Saucony Endorphin Pro Performance Review

Price: $137.08 – $239.99

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The Saucony Endorphin Pro was at the US Olympic Marathon Trials medal stand (courtesy Molly Seidel). We’ll likely see it again on podiums when road racing starts. The Endorphin Pro, as we have discussed in our recent Nike Alphafly Next% comparison vs Saucony Endorphin Pro, is legit and will challenge the Alphafly Next% or the Nike Vaporfly Next% to be the best road racer.

Cushion

PWRRUNPB is a Saucony’s pebax cushion version that looks similar to the Adidas Boost but is lighter and more comfortable than the Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G-300 max. The S-curved carbon fibre plate, sandwiched between two layers of PWWRUNPB, gives you a quick bounce on every toe. Besides, It feels similar but is stiffer than the Vaporfly Next%.

Saucony Speedroll is the rocker shape of the Speedroll midsole. It combines carbon fiber and pebax plates. The heel-toe transition was smooth thanks to the Speedroll midsole. Smooth and efficient riding is possible thanks to the Speedroll shape, carbon fiber plate, cushion and Speedroll shape.

Traction

The Endorphin Pro has a traditional chevron design across the forefoot, with ample cutouts to allow the pebax expand. Rubber is only on the sides of the midfoot, while the heel has extra rubber in the lateral landing area. Although the rubber isn’t thick, but its durability is amazing. I wore my pair for less than 50 miles. The traction is durable in a way Alphafly and Vaporfly cannot match.

The rubber also sticks to everything, which is a remarkable feat of durability. The Endorphin Pro was able to take me through a lot of rainstorms and wet terrain. I never felt slippage. They were able to handle mildewy wooden bridges with no problem. The Endorphin Pro is undoubtedly a great option for the bad weather during race day.

Support

Although there is no heel counter, I felt very secure. The offset is 8mm and there’s no tippy feeling, as you might get with other road race shoes. A flared midsole gives extra support and the forefoot is wider. To prevent rollovers, you sit within the midsole at the heel and the mid foot. The tongue is gusseted to secure you in place. The Endorphin Pro is a great choice if your race day shoes are too wobbly.

Materials

Formfit is an ultra-thin mesh that has been engineered to be extremely thin. Although there are vinyl overlays on the logo, lace loops and heel, they are mostly ornamental. The tongue is made of a double-layered mesh, which feels almost like super thin neoprene. There were no hotspots. It’s a minimalist upper that does its job well and doesn’t get in the way.

Fit

The Endorphin Pro is true to size, with no dead space between the toes. The tongue is gusseted, which provides a secure and comfortable feel without being too tight. Besides, you can slip your laces in the small bungie that is sewn to the tongue. This is the perfect solution for those who don’t like laces banging as they run.

To lock down your heels, some people needed a runner’s loop. My heels held their position from the start using the standard lacing arrangement. The fit is very similar to a traditional running shoe.

Overall

The Saucony Endorphin Pro shoe is near perfect. The Saucony Endorphin Pro is a fantastic shoe in every way. Although, It doesn’t have the same stack height or cushion as the Alphafly and Vaporfly, it is still comfortable enough to race.

The Endorphin Pro’s $200 cost tag is $50-75 cheaper than its closest competitors, so definitely any sacrifices are worth it. Based on my testing, I believe we will see the Saucony Endorphin Pro at a lot more podiums in the future.

Saucony did not have any editorial control over the review. Furthermore, reviews are based on various experiences with the shoes during speed workouts, trail runs and treadmill training, as well as casual wear.