6 Best Saucony Running Shoes – My Top Picks

1. Saucony Hurricane 24 – Stable Daily Trainer for Cushioned Easy/Recovery Runs

Easy runs are where the real magic happens. It’s during those longer, slower miles that you build your engine. For these low heart, conversational runs where you feel like you could keep running longer, most runners reach for shoes that prioritise cushion, comfort and protection. Think saloon car comfort. The Hurricane delivers that.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Holabird Sports ; Saucony

After a hiatus, the Saucony Hurricane returns to the Saucony line-up and delivers an excellent combination of cushion, energy, stability and comfort. That’s thanks to a sizable 38mm/32mm dual density midsole stack that puts soft, cushioned and bouncy PWRUN PB directly underfoot with a second layer of firmer, more responsive PRWRUN closer to the ground to bring the control.

Saucony’s CenterPath Technology – a pairing of higher walls and wider platform – works with a rocker to deliver a smooth ride and subtle stability that even neutral runners can enjoy. I don’t tend to need stability shoes but in tests I enjoyed the added control that feels nicely natural.

The Saucony Hurricane 24 is a great choice for anyone looking for a durable, stable workhorse that’ll eat those easy miles, longer runs and recovery efforts.

2. Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 – Daily Trainer All-Rounder With a Faster Edge

If easy runs build engine capacity, fast runs shift the top-speed potential. As a rule of thumb around 20 per cent of your weekly mileage should fit in the fast bracket. We’re talking intervals and harder sessions that ask you to move at 70-80% of your all-out effort. This can include 200m, 400m and 800m repeats or runs with segments pushing your fastest paces. Think 5km, 10km and half marathon pace.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Holabird Sports ; Saucony

My go-to shoe from Saucony’s line up for these faster sessions is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4. With its combination of punchy PWRUN PB foam, nylon plate and Speedroll rockering, it’s light, snappy, smooth and responsive. It offers more ground feel and agility than some of the bigger stack super trainers like the ASICS Superblast 2 or the New Balance SC Trainer V3.

But despite the name, speed isn’t all it’s good for. The 26mm/28mm stack and 8mm drop offer enough road protection for easier runs, too. That makes the Endorphin Speed 4 one of most versatile, capable all-rounders. Right up there with the ASICS Superblast 2 as a brilliant option for covering most of your marathon training sessions.

Throw in excellent light, disappearing but secure fit and the Endorphin Speed 4 offers bucket loads of value. If I could only buy one shoe to cover all my runs, this would be high up the list.

3. Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 – Best Carbon Plate Shoe for Tempo Runs

Tempo runs train your body to sustain speed over distance. These comfortably hard efforts should have you feeling like you’re in control but you’d be happy if you could ease off the gas a little. The classic tempo run is two to four miles. But if you’re training for a 10km, you might want to push to four to six miles, eight for the half-marathon, and eight to 10 for marathon.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Holabird Sports ; Saucony

There are a lot of shoes in the Saucony line-up that can handle these tempo efforts. The Endorphin Speed 4 is definitely worth considering as there’s also not much to choose between the energy of Speed 4 and the Pro 4. But if you want a shoe that offers more cushioning and softer landings and a little more bounce in the midsole, the Pro 4 is it.

The Endorphin Pro 4 features two types of foam in its midsole. There’s an added layer of PWRRUN HG atop the carbon plate, closer to the foot and then a wedge of PWRRUN PB at the bottom.

That stacks up to a good level of cushioning that caters well for tempo efforts. I also like the fact the heel collars offer much more padding than you’ll find on many carbon race shoes. That boosts the long-run comfort.

The Endorphin Pro 4 isn’t as all-out fast and efficient as the top carbon racers like the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris or the Nike Alphafly Next% 3. It’s not as aggressive as the Saucony Endorphin Elite. But if you want a more subtle carbon shoe for faster-pace miles, the Endorphin Pro 4 is a good option. It’ll also look after you deep into a marathon if the wheels have come off. 

4. Saucony Endorphin Elite – Best Carbon Plate Shoe for Racing the Half Marathon

The Saucony Endorphin Elite divides opinion. Some runners love the more aggressive, stiffer, energetic ride. Some find it a bit too much. I’m in the camp with the former.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Holabird Sports ; Saucony

I actually raced the 55-mile Comrades Marathon road ultra in the Saucony Endorphin Elite and I found it coped really well. But I can run happily in a more direct shoe.

The Saucony Endorphin Elite pairs Saucony’s premier PWRRUN HG midsole foam with a carbon plate and lightweight uppers. It packs the same race-legal stack as the Nike Alphafly – 40mm in the heel, 32mm in the forefoot for an 8mm drop.

All that adds up to a punchy, responsive, somewhat direct ride, in an extremely lightweight package that offers good stability for a carbon super shoe.

For most runners, the Endorphin Elite is probably less versatile than the Endorphin Pro 4 and will cater better for the shorter, faster runs up to the half marathon. You might want more cushion and protection for tackling the full 26.2.

But overall this shoe balances propulsion, energy and response with a touch more stability than some other carbon shoes.

5. Saucony Guide 18 – Best Stability Shoe for Daily Miles

The Saucony Guide 18 steps into Saucony’s running shoe line-up as a solid, no-nonsense and milder stability option for overpronators who want more cushion in a daily mileage shoe. It’s not as stacked as the Hurricane 24, so if you want even more cush with stability, check that out. But there’s a lot to like about the Guide 18.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Holabird Sports ; Saucony

For a maximal, highly cushioned, stability shoe, it manages to feel light and offers smooth transitions and great clip-along for the slower easier miles. The ride can be a bit blocky fresh out of the box but once you’ve broken it in, it’s the kind of shoe that helps you tick over the easy miles in solid, reliable comfort.

The dual-foam combination of the PWRRUN and PWRRUN PB midsole foams works well and the supportive elements create a subtle stability. The shoes really feel like they’re working with you in a natural way for a supportive – but not interruptive – feel.

I’d pick the Guide 18 ahead of the likes of the ASICS Gel Kayano 30. Though fans of softer support might prefer the Kayano’s more cushioned ride. I also preferred it to the Nike Structure 25, simply based on the lightness on the foot.

If you need extra support, the Guide is one to check out. A good, stable, dependable daily trainer right here.

6. Saucony Ride 18 – Best Durable Workhorse Daily Trainer

If you’re in the market for a workhorse, cushioned, neutral do-it-all daily trainer that’s versatile enough to eat a wide range of your weekly miles, the new Saucony Ride 18 should be somewhere on your shortlist.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Holabird Sports ; Saucony

The Saucony Ride 18 is one of those shoes that disappears on the foot the minute you lace it up and lets you go about your business without making its presence felt. There’s an airiness and roomy flex from the uppers, giving your feet good freedom to breath, too.

It features a PWRRUN+ midsole foam – the same lively foam you find in the pricier (and popular) Saucony Triumph 22. It’s a big but-not-max stack shoe that offers excellent balance of padding, cushion and weight.

There’s enough softness for comfortable landings but it’s not too sinky. It avoids being sluggish and that livelier foam bites back at the right time. Saucony’s Speedroll midsole rockering adds to the smooth transitions, creating a shoe that serves up plenty of flow across a wide range of paces. It’s not totally effortless but it’s good for covering long miles, whether you’re moving slow and easy or pushing things slightly more uptempo.

I think this is a great option for newer runners and beginners who maybe need protection but also want one shoe to cover a broad range of runs but at a wallet-friendly price.