The Saucony Triumph 22 sees some major updates to the line. The biggest is a new PWRRUN PB foam midsole, a PEBA-based material replacing the PWRRUN+ found in the Triumph 21 that aims to improve cushioning, energy return and responsiveness. The same foam is used in the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 and Speed 4, albeit a modified version
The Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 isn’t a drastic update to its predecessor but includes a couple of big updates to improve the shoe’s overall comfort. The most important of those is an increase in the stack height of FF Blast Eco midsole foam by 2mm to add even more cushioning to the ride, and the other is a newly engineered Jacquard mesh upper to improve comfort and breathability
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JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Stats
00:40 – Design
02:00 – How’s The Fit?
03:53 – The Run Test
12:05 – Verdict
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Hey Tommy from the Run testers with Another running shoe versus in this Video we're looking at two cushion shoes The aex gel nimus 27 and the soy trium 22 let's have a Look the aex gel nibus 27 cost £180 or $165 it weighs 306 G or 10.8 o for men In a size 8 and the drop is 8 mm the Sakon Triumph 22 costs 170 or $160 it Weighs 306 G or 10.8 Oz for men in a Size 8 and the drop is 10 Mm the ax gel nibbers 27 isn't a drastic Update to its predecessor but it does Include a couple of big updates to Improve the overall comfort of the shoe The most important of those is an Increasing the stack height of FF flast Eco mid cell phone by 2 mimet to add Even more cushioning to the ride and the Other is a new engineered jacked mesh Upper to improve comfort and Breathability in the rear of the shoe You'll still find the same pure gel Technology designed to improve shock Absorption and there's an authorly x55 Sock liner to add even more cushioning To The Ride Like the earlier versions There's still plenty of padding across The upper including a knit rib collar as Well as a gusseted tongue wi fit system To ensure a good fit on the outsole is a Hybrid ax grip to provide grip and Protect the Mido the sagon trium 22 sees Some major updates to the line the
Biggest of those is a new power PB foam Midsole a peber based material replacing The power on plus found in the Triumph 21 that aims to improve cushioning Energy return and responsiveness the Same Pham is used in the sakon Endorphin Pro 4 and speed 4 there's also an Updated upper that's designed to be even Plusher and more comfortable than its Predecessor and a noticeably wider base Across the full length of the shoe to Improve stability on the out soole There's a generous layer of rubber to Provide grip and protect the midell Phone So it comes to the fit of the two shoes I've got a uk9 in both of them which is A us10 they both fit me really well got A fair amount of room in the toe box you Quite a lot of room which is what I'd Like in a cushion Cruiser like this and Then I've got good secure hold around The heel and midfoot find the Triumph at The back both of them I've got loads of Padding going on at the back of the shoe For sure but the Triumph almost feels a Little bit more overbearing to me like I Don't love the amount of padding it has Quite high up at the back of the shoe But it's not really being a problem they Both offer a lot of step- in comfort as You'd expect really roomy uppers so some Of a narrow foot I I've a lot of room But it's not really been too much room
Or anything like that so yeah I would Stick to your non running shoe size both Got nice comfortable fits all around Really quick word on fit then I ran in My regular running shoe size in both the Aex and the socon which is a UK 8 A2 I Describ the fit as got a super plush Comfortable lots of room in the toe box Across the top of the toes in both these Shoes you also get really good length in Both some people might even feel like There's a little bit too much in some of Them but I really like the extra space In the length of the toe box and across The top particularly if you think about Using these for longer mileage or you're Going to be on your feet for a longer Time back up get good lock down across The midfoot no problems there they both Hold really well good padded tongues That take the lace pinch away and the Plush padded heel colors offer great Comfort I had no slipping really no Trouble at all in these and I would Recommend going true to size in both Shoes Okay so the fit for me in these Two shoes is pretty easy they they size Pretty much exactly this the same There's plenty of space before the big Toe there's plenty of space around the Foref foot the shoes that are designed To be a little bit more relaxed in the Overall fit they're very comfortable There's lots of padding on them um and I
