Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 Introduction

When the first Endorphin Speed was launched, it was way ahead of its time. Back then, no training shoes had full-length PEBA midsoles and very few of them had flexible plates in their midsoles.

Priced at only $160, the Endorphin Speed was a speed trainer that you could also race in because it was so light and so agile. It was much cheaper than the Endorphin Pro, its carbon-plated sibling and it used the same midsole foam.

Over the years, other speed trainers have evolved, caught up and overtaken. Their foams got more energetic, their stack heights became taller and their plates became more propulsive.

The Endorphin speed has kept its flexible nylon plate and its stack heights have remained relatively similar to the first version. The Adidas Boston, ASICS Magic Speed, PUMA Deviate Nitro and HOKA Mach X now all feel faster than the Endorphin Speed.

When I reviewed the Endorphin Speed 4 two years ago, I said that it felt faster than its predecessor thanks to its higher level of ground feel and its streamlined design. I also said that it didn’t provide as much speed assistance as other speed trainers due to its bendy nylon plate.

The Endorphin Speed 5 still uses PWRRUN PB but Saucony says it’s been tuned and sculpted to feel faster. It also has new nylon plate design and a new single layer upper mesh. Its price has increased by $5 and it now costs $175. It has the same stack heights and drop as the Speed 4 but it weighs 0.2 oz (5 grams) more.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 First Impressions

My first run was a 14 kilometre easy run and the first thing that I noticed was that the Speed was much quieter than the Speed 4. Gone was the hollow, suction-cup sound with each footstrike that was present in the Speed 4.

I also noticed that the plate in the Speed 5 wasn’t as stiff as in the Speed 4. Transitions felt more relaxed and it didn’t feel like an uptempo trainer anymore.

It reminded me of the Topo Cyclone 3 that I reviewed last month but a more cushioned, stiffer version. It also offered a lot more support than the Cyclone.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 Upper

The new upper material of the Speed 5 feels rougher and less premium than the Speed 4. It now uses an engineered hexagon mesh which is more breathable than the zonal mesh of its predecessor.

The tongue is gusseted so it doesn’t slide around and the collar/heel tab are lightly padded so there’s no irritation around the ankle. There’s an internal heel counter and overall foot lockdown is great.

It has a very spacious, roomy interior and it feels more spacious than its predecessor. I have a narrow foot and the material in the forefoot puckers when I lace it up. The fit is true to size and it’s more suited for runners with wide, high-volume feet.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 Sole Unit

If you’re an Endorphin Speed loyalist, you’ll be glad to know that it still feels like an Endorphin Speed when it comes to the ride. It has a relatively similar ride to the previous versions because it uses the same PWRRUN PB midsole. Saucony says that they’ve tuned and sculpted it to feel faster in this version but that’s not the case.

The biggest difference is the nylon plate. The previous versions had wings on both sides which provided additional stability and structure to the midsole. This version only has 1 wing on the medial side. This results in less midfoot torsional rigidity and a more flexible plate.

The Endorphin Speed 5 has a less prominent forefoot rocker than the Speed 4 because of the extra plate flexibility. This makes transitions feel slower, so the Speed 5 feels more like a daily trainer and less like a speed trainer.

Most of my runs in the Speed 5 were easy paced. It naturally wants to run at relaxed paces but because it’s so lightweight, it can pick up the pace for short bursts. It’s the kind of shoe that disappears on your feet. It’s not an exciting or fun ride but it feels comfortable and it gets the job done.

The Speed 5 has an SRS (Super Responsive Sockliner) which is supercritical and designed to improve the cushioning & bounce but it’s too thin to make a big difference to the ride. I prefer the much thicker, more substantial, PWRRUN+ sockliner found in the Ride 18 and the Endorphin Trainer.

The longest run I did in the Speed 5 was 36 kilometres. It felt ok during that 4 hour run but I found it hard to pick up the pace because of how flexible its forefoot is. It also didn’t feel very efficient as its midsole foam isn’t particularly bouncy. The Saucony Endorphin Trainer is a much better long run shoe: it has deeper cushioning, a more supportive ride and a more prominent SpeedRoll rocker than the Speed 5.

On the Speed 5’s outsole, there’s a new, solid strip of rubber on the outer lateral heel area. This makes it more durable for heel strikers. The forefoot rubber is split into 2 sections which again makes the sole less rigid.

The forefoot rubber is flatter than the Speed 4 so traction isn’t as good. Durability is very good and I haven’t experienced much outsole wear on my pair after 92 kilometres.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 Conclusions

The Speed 5 still feels and rides like an Endorphin Speed but it has lost some of its punch and propulsion. The Speed 4 felt like a snappy speed trainer that you could use for uptempo runs but the Speed 5 feels more like a daily trainer for relaxed runs.

I prefer the Speed 4 over the Speed 5 because it reminds me of the original Endorphin Speed, a speed trainer- before they tuned it to feel like a daily trainer. The new, rougher upper material also makes it feel less premium.

The Speed 5 has no major flaws but it just doesn’t feel exciting or engaging. Saucony needs to breathe some new life into the shoe by increasing the stack height, improving the midsole foam or changing the geometry.

It doesn’t feel like a super trainer and for $175, its price is way too high, especially considering it hasn’t changed much from V1 that launched 5 years ago. For only $5 more, you can get the Saucony Endorphin Trainer which feels a lot more modern. It has a stiff carbon plate and it uses Saucony’s latest and most bouncy racing foam, Incredirun.