Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 Review: Fast Paces & Smiling Faces

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

Fast isn’t a number, it’s a feeling. Whether you’re chasing a PR or the pure joy of movement, finding your version of fast floods you with endorphins that keep you coming back for more. The aptly named Saucony Endorphin line is meant to help you chase down that feeling.

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, available June 15, is the speed training shoe in this lineup. I like to think of it as the little sister to the Endorphin Pro, their carbon-plated race-day supershoe. The Speed has a full-length nylon plate combined with a moderate stack of PWRRUN PB foam for lightweight and propulsive energy return.

The Endorphin Speed franchise has been a staple in my training. It’s a shoe I usually reach for before hard interval sessions, tough tempo runs and threshold workouts. It even feels good for long runs with pace work. I received these shoes in the thick of Boston Marathon training, so I was able to really put them to the test. Read on to hear mine, Kate’s and Mandy’s thoughts.

The Endorphin Speed 5 is built with Saucony’s proprietary PWRRUN PB foam, made up of PEBA–an ultra-light, highly responsive foam that’s perfect for picking up the pace. Inside of the foam is an embedded nylon plate that works with the force of landings and takeoffs to return energy back to your body. The foam and the plate, combined with a rocker shape (Saucony calls this their SpeedRoll geometry), are all designed to help you feel fast as you log your miles.

“The Endorphin Speed 5 provides a smooth, buoyant underfoot feel,” says Kate. “It makes me feel like I’m floating. The shape is propulsive and the foam is lightweight and responsive, but in a controlled way. It’s not as bouncy as some other shoes you might find in this category, and I’m fine with that. The assistance is subtle, but it's definitely there. The shape and materials of the shoe make it feel smooth to run in. Don't be surprised if your running buddies have to tell you to slow down.”

I always have to tell Kate to slow down when we run together, no matter what shoes she’s wearing. However, I noticed that the Speed 5 didn’t feel as energetic to me as the Speed 4. Kate mentioned the shoe doesn’t feel as bouncy as others in this category, and I agree. Where we disagree is whether or not that’s a good thing. I really enjoy a soft, bouncy underfoot feel for my hard workouts, and I just didn’t experience that in the Speed 5. Kate prefers a firmer ride with more ground feedback, so I think she’ll be keeping these in her weekly rotation.

Mandy agrees with Kate on this one.

“The adjective firm gets a bad rap when it comes to shoes,” she says. “The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 is firm, but in a good way. When going to the track, a super soft and squishy shoe can feel uncomfortable and unstable. The firm cushioning of the Speed 5 really allows me to quickly take off running, all while feeling great underfoot.”

Whether or not you enjoy the ride of the Speed 5 depends on whose preferences you align with–mine, or Kate and Mandy’s.

Something we can all agree on, though, is that more durability is a good thing. Saucony managed to do this by adding a touch more rubber on the outsole, making it extend all the way to the edge of the heel. And that’s not the only change to the outsole. They also added a vertical flex groove under the forefoot for increased flexibility during toe-offs.

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 uses an engineered mesh upper that looks and feels much different than the previous version. Saucony calls it their Hexagon Mesh, which I can only imagine is named after the six-sided polygonal perforations on its surface.

While it’s not as soft as the previous version, it does feel much more breathable. It gives the shoe a more performance-oriented look, too.

“I love the Coral / Salmon colorway that just looks fast and reminds me that summer is right around the corner,” Mandy says. “The upper feels light, airy and wonderful against my foot. The shoe fits true to size as well.”

Kate and I also found the fit true to size, and all three of us have differently shaped feet.

Saucony updated the Speed 5 with a 3D heel counter to lock your feet in place. Kate and I had no problems with heel slippage in this shoe, but unfortunately Mandy did.

“My right heel slipped the entire time I wore the shoe, which I found this particularly annoying and distracting when I was doing track work,” she says. Mandy has narrow heels and frequently experiences heel slippage that can sometimes be fixed by tying the marathon loop.

Not sure about the width of your heels or the overall shape of your feet? Your best bet will be to head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.

Subtle changes make a big impact in the Endorphin Speed 5.

Saucony fine-tuned the PWRRUN PB cushioning to create a slightly firmer ride. Some of us found it to feel more responsive, some of us did not. A redesigned upper adds breathability while shaving weight, and a tapered out heel collar reduces friction and irritation during runs.

So what do these changes mean for you?

I really enjoyed the slightly softer and bouncier Speed 4, and I didn’t enjoy this new model quite as much. But if you enjoyed the first and second versions of the Endorphin Speed, I think you’ll really enjoy the 5. The firm, snappy underfoot feel aligns nicely with those previous models.

We took a look at some comparable models to see how the Endorphin Speed 5 stacks up. Here’s what we found.

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, Brooks Hyperion Max 2 and New Balance SuperComp Trainer v3 are all training shoes with a focus on speed and performance. While they aren’t as lightweight or responsive as race-day shoes, they’ll certainly give you an advantage during tough workout sessions.

Both the Endorphin Speed 5 and Hyperion Max use nylon plates as an alternative to carbon plates, the latter of which are more expensive due to their increased tensile strength. The SuperComp Trainer v3 uses a full-length carbon-fiber plate.

If you’re looking to add some speed into your routine, the Endorphin Speed 5 is a firm, fast companion.

“The Speed 5 is one of the most versatile speed shoes out there,” says Kate. “Since the plate isn’t carbon and it’s durable enough for training, you can wear it regularly for workouts and long runs.

It’s also a budget-friendly race-day shoe, and the light weight will be especially appealing to runners who prioritize weight savings.