Saucony Endorphin Pro Review
I have never written a shoe review before. I paid full price for the Saucony Endorphin Pro. This article isn’t meant to be an endorsement and I’m not being compensated in any way for writing it. There are no affiliate links.
Earlier this year I wrote a blog post called Fast Shoes detailing the science behind the special nike vaporfly/ 4%/ next% shoes. Please read that article for details on how exactly these shoes make people run faster.
Throughout this blog when I refer to “fast shoes” I am referring to any brand’s shoe model that applies the 3 technologies discussed in the Fast Shoes article: carbon plate, new foam material, and thick stack height.
Special Use Only
After learning about the science and proven efficacy of these “fast shoes” I was very interested to try some for myself. I decided to wait for Saucony’s version the Endorphin Pro, as I have run in Saucony exclusively for the past 15 years.
My Endorphin Pros arrived in May and I have worn them probably about 10 times. I never intended to wear these as my daily/ regular running shoes, but instead wear them for tempo running and some road workouts. Because the shoes actually alter the way our bodies interact with the ground, there’s added risk of injury so I don’t want to wear them all the time. (Lots more info on this here.)
At least two American athletes who secretly wore nike’s special fast shoes in the 2016 Rio Olympics have since suffered injuries and undergone serious surgeries. Of course, injuries happen all the time, especially in marathoners, and it’s impossible to know what (if any) contribution these shoes had in the development of injuries. The fact is, we just don’t know the long-term effects of wearing shoes that change our mechanics.
Toe-off
The FEEL While Running
The most notable difference between the Endorphin Pros and my regular running shoes is experienced during the moment of toe-off (see the position of my right foot in the image).
In regular (non-carbon plate) running shoes, I can feel my weight roll off the heel to the mid-foot and finally to the big toe during toe-off. (This all happens quite fast but when I’m paying attention, I can feel my foot interacting with the ground.)
With the Endorphin Pro, there’s no toe-off sensation. In fact, it feels like there’s nothing under my toe. It’s like stepping off a tiny cliff every time I take a step. This is because of the curved carbon plate the runs the full length of the shoe. This plate is stiff and prevents the big toe from bending the way it normally does.
The shoes also feel a little bouncier than my regular shoes, which is to be expected from the most responsive (best at energy return) foam to date.
Finally, I do notice they are a tiny bit less stable than regular running shoes, like I could potentially roll my ankle on uneven ground more easily than in regular runners. I think this is because they have a higher stack height (throughout the shoe, I’m not referring to offset here) than regular running shoes. The uppers are super lightweight and don’t really provide a “locked-in” sensation for me.
Overall Impression
Based on the few workouts I’ve run in these shoes, I can say they definitely make me run faster. This comes as no surprise because science has already proved how well they work.
As an experienced runner, I know the paces I’ve been hitting in the Endorphin Pros during effort based workouts are faster than I would expect based on my current fitness level. From the other angle, when I’m aiming for paces based on my fitness level, the effort is lower (it’s easier) than I would expect.
On their website, Saucony claims the Endorphin Pro’s “revolutionary SPEEDROLL technology propels you forward with the feeling of continuous momentum, so you can run faster, not harder.” and for what it’s worth, I agree. I do get the feeling that these shoes are propelling me forward. They’re also by far the most attractive looking design of fast shoe available from any of the running shoe brands at the moment. They feel great, look great, and make me run faster.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.