Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 vs 1 Comparison Shoe Review
Josh reviews the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2, an ultra-lightweight and snappy running shoe that excels at speed work and caters to a variety of runners including mild overpronators, neutral foot types and mild supinators.
With only minor tweaks to the original Saucony Endorphin Speed, Saucony stay true to the winning formula - delivering everything from a fast, joy-inspiring ride for everyday training to unleashing more speed and snap on your tempo runs or even shaving seconds off your PB on race day.
Saucony have identified that the outsole and midsole of the previous model works – transferring it over to the newest member of the Endorphin Speed family virtually unchanged. The minimalist, weight-saving outsole offers targeted durability with a strip of harder-wearing rubber at the heel strike zone, bordering the midfoot and a zig-zag configuration underneath the forefoot.
The responsive combination of the PWRRUN PB midsole and full-length nylon plate is back for an energy-returning sensation in every stride. The nylon plate is ideal for runners seeking a propulsive feel comparable to a carbon plate, without the same level of rigidity.
If you enjoyed the feel and fit of the first edition, the newest model will not disappoint. Besides shifting the ventilation zones to increase breathability, the upper stays true to the fit, depth and material, being an airy engineered mesh.
Compared to the Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 that's built for elite racers, the Endorphin Speed 2 is slightly heavier to allow for a more supportive fit, more versatility and more mileage out on the road.
Check out the review with full transcript below.
Hey guys, Josh here from Sportitude Running and it is shoe review time. In my hand I hold the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2. This is an exciting review and the reason being is we had such a successful run with Saucony Endorphin Speed version 1 that when we heard the version 2 was going to have minor changes, we knew that the running community were going to be super amped to roll over into it.
Like all of my shoe reviews we're going to talk about the outsole and midsole. We’ll discuss how the upper fits, feels and functions on top of the foot and do a comparative from the Endorphin Speed v1 to v2 and give you all the information at home that you need to potentially throw this shoe to your shoe rotation. Without further ado let's get stuck in.
Saucony Endorphin Family
Before I dive in and start talking about who should be considering this shoe or the engineering components, we probably need to give you a background history on the Endorphin franchise.
Saucony launched that franchise 12 months ago and it's been a very successful campaign for them. Saucony have a shoe called the Saucony Endorphin Shift which is essentially their daily trainer with a nice rocker sole underneath the foot.
Then comes the Saucony Endorphin Speed which is what I hold in my hand with the PWRRUN PB technology in regard to the cushioning system underneath the foot with a nylon plate. They then have the Saucony Endorphin Pro which has had a lot of airtime with regards to its success over the last 12 months.
The Endorphin Pro is their racing shoe, the Endorphin Speed is coming in as that interval/tempo running shoe but that being said, we have had some great success with the Endorphin Speed being a versatile shoe. People have used it for mileage and people have also found it beneficial for racing.
Runner Profile
It’s time to profile the foot type that could be considering this shoe and it is a very versatile shoe. We've had success with people who are mild overpronators, neutral runners and mild supinators. It’s covering three different foot types with regards to the Saucony Endorphin Speed v1 and nothing has really changed with the Endorphin Speed 2.
If you're a runner that's looking for your first lighter weight tempo style shoe and you happen to have some issues with your overall stability and are looking for something with more medial posting, there are probably other shoes you could consider before jumping into this shoe.
If you're pretty fit, you have good strong feet and you're mechanically moving quite well and you're looking for something to complement your training on a lighter platform, then let's talk all things Endorphin Speed 2.
Where does the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 sit regarding shoe rotation? Being a lighter weight shoe, it's designed for those tempo runs when you want to get out the door and pick up the pace. Even on your progressive runs this shoe has been absolutely fantastic, starting out at a slower easy pace and building your pace up with every kilometre.
I found the running shoe personally beneficial when I wanted to increase my cadence and the reason being it does have that nylon plate, so you get a really snappy feel underneath your foot but plenty of protection at the same time.
Outsole
Let's talk about the outsole of the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2. It's a minimalistic take on an outsole. That reduces the weight, but Saucony have certainly identified they need to protect the asset, being the midsole.
At the back of the shoe is more of a durable rubber strategically placed on the lateral side of that heel for that person who comes down heel first.
As you come through to the midfoot you can see the border of the outsole is covered with regards to the first point of contact with the ground. As you come through to the forefoot of the outsole it's certainly more filled out so there's a little bit more going on.
When you look at the Saucony Endorphin Speed v1 nothing really has changed at all. They've used the same rubber, thickness and flex grooves and they've strategically placed that outsole in the exact same areas.
