The bright colours were the first thing that struck me (a good thing) when I saw the Saucony Triumph ISO – their flagship neutral shoe debuting its new ISO-fit technology.

Apart from being a bright and fashionable shoe, it’s also very practical, has a good fit and is very comfortable whether walking around or logging miles. The upper is wide open mesh that’s supported by welded overlays, but the central focus is on the ISO-fit system, independent plastic fingers that replace the eyestay and flex with the foot to hold the midfoot firmly, though without discomfort. The tongue is gusseted to keep it from slipping sideways and causing irritation. The taller midsole has an additional 3mm of cushioning in the stack height without affecting heel-to-toe drop, which holds steady at 8mm. The full-contact outersole is a combination of carbon rubber in the heel and blown rubber in the forefoot. That’s similar to the previous version, but with additional release grooves to provide the foot with more freedom to flex at toe-off. The success of the update will be judged at the cash register, but the technical accomplishment has been, yes, a triumph.

The elite view

Andreas Bube wearing the Triumph ISO

Denmark’s 800m specialist, Andreas Bube, has a particular affinity with the Saucony brand and recently signed a contract with the shoe company after specifically requesting the endorphin md spike for last summer’s European Championships where he finished an excellent fourth in 1:45.20 despite an injury-riddled season. For him the Triumph’s are a perfect blend between being a light shoe while still providing plenty of cushioning.

Here’s his view:

“For me I like pretty light shoes because I’m not a big guy so I don’t need a whole lot of support and cushioning. It’s a light shoe and you still get good cushioning. You get the best of both worlds. It fits really well. It’s good for long runs and easy runs where you want to save your legs if you don’t want to be too hard on yourself.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

This shoe was provided to Jumping The Gun by Runways on Parnell Street in Dublin.