SHOE REVIEW: Saucony Endorphin Elite

When Saucony released the Endorphin Pro 3, I thought they had reached near super shoe perfection. But they’ve raised the bar yet again with the Endorphin Elite. The revolutionary plate design, new midsole foam, and ridiculously light materials make this one of the fastest racing shoes on the market.

Specs

Category: Neutral / racing
Men’s: 204 g (7.2 oz.)
Women’s: 185 g (6.5 oz.)
Drop: 8 mm
Stack height: 39.5 mm
MSRP: CAD $349
Available: Now

Upper

Like the Endorphin Pro 3, the upper of the Endorphin Elite is incredibly thin. However, Saucony has revamped the design, using a mix of knit and mesh to offer their most secure fit yet. The midfoot cutouts, low profile laces and breathable material keep this shoe very light, while still providing excellent lockdown.   

Midsole

The biggest improvements to the Endorphin line are found in the Elite’s midsole. The new PWRRUN HG superfoam is shockingly light and provides superb energy return. It feels remarkably cushioned underfoot, but still offers the responsive ride that I want from a racing shoe. The full-length carbon plate is slotted in the forefoot for fast and efficient toe-off. The Endorphin Elite also features Saucony’s signature SPEEDROLL geometry that makes for quick turnover. This shoe begs you to run fast. It felt a bit awkward and overly bouncy on easy runs, but as soon as I picked up the pace, it propelled me forward, shifting gears with me.

Outsole

The outsole consists of a thin layer of XT-900 rubber that reduces weight, but doesn’t provide as much traction as I would like. But despite this, it is one of the most stable super shoes I’ve ever worn, thanks to Saucony’s thoughtful midsole engineering. 

Final Thoughts

The Saucony Endorphin Elite is one of the fastest and most luxurious racing shoes of the year. Even after long workouts I felt recovered. The fit is superb and the ride is even better.  From 5k to the marathon, this is the shoe for your next PB.