Midsole
The same thing goes when we talk all things midsole. They had a great success with PWRRUN PB and it was fantastic inside this shoe. Your PWRRUN PB midsole is a really responsive foam underneath your foot but you certainly get that impact you’re searching for when you pick the pace up in a shoe like this.
The other thing to note is you have the same foam but you don't have a change in stack height. What we have inside the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 is a 35.5mm heel and a 27.5mm forefoot for a variance of 8mm. That's the same in both the men's and women's model.
This shoe has a plate injected inside the midsole. It isn't a carbon plate it's a nylon plate. The major difference between carbon and nylon in this shoe is that the nylon is a little bit more flexible.
If you can't tolerate a slightly more rigid plate which is what the Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 offers for racing, the nylon has been a great steppingstone for runners looking for a propulsive feel underneath the foot but may not be able to tolerate this extra stiffness that a carbon plate offers.
Upper
Let’s talk all things upper. There is a couple of minor changes with regards to what Saucony have done. They have changed the positioning of the ventilation channels in the mesh through the forefoot.
When we're looking at the Saucony Endorphin Speed v1 versus the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 it is almost exactly the same material. It's the same weight, thickness, fit, feel and depth so if you like the feel of the Endorphin Speed v1 you are going to like the feel of Endorphin Speed 2.
They haven't compromised fit, feel and function. All they've done is ever so slightly change the ventilation positioning of the mesh through the top toe box.
The reason being is if you can increase the ventilation through the foot it should in theory provide a little bit more comfort. More ventilation essentially reduces the risk of getting really hot, sweaty feet for less dampness, less moisture and more comfort.
As you're coming through to the midfoot of this shoe, as we touched on nothing has changed with regards to the fit and the depth. The gusseted tongue is still in play. The tongue is attached to a piece of material that runs to the lateral side of the shoe and then on the medial side it also is attached to the midsole.
The reason brands do that with their speed shoes is because there's going to be more velocity and more effort going through the shoe itself, especially if you’re picking up the pace.
While we want to make the most of the asset being the midsole, when engaging that nylon plate to generate propulsion you don't want your foot moving around too much on top of that platform. The gusseted tongue gives more of a lockdown which is a great function and addition to this shoe.
Of course, they did that with Saucony Endorphin Speed v1 so nothing has changed. The only real thing that has changed with this upper other than the ventilation channels is the pull tabs which have been strategically placed on the heel and also the tongue.
I can see a community out there like new triathletes jumping up and down giving each other high fives. This is going to no doubt provide an easier transition for you at T2, getting the shoe on and off from the bike out into the run leg.
It’s a great addition and it's probably not going to be for everyone. Some people might find that change negligible but for me, I do like a pull tab. It’s one of my favourite features, I like the ease of getting a shoe on and this has certainly come through with the Endorphin Speed 2.
Talking about the function of the upper, again nothing has changed with the heel counter. I need to point that out because the Saucony Endorphin Pro is a lighter shoe and the Endorphin Speed family is a slightly more supportive offering.
There is an internal heel counter on offer at the back of the shoe and it’s going to get a little bit more support for the base of that heel. Again, that was put into play with this shoe because it is edging towards more of a daily trainer and tempo shoe. You'll be spending more time in this shoe than you would in the Saucony Endorphin Pro, so more support up top is obviously beneficial.
The Wrap Up
There you have it, that is my review of the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2. Just to go over a couple of take-home points, the running shoe has not changed from the foot down. All the changes have occurred in the upper.
We have the same stack height as the Saucony Endorphin Speed v1, being 35.5mm heel and 27.5mm forefoot for a drop of 8mm. The weight hasn't changed either so we're talking 225 grams in the men's model size 9 and 200 grams in a women’s model size 7.
It is and will be another incredibly versatile shoe for the next 12 months. Again, you can roll it from daily training to intervals and progressive runs.
For those of you that may not get along with a carbon plate shoe but you're looking for something with extra push and propulsion, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 is one that you should definitely consider at home.
If you have any questions on the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 about the engineering and what we’ve covered today please contact our Sportitude shoe experts. If you've been an Endorphin Speed v1 user let us know your experience and feedback on the shoe and what you liked about it.
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Until next time stay safe, be kind to one another and we'll see you on the road. Take care.
FEATURES
Saucony Endorphin Speed 2
- Support: Neutral, Lightweight
- Upper: Mesh
- Midsole: Saucony PWRRUN PB
- Heel Height: 35.5mm
- Forefoot Height: 27.5mm
- Offset / Drop: 8mm
Men
- Weight: 225g / 7.9oz (US 9)
- Width: D (standard)
Women
- Weight: 200g / 7oz (US 7)
- Width: B (standard)