By Kieran Alger
Saucony’s speed-focused daily trainer is largely designed for faster training miles. But the past iterations – including the Speed 4 – have also offered the kind of versatility that can cope with a whole lot more. For many runners, the Endorphin Speed is the ideal all-rounder, just with a faster edge. The latest-gen shoe, the Speed 5 now comes with a softer-tuned midsole and an updated nylon plate that brings some subtle changes to the ride.
So has Saucony improved on what was largely a winning shoe? And is it still the Speed we know and love? Or should you go hunting for the Endorphin Speed 4? I’ve done the test miles and here’s my verdict in the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 vs Speed 4 head to head.
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Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price
The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 stack height and drop remain unchanged from the Speed 4. You still get 36mm in the forefoot and 28mm in the heel for an 8mm drop.
On the scales, the Speed 5 weighs in at 8.7oz or 247g in my US men’s 9.5 test shoe. That’s essentially the same weight as the Endorphin Speed 4 that comes in at 8.6oz or 245g in the same size.
On price, there’s no change here either. You’ll still pay $170 in the US.
Stats
Saucony Endorphin | Speed 5 | Speed 4 |
|---|---|---|
Best for | Daily miles | Daily miles |
Support | Neutral | Neutral |
Cushion | Moderate cushioning | Moderate cushioning |
Stack Height | 36mm heel | 36mm heel |
Drop | 8mm | 8mm |
Weight | 8.7oz / 247g | 8.6oz / 245g |
Suggested Retail Price | $170 | $170 |
Fit | True to size | True to size |
Rating | 9.7/ 10 | 9.6/ 10 |
Design
At first glance, it looks like very little has changed between the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 and the Endorphin Speed 5. That’s good news if you liked the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 because Saucony hasn’t messed too much with what is a winning formula.
The midsole still features a sizable stack of PWRRUN PB foam for balanced cushioning and soft-enough landings, along with Saucony’s Speedroll rockering that creates excellent roll through and snap in the toe offs.
The winged nylon plate remains, adding the important rigidity and snap. Though the plate design has been tweaked. The inner wing remains but the outer wing has been reduced to help provide better control and improved cornering, along with more torsional flexibility.
There’s new engineered mesh uppers. Thankfully they remain nicely lightweight and like the Speed 4, the Speed 5 still feels fast, comfy and light, ideal for up-tempo efforts. But not so stripped back it can’t go long.
There are improvements here, too. Notably less to the uppers across the top of the toe box compared to the Speed 4’s more enclosed mesh. Saucony has added more space in the forefoot as well.
The heel collar package has changed too. The medium padding remains but you’ve gone from a more rounded sculpted shape to a narrower fit with a higher rise.
Saucony also addressed some calls for better durability adding more of the XT-900 rubber coverage in the heel on the lateral side to help protect in the key impact areas.
The outsole also has a full length groove. Saucony says that’s there to increase flexibility and deliver more natural and smoother transitions. The middle cutout is a little bigger now too.
Endorphin Speed 5
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Endorphin Speed 4
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Fit
In testing, I ran US 9.5 in the Speed 4 and Speed 5. That’s my regular size for Saucony and the size I've always laced up in past generations of the Endorphin Speed.
Saucony shoes tend to fit me like a glove and feel incredibly natural on the foot. Like they really belong. The Speed 4 and Speed 5 do exactly that.
Both shoes offer good clearance in the end of the toe box and there's a reasonable amount of flex allowing my toes to move freely. But there’s definitely a bit more forefoot space in the Speed 5. If you found the Speed 4 lacking forefoot volume, the Speed 5 rectifies that.
In both shoes I get really good lockdown across the top of the mid foot and good lace lock security.
I was a bit worried about the Speed 5’ heel collar change to the narrower style. But I had no issues. Like the Speed 4, the heels hold really well and I had no slipping.
I would recommend going true to size in both shoes for a fit that’s dialled in for short and fast but roomy enough for longer hauling.
Performance
In testing, I logged north of 200 miles in the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 and the Speed 4.
I’ve done everything from easy hour-long recoveries, to 90-minute mixed pace runs, and progression runs where I moved up through the gears to around 10km pace. I ran 40-odd miles of a 100-mile ultra in the Speed 4 and I’ve done runs up to 3 hours in the Speed 5.
I also did a mile with the Speed 4 on one foot and the Speed 5 on the other to gauge how the updates affect the ride.
One thing that stands out from those test miles is how closely the Speed 5 sticks to what it has offered in past generations. It’s a familiar ride that’ll cope with the same kinds of runs. Which – in my book – is pretty much anything.
What you get here is balance and poise in a shoe that feels fast and light but comfortable.
I like that Saucony has held onto a medium padded heel package that avoids being exposed and overly minimal. It’s a marginally more reliable heel fit than the Speed 4. But both shoes off trademark comfort the moment you lace them on and I could happily run for days in either.
The Speed 5’s PWRRUN PB midsole is tuned to be marginally softer under foot than the Speed 4 with a slightly more accommodating edge, making it more forgiving. But it still mixes that controlled soft, smoothness with some spring. The whole midsole unit still offers a snap, instant feedback and quick return with smooth transitions. So it’s good for everything from easy to tempo and speedwork.
Some runners might still want even more softness for longer or easier miles but if you like shoes with a snappiness that encourages a quick turnover, these do that nicely. That controlled cushion also helps deliver reliable, generally quite stable landings.
In terms of the runs it’s best suited for, I’d say the Speed 5 and 4 are definitely happier faster rather than slower. Though the Speed 4 now brings some added protection for the easiest paces.
My Verdict
Saucony hasn’t meddled too much with the Endorphin Speed 5. But is it a better shoe? Maybe very marginally. Depending on what your priorities are. There’s a subtle extra softness to it, so it’s maybe not quite as fast and snappy but what you lose in all-out pace performance, you get back at the easier end of things. That’s helped by a roomier fit.
Both of these shoes are cracking all rounders, light and fast enough for your faster training miles but cushioned, protective and smooth enough to handle slower miles as well. If you enjoy shoes with energy that don’t try to do all the work for you, you’ll enjoy either of these versatile do-it-all daily trainers.
Should you buy the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 or the Speed 4? I’d say you can buy either and not be disappointed. And this largely comes down to price rather than performance.
The Endorphin Speed 5 is probably the more capable shoe. But right now, if you can find a good deal on the Speed 4, you’re getting much the same ride which makes it better value overall.
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