Hierro 9 vs Peregrine 16

The New Balance Hierro 9 is a cushioned, protective trail running shoe built for long days on mixed ground rather than chasing podiums. It sits in the max-cushion, door-to-trail camp: soft enough to soak up road sections and rocky descents, planted enough that you can switch off and enjoy the miles. At 301g with a low 4mm drop it is not light, and it is not trying to be. What you get instead is a stable, forgiving ride that keeps your legs fresher deep into a long run or ultra. Grip is confident across dirt, gravel and damp rock without the deep lugs that make aggressive mud shoes feel awkward on hardpack. If you want a faster, grippier racer for steep technical terrain the Hoka Speedgoat 7 is the sharper tool. But as a comfortable daily trail trainer that shrugs off distance, the Hierro 9 is an easy shoe to live in.

The Peregrine 16 is Saucony's do-everything trail running shoe, and the version most people should start with if they want one pair for the trails. It is an aggressive all-rounder built for grip first: a full Vibram Megagrip outsole with deep lugs that bites into wet rock, mud and loose gravel with real confidence. With a 4mm drop and a moderate 32mm heel stack it sits between a nimble racer and a plush max-cushion trail shoe, so it stays quick and connected to the ground without beating up your legs on longer efforts. Saucony has made this one softer and grippier than the Peregrine 15, which nudges it toward comfort over a wider range of distances. In our view it is the natural rival to the Hoka Speedgoat and Brooks Cascadia at this price. If you run mixed, muddy UK trails and want a dependable shoe that handles almost anything, this is an easy shoe to recommend.