Think you definitely want to stay in Your size in both of these shoes cuz They're a very similar fit the upper is Also quite stretchy as well so you get a Little bit more um flexibility in the Upper so it's not very rigid um and both Of them are very easy to get a nice Comfortable lock down fit in as well so Definitely say your size in both of These Shoes in testing I've run 50k Plus in Both of these shoes and I've put them Through a good range of Paces though in Most cases I've ended up dropping back To a very easy Pace because that's Really where both of these shoes run Best and actually what I think they're Primarily built for for me there's an Upper Pace limit on both shoes Essentially you've got two big cushioned Heavier shoes that work best for the Easiest miles recovery miles going nice And slow I also actually took them out For a sideb side mile I put one sh on Each foot to tease out the finer details In the ride and I found it really hard Actually to sort of draw too many Distinctions for me these shoes feel Remarkably similar underfoot and I Actually just use them for exactly the Same kinds of runs marathon pace for me Is the upper limit and I really think They're better for sort of anything up To that really even than marathon pace
I'd say there's marginally more softness In the Nimbus 27 and a Waffa thin bit of Extra Bounce from that bigger stack but I don't think it really adds much in Terms of the overall performance of the Shoe it's not like it's going to Spring You into sort of faster Paces the Triumph 22 is arguably more Nimbus than The Triumph 21 was I'm not really in Love with either shoe for anything but Slow mileage there's just sort of too Much work to get through the touchdown To toe off for me it's all a bit heavy a Little bit sluggish when you try and Push the pace now the nimbers 27 is Notably slapper too you can hear the Difference when you're running that said Both offer good reliability from wide Platforms decent stability and I'd say Good big mileage durability they do a Job which is going slow and they're very Good at it but I always like a bit more Versatility in my shoes and I'm not sure That you get that here from either okay So both of these shoes are shoes that I'm not a massive fan of um I will start With the Triumph 22 now the Triumph 22 Is it used to be slightly different than The the aex GEL Nimbus line um it was a Shoe that was designed for uh daily Cushioned Comfort but it was a bit more Versatile so in the 20 and the 21 those Shoes were two of my favorite cushion Shoes I used them for loads of different
Types of runs they're were great shoe if You were going out and just doing a nice Easy run and but they were fine if you Wanted to pick up the pace a bit maybe Do a bit of tempo or something like that They as a cushion shoe they were really Really uh solid for doing that they Weren't a fast race shoe um but I know a Lot of people that who were running half Marathons and marathons um maybe their First time they've done them or they're Just doing them to um cross the finish Line in Comfort they were very good Shoes for that as well the 2022 I'm not As big a fan of they updated the Midol Foam um and I'm not a big fan of this This this Midol foam uh the reason is That it's lost a bit of energy return For me um and also it feels quite uh a Little bit more solid than what you get In the in the Triumph 20 and the 21 um And by that I mean that when I hit the Ground in this shoe I don't really get a Lot back from it so um that's partly to Do with the foam and the lack of um Energy return you did get a bit of Energy return in the earlier versions of The shoe um but also I don't like the Geometry of this shoe so I hit it on Right in the midsole and it just doesn't Seem to give me any sort of transition At all um I just sort of hit the ground Lift the lift the foot back up and I Find it quite a hard shoe um it doesn't
Feel like it's helping me in any way on The run so I I struggle with the Geometry of the tm22 um I still think It's fine if you're just doing easy runs But even then I don't enjoy it very much Even when I'm E when I'm on easy run I Like a shoe that gives me a nice Transition and makes the easy run easier Uh I don't get that from the tr22 it Just feels like quite a solid chunky Shoe that I'm not really getting a lot Back from the ax John 27 so this is very Similar shoe nowadays it's a big Cushing Shoe that's designed for those easy runs Maybe longer runs stuff like that um It's a shoe that historically hasn't got The same Legacy as the Triumph line it's Never really been seen as a massively Versatile shoe or a shoe that um has um You can do faster training or anything Like that in um but uh it's a shoe That's very much always been designed Towards Comfort Design designed towards Having good cushioning in it uh and the Last three versions of the shoe have Been pretty good they they've been they Were updated versions of um what the GEL Nimbus line used to look like um and They they've been a nice update a lot of People have um enjoyed using these shoes The thing about the gel ners 27 is that For me it it doesn't have a lot more to It than just those easy runs um I don't Really get a lot of transition from this
