Saucony Endorphin Shift Running Shoe Review
Josh reviews the highly anticipated Saucony Endorphin Shift running shoes and highlights why he’s a huge fan of this final addition to the Endorphin series.
Rolling the SpeedRoll technology of the Saucony Endorphin Pro and Saucony Endorphin Speed into a cushioned daily trainer, this high mileage running shoe is ideal for everyday athletes seeking an efficient and stress-free ride. The versatile engineering can cater to slightly underpronated, neutral and mildly overpronated foot types with success.
Saucony have shaved off unnecessary outsole material by exposing the PWRUN midsole while reinforcing high impact zones with carbon rubber for an uncomplicated platform.
An elevated stack height loads your best running shoes with plush and shock-absorbing PWRUN cushioning while maintaining a 4mm offset for a stable feel underfoot.
With a more supportive and structured upper than its speed-driven Endorphin family members and comfort this good, it’s a joy-inspiring ride to kick off your running routine for spring.
Check out the review with full transcript below.
Hey guys, Josh here from Sportitude and today it's shoe review time and we're talking all things Saucony Endorphin Shift. Finally, we have the last shoe in the trio package being the Saucony Endorphin Pro, Saucony Endorphin Speed and now the Saucony Endorphin Shift. The story is complete.
This running shoe is essentially their mileage shoe in the Endorphin series. It has the most amount of cushioning underneath the foot. However, the biggest call out with this shoe is the SpeedRoll or their version of a Meta-Rocker through the forefoot.
Like all my shoe reviews we're going to talk about the engineering features of this shoe, being the outsole, midsole and upper. We’ll profile the runner that could be considering this shoe regarding foot type and what they're searching for in cushioning and support.
It could be a shoe that you consider at home for your next mileage running shoe. Without further ado let's get stuck in.
Runner Profile
First things first, we're going to profile the runner that could be considering this shoe. My take on this is a little bit different than what we see with your traditional running shoes we've done with shoe reviews gone by.
When we're talking about the foot type or the profile of runner that could be considering this shoe, we're not going to get too hung up on whether they're under pronators, neutral or overpronators. Keeping that in mind we've fitted this shoe with success for a slight under pronator, a neutral and a mildly overpronated foot type.
The main reason being is the benefit of this shoe comes from the SpeedRoll or the rocker sole concept through the forefoot. The success with this shoe is in its ability to take a fair bit of load off your toes, your metatarsal heads. When the foot comes down on contact to midstance, we're meeting that static position and getting ourselves ready as we transfer our weight forward, engaging those toes to then propel ourselves out of that gait cycle.
From time to time runners may need to take stress off that forefoot or those metatarsal heads, whether it be due to load, fit or just purely coming off an injury.
The SpeedRoll from the Endorphin Shift aids in that. You can even see how the roll sits up quite pronounced through that forefoot so when someone's going from contact, midstance to then roll out of their gait cycle, this shoe takes quite a bit of stress and load off that forefoot.
It is a very comfortable shoe for runners looking to reduce a little bit of stress and strain on their metatarsal heads. From time of time podiatrists refer this style of shoe and usually it's facilitated with brands like your Hoka One One series. New Balance have also made their New Balance Fresh Foam More with a rocker sole concept through the forefoot and most recently Asics with the Asics GlideRide series.
Brands know that this engineering concept exists and it has a demand out there. We're seeing great results with this concept of footwear.
When profiling the runner we should also talk about the amount of cushioning underneath the foot. It is a very plush running shoe. I would say it's up there with the Saucony Triumph 18 with the amount of cushioning underneath the foot.
It's a slightly different execution of midsole so I'm not going to say the Saucony Triumph 18 is more durable or softer by any means, because the SpeedRoll can't be on a really responsive platform. It just wouldn't work, so they need to use it on the PWRUN midsole which is going to aid in compressing cushioning but not overcomplicate things with that response through the forefoot.
For the runner out there that's looking for that Meta-Rocker feel on a light but cushioned platform, I certainly recommend the Endorphin Shift. It is a very comfortable shoe underneath your foot.
I want to tell a story to you at home. When I first saw this sample at the best part of 12 to 14 months ago, I didn't like it and I feel like a bit of a fool because sometimes I get it wrong.
I tried it on and had a jog, but it didn't feel quite right for me. I was uncertain about where it's going to place itself in this market. Keep in mind that was just my perception on what I was looking for in a running shoe at the time.
However, once this little guy dropped in last week I put it on my foot, ran on the treadmill and I fell in love with everything about this shoe.
At the moment I’m doing my mileage in a combination of a couple of shoes out there. I'm rotating from the Asics GlideRide 2 and the New Balance More v3 which are coming next year, and the Hoka One One Bondi and Hoka One One Clifton into my mileage running shoe rotation.
I'm really familiar with the rocker sole features from a lot of brands and when I put this one on my foot I felt very happy. It was smooth, it was effortless and the comfort on offer underneath and on top of the foot was sublime.
