Saucony Blaze TR: $100 Trailblazer
By Matthew Klein
Like most products, running shoes have continued to increase in both their complexity as well as their price. The average cost of a running shoe has climbed to the $150-$160 range even with the trail running scene. For those new to running or those in tough financial situations, the cost of a running shoe can be an intimidating factor. This may mean the difference between actually being able to perform a preferred exercise activity or none at all. Luckily, Saucony has several budget-friendly models that perform at high levels. While the Axon series provides a higher stack affordable model for the road, the Blaze TR brings that same level of performance to the trail. Featuring a tall stack height compared with a surprisingly low weight that makes this shoe quite nimble, the Saucony Blaze TR is both a budget and performance option on softer surfaces.
Saucony Blaze TRPrice: $100 at Saucony
Weight: 9.3 oz, 269 g (men's size 9), 7.9 oz, 224 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 35.5mm / 27.5 mm
Drop: 8 mm
Classification: Budget Trail Shoe
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Saucony Blaze TR is a budget-performance trail shoe for those who want a lighter, high-stack option at a great price ($100). The durable upper mesh provides a slightly snug fit that locks down well for those needing to feel secure over a variety of terrain. The midsole is full-length PWRRUN, providing a firmer but grounded ride despite the higher stack height. The Blaze TR is a great option for those who want a budget option to try trail running or others who want a second uptempo option for softer surfaces.
SIMILAR SHOES: Brooks Divide 3
FIT
The Saucony Blaze TR fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The width is snug to slightly narrow throughout the length of the shoe. The forefoot is snug and low volume. There is just enough room with reinforcements around the length of the entire front. The midfoot is snug with a gusseted tongue that is moderately thick. I did have to tighten the laces for a bit of extra security, but the tongue provides plenty of protection. The heel is snug to narrow with a stiff heel counter and moderate heel collar cushioning. The heel counter was noticeable, so those with sensitivities will not do well with this shoe. The snug fit, stiff counter and gusseted tongue provided plenty of security and I did not have to lace-lock the shoe, The inner aspect of the shoe is a bit scratchy, so I would definitely wear socks with this shoe. Outside of a bit of scratchiness, the upper is durable, snug, and secure.
PERFORMANCE
The Blaze TR is a lighter trail shoe with a firmer ride and decent grip. The PWRRUN midsole is firmer but protective. The weight is light for a trail shoe, which makes it feel quite nimble on the trail. There is an 8mm heel drop listed although it feels closer to 4-6mm. The heel is rockered and although the bevel is centered, the entire heel is rounded. This makes for a fairly smooth ride at heel strike. The midsole is slightly stiff (despite not having a plate or rock plate) and the forefoot is a bit rigid initially. With additional miles, this breaks in and feels smooth with the forefoot rocker up front. This shoe is unique with a large forefoot rocker yet low-toe spring. As mentioned, the forefoot does break in and becomes more flexible, but those sensitive to toe spring will do well here.
Due to the lightweight and firmer midsole, the Blaze TR feels best during short to moderate trail runs and faster efforts. The ride feels light and decently snappy underfoot, making it easy to pick up the pace. The transition still feels a little stiff, so I would personally prefer to race in the Saucony Endorphin Edge or Peregrine 13. However, this is still a performance trail and may be a great quicker option for those interested in something budget-friendly.
The outsole is well-lugged with extensive rubber coverage. 30% of my miles on this pair have been on road, yet there is almost no wear on the outsole after over 20 miles. The lugs are moderately large and grip well on a variety of surfaces. The lugs do fine on road although the shoe is a bit firm for stiffer surfaces. On trail, soft dirt, gravel and even steep terrain the lugs grip fine. Mud has been a little challenging as the lugs are not as deep or as frequently placed as a shoe like the Peregrine. Other softer surfaces have been fine, making this a great versatile budget friendly trail option.
