Saucony Paramount Max Review
Saucony Paramount Max
Snapshot
Comfort and bounce are the name of the game when it comes to the Saucony Paramount Max. A unique comfort-focused design with mounds of highly energetic superfoam underfoot, this max-cushion daily trainer aims to keep things going on easy days and recovery runs without sacrificing softness.
If you need a day off from speed training and chasing PRs, the Paramount Max is ready for cruising in comfort. Will everyone on our team agree?
- Very plush, lively foam
- Lots of volume underfoot
- Comfortable fit in the upper
- Less comfortable heel design
- Perception of responsiveness varies depending on the runner
Shoe Specs
- WeightMen's: 9.9 oz | 281 g
Women's: 9.1 oz | 258 g - Heel Stack46 mm
- Forefoot Stack40 mm
- Heel Toe Offset6 mm
- SizingTrue to Size
The Saucony Paramount Max is for you if...
- You are looking for a bouncy max-cushion shoe
- You like lots of soft, plush foam for easy miles and recovery runs
- You're a faster runner who wants a fun shoe for slow days
What is the Saucony Paramount Max made for?
Oftentimes, we see max cushion shoes that are soft and plush, but they don’t offer much bounce-back. That feels nice at first, but sinking into a shoe and having to fight your way out of it can sometimes be an unnecessary strain on recovery days. The Saucony Paramount Max found a sweet spot between plush cushioning and energy return.
The concept: build a highly-stacked max-cushion shoe using premium incrediRUN superfoam in the midsole. The result: all the chunky softness you want from an easy-run shoe, in a package that is bouncy and fun to run in. This shoe was made for easy runs, long runs, and recovery days, and we loved how comfortable the shoes felt underfoot—that said, how this responsiveness translates onto pavement may depend on where you are in your running journey.
Our Breakdown
Performance
Saucony has found a really unique balance with this shoe and fills the premium max-cushion slot well. There’s no question about the huge mass of volume underfoot, which alone provided the comfort that we typically expect from a max-cushion shoe. However, the performance benefits were felt differently across our team of varying running types.
For Cameron, the incrediRUN foam underfoot provided a soft, bouncy, and fun running experience that didn’t require him to pick up his usual pace. The shoes adapted well through a variety of training paces, which ranged below the 4.00/km mark. They also felt great on longer runs, with the capability of going 16 kilometres or more in comfortable confidence.
While Aliyah found the comfort to be what she expected, she did not find the shoes to be as bouncy as she had hoped. She primarily used these for casual, slow runs, and briefly wore them for cross-training before needing to switch shoes. While the cushioning level gave her the comfort that she looks for, the energy return was not there for her when it came to performance.
As a slower runner, Ava felt that the foam did not make sense as a recovery shoe. Apart from adjusting to the sheer amount of volume underfoot, the foam felt so squirrelly at her recovery pace that she had to work more to control the foam, and only felt stable when picking up the pace. In this sense, at the right tempo, the shoe performs really well, but the high energy return may be a little too much for runners who are on the slower end of the spectrum.
"I can understand why this would feel amazing as a recovery shoe for faster runners. I will say, no matter who you are, the bulkiness might take some getting used to."
The outsole gave us a no-frills experience with no issues on the road. The amount of rubber coverage is fair, although there is some exposed midsole foam in the lower half of the outsole, especially in the center, that makes contact with the ground when compressed. All in all, that should not prevent the shoes from lasting for many miles to come, as long as you stay on pavement and steer away from gravel.
Comfort
As a max cushion shoe, the Paramount Max is built for comfort. It’s a big and heavy shoe—seeing as the majority of this bulk has been put into the midsole, this makes sense for a recovery shoe. For most of us, we enjoyed how soft and plush the foam felt, and it is super comfortable underfoot.
"As expected, this beefy midsole is very comfortable to run on, and the roomy fit pairs well with that experience. The tongue padding is excellent, which I really enjoy. Paired with that soft, plush midsole, this shoe is very comfy. "
As a frequent stability user, Aliyah’s priority in neutral shoes is to make sure it is comfortable enough to minimise the chances of reactivating previous injuries. For her, the beefy amount of cushioning accomplished this, which she liked, but the foam felt firmer to her than she prefers.
The fit worked well for us, and the tongue is very thick with nice cushioned padding. The upper could be a bit more breathable, but overall, it was comfortable enough to get us through our runs. As for the heel, it feels bare bones compared to the rest of the shoe. The heel counter is rigid, which felt stable for some but harsh for others. That said, none of us experienced rubbing or irritation, but we were generally hoping the heel would feel a bit more plush and premium.
Fit
For easy, cruising runs, it’s nice to have a more spacious fit for feet to splay out a bit more. Overall, the Paramount Max fits well and feels nice. We love how roomy the toe box is, allowing our toes to spread and accommodating a variety of foot types. Even for those of us with lower-volume feet, we didn’t have any problems achieving lockdown and feeling secure.