Outsole
It has an uncomplicated outsole. Your outsole configuration sits around the border of this shoe and there is a little bit of exposed midsole technology, being the PWRUN midsole. The aqua colour is all the exposed material.
I may subtly question the durability, but I don't think it's going to be a problem as such. In the high impact areas, you have strategically placed carbon rubber on the back end of the heel and it has come through to the forefoot.
Due to that SpeedRoll technology, there’s not a lot of stress and strain that gets put on the outsole. I suppose you can shave a bit of the weight away in that area which is what Saucony have done.
Midsole
Coming through to the midsole, it is a 4mm heel-to-toe drop and it's on a generous stack height. The PWRUN midsole technology is soft and cushioned but that's essentially what you want in a shoe like this.
You don't want a really snappy kickback shoe in this case because you’re getting that aid assistance with the rocker sole anyway. If you overcomplicate it with a really springy midsole like a polyurethane TPU based midsole, it might have too much going on because we want to take stress and load off those metatarsal heads. We don't want to create a spring that's going to cause a bit of stress as we go through our gait cycle.
It doesn't need it because the rocker sole is there. It aids in that roll, that smooth transition from midstance to toe-off. There's no need to alter what they have done with the midsole being PWRUN. It's nice, cushioned and it has everything you need in a shoe like this.
Upper
As you're coming through to the upper, there is quite a bit going on. The external heel counter is very structured and supportive. There are no issues whatsoever with the amount of support you have in your heel.
When your foot comes down you get a really nice lockdown. There's no movement at the back and just the right amount of memory foam on the inside of the collar.
It offers a nice bit of security and a snug, secure fit around the back of your heel without overdoing things and suffocating your foot.
Coming through to the mid part of the upper, they have the old, gusseted tongue set-up which I really like. On the medial side you can see it's attached to the strobel board underneath the sockliner and it's the same thing on the lateral side.
If you have an orthotic, and I haven't run with my orthotic inside this shoe yet, you might have to manipulate the laces a little bit to aid in increasing the volume with that gusseted system. I think there's enough give there to cater for an orthotic if required, but just know you can also tweak things with the lacing system as well.
Coming through to the forefoot, it is a slightly narrower fit than what I would probably like. That may be my only criticism with this shoe. Traditionally I'm a size 9 with Saucony and I have gone to a size 9.5 in this shoe. The length is spot-on and I really like what it's doing for me in the 9.5, but the extra volume up top aided in making the shoe a little bit more comfortable.
Just keep that in mind. It probably won't be the case for all runners out there but for me I went from a size 9 to a 9.5 and I've been happy with what is going on.
I want to call out a couple of add-ons. For those of you that may be aware or not aware, I absolutely love a pull tab. I don't know why, maybe it's the triathlon side of things but I love it when I have a pull tab on offer from any running shoe. It makes things a lot easier getting them on. I also like the pull tab on the front half to slip it on and off with ease.
It features engineered mesh. I’d like to call out what Saucony have done from the Endorphin Pro to the Endorphin Speed to now the Endorphin Shift.
From the Endorphin Pro it was a very lightweight engineered mesh because it is a race day shoe. It’s going to be light, breathable and minimalistic. It's a performance-based shoe. As it went to the Endorphin Speed, that shoe is your tempo and potentially race day shoe. They provide a little bit more support and structure up top.
As we come to the Endorphin Shift, it is noticeably more supportive up top. It's a little bit more structured in around this midsection with a couple of clever overlays and the forefoot happens to have a little more attention to detail with regards to the amount of support and strength on offer.
Being a mileage shoe, obviously if you compare the amount of hours in an shoe like this in comparison to the Endorphin Pro, there needs to be more going on with supporting this shoe to make the runner happy, comfortable and satisfied.
There you have it, that is my overview of the Endorphin Shift. I'm a big fan of this shoe. I really like what Saucony are doing now with the Endorphin series and for me this is putting the cherry on top of that tree.
The Endorphin Pro, the Endorphin Speed and the Endorphin Shift certainly have a place in this market. It's not for everyone, obviously the SpeedRoll technology won't agree with every single runner. However, for those that have experienced rocker soles before and want to try something a little different, I can't speak highly enough of the Endorphin Shift.
If you have tried the Saucony Endorphin Shift on, you've run in it or you have some feedback on concepts about this shoe, please contact our Sportitude shoe experts with your comments.
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Until next time stay safe. Happy running and we'll see you on the road. Take care.
FEATURES
- Support: Neutral
- Upper: Mesh
- Midsole: Saucony PWRRUN
- Heel Height: 38mm
- Forefoot Height: 34mm
- Offset / Drop: 4mm
Men
- Weight: 286g / 10.1oz
- Width: D (standard)
Women
- Weight: 269g / 9.5oz
- Width: B (standard)