Shoe it doesn't feel like a shoe that's Really helping you to sort of maintain a Consistent Pace it's comfortable it's Nice on an easy run but again geometry For me doesn't really work very well I'm Not a big fan of the foam that's in here Um and what I find about the shoe is That less so than the tr22 but it's Still a shoe that I don't really get a Lot of help from when I'm when I'm Running in it there's not a lot of Energy return in it uh I'm not getting a Really noticeable enjoyable Heel To Toe Transition it's just a comfortable shoe That um is fine for sort of easy plots And things like that but I'm not getting A lot more out of it um they're both Very comfortable shoes um especially in The upper side of things but for me it Really comes down to that transition of The two shoes um and neither of them are Particularly good but I do think the gel Ners 27 is better um for comfort overall When it comes to just maintaining a pace And enjoying a nice easy or recovery run Uh the outs both of these shoes very Good on the tri 22 um really good solid Covering of nice and grippy outsole Rubber on there so that's a big plus Point for the trium 22 um it also Protects the Mido really well as well It's it's quite a thick layer of of Rubber so really good outso on the tr22 Not so good on the gel number 27 so it
Does have quite a quite a bit of rubber On but it does have a big exposed Section in the middle here the other Thing about the outside rubber on the Gel number 27 is that it's really thin It's quite deeply inset into the midso So I'm bit concerned that once you've Used this for 100k or so you're going to Start wearing down that rubber and then You're going to start hitting this Midsole a bit more so um not bad out Soole but I I don't it's not as good as The tri 22 the tri 22 is a very good Outso so I've got a couple of Big Easy Cruisers here High stacks of foam you Know big wide bases to our stability Both shoes that would necessarily be my Kind of First Choice it's not the kind Of shoe I usually go for in my rotation But yeah they were fine cruising around For daily training runs like I say long Runs that kind of thing you offer a lot Of protection on the fur without Necessarily having the most Lively ride If you're looking for any kind of Versatility really Triumph 22 we had in First and it was a little bit of Disappointment to me having been a Pretty big fan of the Triumph line over The past few Generations you know with The addition of power R PB maybe Expected a slightly livelier ride but I Think actually the line has gone in the Opposite direction it's got a lot closer
To something like the Nimbus with this Big stack of foam big wide base like It's really just there to offer a lot of Protection like you don't really get a Lot of response out of it it's pretty Soft at the hill for sure I think it's Actually might softer than the ax all Round and a little bit more flexible as Well and it does deliver you know pretty Fine ride for ticking along but I really Struggled to get going in it at faster Paces the Triumph 22 just couldn't Really get my feet moving that quickly In it and transition was just a little Bit slow for me at times and the ax Slightly stiffer red I would say and That does mean the transition is a bit Faster I do think it actually moves a Bit more fluidly and smoothly for me I Feel a bit more natural in the shoe Despite the fact you know it's got quite A lot of similar characteristics in the Triumph overall I think it does have That stiff That does mean I move from heel to toil A little bit better while you're still Getting that really big solid wedge of Foam at the heel to add all that Comfort There I think one negative actually of How fast the transitions compared to the Triumph St is quite Slappy and I think The outside rub is quite hard as well And you do get a little bit of a Slappy Feeling under the for foot which can
Lead to a little bit discomfort if You're pushing at faster Paces for Longer but not really a problem overall It's certainly a very comfortable shoe And that's the the main feeling you get From it all around both of them actually Very similar in weight but when I ran Both of them at the same time I do think That the aex just felt a little bit more Nimble and light to me at times I think It's a lot down to that transition just Being a bit stiffer and as a result I Feel like I just tick over in it a Little bit better as someone who would Probably go for a slightly less stack Lighter shoe in general even for easy Runs I do think the aex fulfills that Role a little bit better I think it just Moves a bit more smoothly and feels like I said a bit more natural on the foot While still being very big and Comfortable for sure at the heel then The Triumph you again really comfortable At the heel slightly softer I think than The aex a bit more flexible but don't Really get a lot off the foref foot and I F transition just you know very Sluggish in it at times because of that Big wide base so while there's Definitely a lot of similarities between The two shoes for sure I think on the Ride field when I was Runing in the both At the same time I did feel the aex was A little bit better for
