Saucony Endorphin Trainer Review – Just a Big Softie?

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

The Saucony Endorphin Trainer is a neutral max-stack running shoe that packs 39.5mm in the heel, 31.5 in the forefoot for an 8 mm drop.

It weighs in at 10.3oz or 291g in my US men’s size 9.5 test shoe. That’s the same weight as the Saucony Kinvara Pro, close to half an ounce heavier than the New Balance SC Trainer V3 and an ounce heavier than the On Cloudmonster Hyper.

On price, it lands at $180. The same as the likes of the New Balance SC Trainer V3 and the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 but a little cheaper than the ASICS Superblast 2 ($200).

Design

At first glance, the Saucony Endorphin Trainer looks a lot like the old Kinvara Pro. Not to mention other ‘super trainers’ like the On Cloudmonster Hyper or the HOKA Skyward X. You can clearly see where Saucony is going with this shoe.

The Kinvara Pro similarities include sticking with the same stack height and a three-quarter length carbon plate. But there is one important change. The Saucony Endorphin Trainer deploys a new midsole foam – Saucony incrediRUN – as part of a dual-foam set up. 

This PEBA-style incrediRUN foam sits closer to the foot and is softer and bouncier than the foam we got in the Kinvara Pro. It’s also the same foam you’ll now find in the updated – and wild – Saucony Endorphin Elite 2.

Beneath that, there’s also a PWRUN foam carrier bottom layer to provide some stability.

Up top, the Endorphin Trainer uses engineered mesh uppers that are soft, pliable and perforated for breathability. Along with medium padded heel collars and gusseted tongues. It’s plush and built for cruising comfort.

The outsole features a carbonized EVA with a couple of additional rubber pads under the big toe and lateral heel for extra grip and durability.

Fit

I ran in a US 9.5 which is my regular running shoe size in Saucony. The fit here is excellent. They feel instantly comfortable with loads of length in the toe box, really good clearance and wiggle room for the toes. The light, airiness up front is good for a cruising shoe or for long hauling.

The mid-foot lock down is good, it holds really well. Snug, but not restrictive. The tongues do a good job. While the balanced heel collars hold the heels really securely. I had no slipping from a shoe that’s easy to lace down, and I would recommend going true to size.

Check Out My 6 Best Saucony Shoes

Performance

In testing I’ve done north of 25 miles in the Endorphin Trainer. A big chunk of that mileage has been easy but I’ve added in some faster segments, to test the versatility.

Saucony says the Endorphin Trainer is built for “effortless speed”. In my tests, I couldn't unlock that speed and overall it’s been a mixed bag. If the Saucony Kinvara Pro failed to convince everyone, this shoe hasn’t entirely solved that problem. It’s an improvement on the Kinvara Pro but as with that shoe, there are some things I like, some things that don’t quite land.

On the plus side, I find them super comfortable. Saucony’s uppers tend to work, the brand does step-in comfort the best, and the Endorphin Trainer follows that heritage.

The fit and feel of the Saucony Endorphin Trainer is spot on. This running shoe feels instantly like it belongs on your foot. There’s a good balance of padding and plushness in the heel collars and the tongues and the uppers. It's a really easy, unfussy shoe to put on and head out in.

There’s real promise when you first lace them up. But when you get moving, things go a little wayward. If you’re comparing it to rival super trainers, the dual-foam, three-quarter length carbon plate combo just doesn’t quite deliver. It’s all a bit blocky and sluggish, slappy and laboured.

If this is aiming for super-shoe speed, I can’t quite feel that punch and liveliness you get from other shoes in the Endorphin line up or beyond.

For me it’s more ASICS Nimbus, than HOKA Mach X2. I found the soft, high, cushioned feel a bit draining at times even when you’re doing your slowest, heaviest recovery miles.

I wanted more tempo, less trudge from the midsole return. When I pushed the pace I didn’t get back what I needed. It’s more cradling softness than energy or bounce.

That might be a good thing for some runners. You may love the way the IncrediRUN layer holds and cocoons the foot. It did a good job of making 99% of the road impact disappear. It's undeniably cushioned and comfortable.

But we’ve now got shoes that do all of that and add a bit of energy to boot: the Brooks Glycerin Max, the New Balance SC Trainer V3, the On Cloudmonster Hyper, too. I find the New Balance Rebel V4 a bit more direct but a better balance of cushioning and oomph.

There’s one use case I might choose it for. I used the Kinvara Pro for 30 odd miles of a 100 mile ultra and it did a solid job as an easy, slow plodder. This Endorphin Trainer offers the same.

However, even when I moved slower on more uneven ground, I felt some wobble in the softness. So it wasn’t the most stable, big stack shoe I’ve run in either.

My Verdict

There are things I like about this shoe. I like the comfort on the foot. I like the way it disappears with a pleasing plushness and balance to the uppers. It feels like it should be a winner. But I’m confused by the ride.

It's got a perfectly good, soft, cushioned ride that’s perhaps a little blocky at times. But in super trainer terms, it falls a bit flat. If it’s supposed to offer speed, I don’t feel it. It’s lacking the energy of notable rivals in this space, like the HOKA Mach X2 or the ASICS Superblast 2. Unlike those shoes, the Endorphin Trainer has limited gears.

That’s kind of fine, if all you want is a cushioned shoe for easier miles. But there are lots of shoes that deploy a dual foam setup better, to offer more versatility.

Like the Kinvara Pro, I might lace this up for the middle 40 miles of a 100 mile ultra. Or runs where I want good cocooned comfort. But it’s a bit big and stodgy for faster runs. And even on the slowest efforts, it’s sometimes hard work.

We’re being quite picky here. This isn’t a bad shoe but when there’s so many excellent, versatile daily trainers out there, it’s hard to recommend.

So while I can happily run in the Saucony Endorphin Trainer, I wouldn’t pick it ahead of many other shoes. The ASICS Superblast 2, the HOKA Mach X2 and the New Balance SC Trainer V3 offer more.

From Saucony’s own stable, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 is a more accomplished option. It’s a different beast but it can cover the same kind of runs.