Update: This was published in 2015. Explore the most recent Brooks Glycerin model! It has all the support and cushion features you love without being bulky.
Saucony and Brooks have always been by far my two favorite brands of running shoes. For over a decade I wore nothing but Saucony. However, I just recently bought my 4th pair of Brooks Glycerins in less than a year. So let me start there. The Glycerin 12 is a great update from the previous version. It’s a little lighter, yet has more cushion and it is a bit sleeker. It has what Brooks refers to as Super DNA, the best cushion they have yet to provide. It provides their most plush feel yet, without adding a lot of weight. There are also pressure zones on the outside that help distribute the impact when you run from your heel to your forefoot.
So what does all that mean in the simplest way I can state it? It is less bulky than before yet there really is more cushion. The new sole provides a much smoother transition from heel to forefoot when you run and it has just the right amount of room in the toe box. I also have to add that the colors it is available in are amazing. It’s the best looking Glycerin there has ever been. For a few days a couple of months ago, my husband thought he might be into running. So that weekend we went to Sport Seasons where he tried on every running shoe we could think of. Once he tried the Glycerin he was sold. He would wear them around the house and go on and on about how amazing they were. So has he been running? No, but he still loves his Glycerins! He was blown away by the cushion and comfort. I cannot imagine this shoe disappointing anyone.
However, over the summer I was in the store at the same time as the Saucony rep and I briefly slipped my foot in the Triumphs that were coming out a few months later and I instantly fell in love. I have been eagerly awaiting their release. Let me say, they did not disappoint. Saucony introduced their new ISO line of running shoes with a newer, lighter, yet more cushiony feel. The new Triumphs have 20% more cushioning and have a generous amount of reflective detail on them which is good for running in the dark. The mesh, light, breathable top of the new Triumph is the most comfortable feel they have had yet. I did like the previous version; my only complaint was that the bottom was not flexible. The new Saucony Triumph definitely fixed that problem. It is soft and flexible, yet cushioned and durable. The feel of the top of the shoe reminds me of the breathable Nike Free. It is distinctly different than their previous shoes, in a good way.
The new ISO fit of the Triumph also has a memory type fit to the cushion. The cushion is supposed to mold to your foot as you run in them. This is something I actually read about after my first few runs in the shoe. The first time I ran in the Triumph, I loved it. It was flexible, cushioned, breathable, and the colors were great! Then the second time I wore them I noticed almost immediately that something was different. I felt a little more arch support and the shoe was a little more snug to my foot, but in a good way. So when I went back and read about the shoe, it made sense. I could definitely tell that the cushion really had changed from the first run and seemed to be shaping to the mold of my foot. I have worn them several times since and they are great! They were worth the wait and I think it is a huge improvement over previous versions.
So which is better, the Glycerin or the Triumph? That is like asking me if I would rather have a chocolate cake donut or some cookies and cream ice cream!!! How do you choose? The shoes are similar in feel and they both feel amazing. The Saucony is more of a change from it’s previous version, but there was more that needed to be changed. If you are looking for a cushion running shoe I can tell you that they are both worth every single penny.
The Glycerin and the Triumph should be at the top of your list.
I tried both on today, and like you I am a TRUE Saucony girl..have been for years. I also had a really hard time deciding. They both had a great toe box , open. They both felt great under foot. I have really high arches. Neither felt as supportive to my arch as the older triumphs, but every other detail was fine. My decision boiled down to overall pressure point around the top of the shoe to the side of tongue, where I tie. The newly designed triumph was digging a little to much for my liking. I went with BROOKS. First time ever. : ) But like you very similar all the way around..I agree.