First thing’s first, a confession. I didn’t expect to be here writing this, nor did I expect so many people wanting to know about this shoe, with so much interest and excitement. Prior to 2020 I knew of Saucony as a good company, that builds nicely built shoes, but on the heavy side and quite a bit lack-luster with nothing exciting in the performance realm. When Saucony first teased this shoe, sometime around the end of 2019, my first thought was, “wow, Saucony is entering the serious performance ring and ready to battle. But damn, that midsole looks like Boost and is awfully thick. I bet these will weight 11oz in a size 9!”
From that point forward I had my mind set on this shoe. No way would I like it, and I probably wouldn’t even give it the time of day. Thanks to peer pressure on Instagram, I decided to bite the bullet for the greater good of my readers! This review is for all of you who are interested in this shoe, BUT! it’s even more for any of you who think you aren’t interested! ?
The Specs
Model: Saucony Endorphin Pro
Mens size: 12
Weight: 9.12oz (mens 12)
Offset: 8mm (25mm forefoot / 33mm heel)
Support: Neutral
Upper Material: Single layer mesh
Midsole Material: PWRRUN PB (peba) with a carbon fiber plate & a slight rocker
Outsole: Carbon rubber
Type: Marathon Racing; cushioned, responsive
Use: Marathons (good in any distance really), tempo runs, speed work, marathon workouts
Color: White Mutant
Style Number: S20598-10
Style: 9.5/10
Pros
- Vibrant colors and combinations
- Overall silhouette
- Outsole pattern and colors
- Simple but bold graphics
This shoe is an attention grabber! The combination of vibrant neon colors screams “RACE SHOE” and makes a big statement. This may not be a look for everyone, as some people like clean and subtle, but for myself this is exactly what I look for. In addition to the combination of colors, the designs and overlays on the shoe all play well together and give an energetic 80’s vibe. The silhouette of the shoe is mostly a traditional shape, but the curves and lines of the midsole give it some spice and flare. The outsole carries on this fun design with nothing but bright colors and bold shapes. If you think this thing looks good in photos, wait til you see it in person!
Cons
- Upper mesh pattern a little old school looking ( I had to reach deep for something negative to say! )
I mean, nothing is totally perfect. Design wise there’s not much bad to say, but I will point out that in my opinion the upper mesh kinda sticks out. The mesh pattern is a bit plain and resembles something from a basic racing flat. Not that this is an issue, but with all the other exciting aspects about the design, I would’ve liked to see some flare to the pattern or a cool looking design with the ventilation holes.
Performance: 9.5/10
Details
- Upper
- very light
- very Breathable
- plenty of toe box volume
- supportive and secure
- not much of a heel counter, but no stability issues
- tongue is thin and soft, just right IMO
- Midsole
- pretty stable in the mid and forefoot
- not so stable in the heel
- plenty of shock absorption
- soft but semi-firm, with a little bit of squish. Similar to Boost but a lot lighter
- stiff and snappy due to the carbon plate. Fast when you want, but comfortable when you want to go easy
- smooth at easy paces, but not much of a shoe for heel striking, At faster paces the foam has much more propulsion and bounce
- comfortable during long runs and speed work
- Outsole
- stable and connected feeling
- plenty of grip, I didn’t notice traction issues on any surface type
- long lasting carbon rubber, I anticipate lots of miles in these, something similar to a regular trainer
Pros
- light weight (especially for this stack height)
- A roomy toe box, while having a locked down midfoot
- one of the lighter options in the new-age marathon racers
- bouncy midsole with good pop from the carbon plate
- just enough squish for comfort, but not too much to make it super unstable
- robust mid and outsoles, good longevity and good for training runs
The Endorphin Pro has all the makings of a top pick amongst the current marathon racing shoe selection. Even with all of the competition in Summer 2020, the Endorphin Pro is one of the best shoes I’ve experienced in its category. The upper is light and airy, with a soft locked down feel, and tons of toe box space. The midsole is bouncy and soft, much like Boost from Adidas. Even though it has a soft landing and spring back, it’s still a little firmer which is great from a stability standpoint, and a great compromise between comfort and performance. This type of material feels great at all paces but excels in the performance realm at faster paces. The more force applied to the shoe, the more bounce back you get from the shoe. The combination of this foam with the stiff carbon plate makes for a snappy shoe. I would say this is the most snappy, bouncy and speedy feeling marathon racing shoe outside of the Vaporfly or Alphafly form Nike.
Cons
- not as soft as other options
- not as light as other options
- not as bouncy as other options
- some achilles aggravation
The performance cons to this shoe may not have much net effect when used by the right runner. I list these as cons because in the first 3 cons, there are other shoes that outdo the Endorphin Pro, but depending on personal preference, they may not be cons at all. Some runners prefer a stiffer ride or may prefer less mushiness, and if you’re that type, these aren’t cons at all. I will say though, in this shoe category, the only thing that beats this in all 3 of the above mentioned aspects is the Nike Vaporfly Next%. The Alphafly Next% beats this in softness and bounce, but the weights are identical. In addition, I did get some rawness to my achilles from the rubbing of the back of the heel collar. Different sock types didn’t change this for me, no matter what I do my achilles get rubbed a little raw after a long run. There was no heel slip or any other issues, and I can’t figure out how this irritation is happening.
Top Reasons to Buy (and not)
Reasons to Buy
- Fastest and best feeling marathon racer under $250
- Light, bouncy and very comfortable
- Robust mid and out soles for top notch longevity
- Good for racing and other training runs, feels good at all paces
- Fantastic colors and style
Reasons to Skip it
- The Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly Next%’s have this beat from a performance standpoint
Final Thoughts
This shoe is definitely one of the best options out there, and is the only marathoner racer this fast that has this much versatitly and comfort in its different uses and abilities. At $200, there’s absolutely nothing this good or fast feeling. The pop, bounce and propulsion is in a league of its own at this price range. If I had to describe which other shoe this would be similar to, I would say this is a hybrid between the Hoka Carbon X and the Nike Vaporfly. The upper is almost exactly like the Carbon X, and the midsole has a firmer rocketed fee like like the Hoka, but provides a pop and bounce like the Vaporfly (while not as pronounced). For myself, I may use this for some races, but if not, I’ll totally keep this around for speed work and long runs.
Show the OG’s of the review game some love by checking out their channels as well! No single review is sufficient, it’s best to see multiple opinions in order to see what resonates most with you.
Jami’s Reviews
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWPzT9H7dH5i7FaI9-BuUmA
Kofuzi
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe43pe3w4L6w3tNMRkWiJBA