STABILITY
The Saucony Blaze TR is a neutral shoe with some mild guidance components. As per usual with Saucony, there are long sidewalls in the heel and midfoot. These are noticeable on both the medial and lateral side. These somewhat offset the narrow midfoot. The heel and forefoot have some midsole flare that mildly stabilizes the ride at these points. The firmer midsole further adds some inherent stability. This makes the forefoot mildly stable while the heel and midfoot are fairly neutral.
Thoughts as a DPT: The Impact of Weight on Trail Shoes
By Matthew Klein
The Blaze TR brings a surprising level of performance to a budget-level trail shoe. The firmer midsole, mild stiffness, and most significantly the lighter weight, all contribute to an efficient ride. There is plenty of foam underfoot at 35.5 mm / 27.5 mm and there is plenty of durable outsole coverage. Yet this shoe still comes in at 9.3 oz for men's size 9. This is lighter than the majority of trail shoes on the market, which still often exceed the 10-11 oz. While many of these shoes are stiff, wide-soled, highly rockered tanks with thick outsoles and rock plates, they come at a significant weight cost. Given that many trail shoes are often used for longer distances and time periods, it would make sense to work on reducing weight in regards to efficiency.
While newer foams are entering the market and making a significant impact on running economy, weight still plays one of the biggest parts in making a shoe more efficient (Rodrigo-Carranza et al., 2020). For approximately every 100g less (~3.5 oz), there is a 1% improvement in running economy. This obviously maxes out at a certain point, which has been further carried by some of the newer foams just referenced. However, while research has yet to look at this over extremely long efforts (ultra-marathons), we may be able to hypothesize that these effects may be magnified if the lighter shoe still has enough cushioning.
Sources:
Rodrigo-Carranza, V., González-MohÃno, F., Santos-Concejero, J., & González-Ravé, J. M. (2020). Influence of shoe mass on performance and running economy in trained runners. Frontiers in Physiology, 11, 573660.
Sobhani, S., Heuvel, E., Dekker, R., Postema, K., Kluitenberg, B., Bredeweg, S., Hijmans, J. (2017). Biomechanics of running with rocker shoes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 20(1): 38-44.
RECOMMENDATIONS
For the $100 price tag, the Saucony Blaze TR is an excellent trail shoe. The outsole seems to grip well, the upper is secure and there is plenty of midsole underfoot. My only minor suggestions would be to consider widening the midfoot for better ground contact and maybe softening the midsole a little. The narrow midfoot does save weight but does reduce the stability at the point. The firmer midsole is good for uptempo efforts but can be on the harsh side for longer efforts. While the Blaze TR sits on the more performance side of trail footwear, its price may make it an attractive option for the newer trail runner. As such, having a wider midfoot and a little softer midsole may make it more forgiving for those new to soft surface running.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
Outside of the Brooks Divide 3, this is one of the few higher-level budget/entry-level trail shoes on the market. It is interesting that a "lower cost" version would come in so much lighter than the majority of models on the market. The Blaze TR clearly takes some lessons from the Peregrine series and executes them quite well at its price point. It is still a budget shoe given the upper and midsole design, but like the Axon series does them quite well. There is certainly a place for these shoes given the increasing costs of footwear. The Divide 3 and Blaze TR both sit as "gateway" trail shoes that are safe investments for those interested in trying softer surface running without breaking the bank.
GRADING
Matt
Fit: B/B+ (Snug/Narrow, durable upper. Lockdown is solid although upper is a little stiff)
Performance: A-/B+ (Higher stack, slightly stiffer, lighter ride giving this shoe a performance edge)
Stability: B/B+ [Neutral] (Sidewalls and stiffness slightly offset narrow midfoot)
DPT/Footwear Science: B+/A- (Solid job keeping weight low and performance high in a budget trail shoe. Midfoot is more narrow than it needs to be)
Personal: B+ (A great budget-friendly option. However, I greatly prefer the Peregrine 13 and Endorphin Edge for a lighter performance/race option)
Overall: B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DORSaucony Blaze TRPrice: $100 at Saucony
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