Me so my verdict on these two shoes uh Not an easy one because I'm not a mass Fan of either of these shoes I think They're fine for what they're they're Trying to do for me neither of them Really works that well um if I was to Pick between these two shoes and I'm Purely picking between these two shoes For easy days and Recovery runs it's Going to be the aex gel niers 27 I think It's just slightly more enjoyable Midol Fo it Um just feels like it's a tiny bit more Energy than you get in the trium 22 um And I think overall it just is more Enjoyable On The Run um just from a Comfort perspective the trium 22 I Doesn't really work for my running style Um if it if it does work for you um I Think you're still going to be getting a Pretty similar experience between these Two shoes um but really both of these I'd go for easy day or recovery I Wouldn't really use them for longer runs Or anything because of that Heel To Toe Transition so out of these two I'm Picking the aex gel ners 27 if I was to Give some examples of shoes that I pick Over these two because I think they're Better um I would give you something Like the Brooks Glycerin Max I think That shoe uh has just a is a lot more to That shoe similar level of cushioning Similar level of comfort um but there's
Just a much nicer Heel To Toe transition In that shoe just feels a bit smoother I Think there's a little bit more bounce In that Midol foam of that shoe um it's Also a very stable shoe both of these Shoes are very stable so that they both Got that going for it even though They've got big Stacks in the and They're very stable shoes so that's Another plus point for these shoes um But something like the Brooks G and Max I think it's just got a bit more to it And I definitely use that shoe for for More types of runs including Tempo Efforts and things if I'm doing marathon Training also obviously I'm going to say The new bands more V5 because I think You'll get the same level of comfort and Cushioning as these two shoes but I like The foam more in that in that shoe and I Like the transition more in that shoe it Just feels more enjoyable especially for Easy runs it just it's just nicer and And um makes it an easy run more Enjoyable as a result of the the Geometry in the mid of foaming it but um There there there a couple of options That you could look at instead of these Two shoes it comes to the verdict these Are certainly similar shoes I would say All around and they do a similar job for Most Runners so if you're experienced Runner with a rotation these are going To go in at the easy end of that
Rotation Hoover up a lot of mileage add A lot of comfort and protection on easy Days and you're moving at a slow pace Newer Runners could look at them I'd say As more versatile all rounders like if You just want one shoe for everything And mainly want to focus on protection They can do that job I think in both Cases I would prefer the axj num 27 Myself I find the ride a bit more Natural bit faster a bit smoother and Just it's still really comfortable Definitely as comfortable as the Triumph It's all about comfort with both of These shoes but I do think that the Slightly different midle you get here Just means it moves a bit quicker Through the foot strike and just has a High turnover run it feels just a bit More natural on my foot as a result Certainly as a hill Striker getting Loads of comfort from both of these Shoes at the hill but you neither really Bring the most Lively ride but overall The aex just edges it for me all around Whether I'm looking for one shoe for Everything if you were looking for that From one of these shoes I would say look Elsewhere if you're looking for a really Ver style shoe but if you do want that I Think the ax does it better and I prefer The ride a bit freey and long runs as Well verdict then and for me you've got Two capable cushion daily trainers with
Very little to choose between them Similar fit and comfort identical weight On the foot two shoes with softer rides That for me are really low gear shoes Nicely protective and impact eating for The slower miles but not great at Anything really sort of faster even the Difference in the stack with that extra Midso in the Nimbus is somewhat of set By the Nimbus lower drop if you're Looking for the softer guaranteed Cushion comfort for easy miles you can't Really go wrong with either of these Shoes but if I had to choose one it Probably come down to price and the so Triumph 22 just about edges it it comes In cheaper though I honestly think you Can take either of these shoes and get Largely the same experience if you're a Big Nimbus fan I wouldn't swap to the Triumph 202 wouldn't see a reason to do That or vice versa that's it from us on This versus thanks a lot for watching Don't forget to like subscribe click the Little bell and if you go in the caption Below you can find a link to our podcast Which comes out a couple of times each Month thanks a lot for watching catch You next time