"The toe box is a highlight for me because on my third run in these, my foot (previous stress fracture) was very swollen, but the shoe did not give me any discomfort."
Again, we didn’t love the feel of the heel cup. While it didn’t create any hotspots, we could still notice the stiffness and lack of cushioning in the heel while we were running. It does create some concern that other runners might experience issues with it, especially on longer runs.
Comparison
Saucony Paramount Max vs. Brooks Glycerin Max 2
"The biggest difference to me is how soft the foam is on the Paramount Max compared to the Glycerin Max 2. I felt like I was sitting in the shoe more in the Paramount Max rather than on top of it all. Out of these two, my pick would be the Paramount Max due to how nice the foam is." -Ava
"The Glycerin Max 2 is a much firmer experience, so the feel between the shoes is very different. I do enjoy the heel construction of the Glycerin Max 2 a bit more than the Paramount Max. At the end of the day, the soft bounciness of the Paramount Max is much more suited to my preferences." -Cameron
Saucony Paramount Max vs. PUMA MagMax 2
"I’ve logged a lot of miles in the MagMax 2, from recovery runs to long runs with a bit of pace versatility. I know a lot of people enjoy the thin, stretchy tongue, but I’m a big fan of a plush, padded tongue in my max-cushion shoes. The MagMax 2 is firmer underfoot, but does have a nice bounce when it gets moving. For recovery and slow days, I’ll probably lean towards the Paramount Max, but the MagMax 2 works really well for my stride on easy, longer runs." -Cameron
Spec Comparison
| Model | Saucony Paramount Max | Brooks Glycerin Max 2 | PUMA MagMax 2 | |
| Weight | Men's: 9.9 oz | 281 g Women's: 9.1 oz | 258 g | Men's: 11.1 oz | 315 g Women's: 9.9 oz | 281 g | Men's: 9.4 oz | 266 g Women's: 8.2 oz | 232 g | |
| Heel Stack | 46 mm | 48 mm | 46 mm | |
| Forefoot Stack | 40 mm | 42 mm | 38 mm | |
| Heel Toe Offset | 6 mm | 6 mm | 8 mm | |
| Price | $319.95 | $329.95 | $279.95 | |
| Best For | Daily Training, Easy Runs, Recovery Runs | Daily Training, Easy Runs, Recovery Runs | Daily Training, Easy Runs, Recovery Runs | |
| Shoe Type | Max Cushion Daily Trainer | Max Cushion Daily Trainer | Max Cushion Daily Trainer |
Individual Thoughts
All in all, this shoe has an excellent underfoot feel, balancing bounce and cushion very well. Some max cushion shoes nowadays are wonderfully plush, but don’t give much energy back to you when your legs are dead. The Paramount Max is very soft and comfortable, but also adds that bit of energy return back to your legs. It’s not made to go fast; it’s made to make easy runs easier. It’s tall and has a noticeably wide base, but that helps to stabilise the incrediRUN foam.
I love the padded tongue and accommodating, roomy fit, but the heel was not my favorite. It didn’t cause any hotspots or irritation, but it just didn’t match the luxurious feel of the rest of the shoe. Overall, the shoe feels great and performs very well, and I'll continue to reach for it for slower runs over any distance.
| 's Breakdown | |
| Performance | 9 |
| Comfort | 8 |
| Fit | 8.5 |
| Overall | 8.5 |
Overall, the shoe is not bad at all. I thought it was going to be a little more bouncy than I experienced, but the comfort was what I expected it to be. It was enough cushioning so that I was not worried about reactivating my injury, though the cushioning overall did feel firmer than I would have thought.
Before coming to Running Warehouse, I only ran in stability shoes. When running in neutral shoes, I always want to make sure it is comfortable and minimises the chance of my previous injuries being triggered, as well as having enough cushioning, which it had enough for me personally.
I wish the energy return was a little more noticeable for my personal preference, but the shoe did what it’s supposed to do. The fit was the biggest highlight for me; it was amazing with the spacious toe box and lockdown to accommodate any foot type. I would more likely use the shoe for casual/slow runs or walks.
| 's Breakdown | |
| Performance | 8.5 |
| Comfort | 8.5 |
| Fit | 9 |
| Overall | 9 |
Now, let me start with the fact that this is a great shoe. The foam feels amazing, and it is a great recovery shoe. My only little ask is that I would want a bit more cushioning throughout the heel collar.
The reason I rated it a bit lower is because I am a slower runner, and at my recovery pace, the foam got a little too chaotic. It was a bit too squirrelly. When I put more force in the foam and ran at my tempo pace, it all clicked. This shoe felt great. But it’s a bit too big and heavy for it to make sense as a tempo shoe.
If you are a moderate to fast runner, this is a great recovery shoe. If you are a slower runner, the Paramount Max might not make the most sense for you.
| 's Breakdown | |
| Performance | 7.5 |
| Comfort | 7.5 |
| Fit | 8.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
