedwork.
The Novablast 3 which is similar worth, is the Journey 17’s largest, non-plated competitor. It weighs over an oz. lower than the Journey 17 and it additionally has a contemporary, versatile journey.
The Journey nevertheless is extra secure and extra sturdy than the Novablast.
