Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 Review
By Matthew Klein
Saucony Endorphin Pro 5Price: $224.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 7.3 oz, 206 g (men's size 9), 6.3 oz, 178 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 39.5 mm heel / 31.5 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Distance Super Racing / Workout Shoe
Pros: Stable rearfoot/midfoot, rockered smooth forefoot, faster ride than previous, wider fit, great traction & durability
Cons: Less stable forefoot (medially), harsh upper
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 is a super distance racing shoe for those who want a durable super shoe for training and racing. A PWRRUN PB midsole with a PWRRUN HG topsole provides a firmer and snappier ride that work best for 5k to half-marathon paces. A new slotted plate keeps the stiff and snappy ride while increasing forefoot frontal plant flexibility. While improving transitions for some, this makes this shoe far more neutral than prior versions. A new recycled mesh upper provides a stiffer fit with some components that make tall socks a must to reduce blistering. The increased outsole traction and durability, combined with the above components, clearly make this series evolve into more of a trainer/racer than pure racer, although it will still function as such for many.
SIMILAR SHOES: Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3, New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v5
PAST MODEL: Saucony Endorphin Pro 4
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 fits me true to size in my normal US men's size 10. The fit is normal for a racer throughout the length of the shoe with a moderate volume. The recycled engineered mesh is a little stiff but does provide structure. It is on the thinner side, but still has structure and decent breathability. While the toe box does taper slightly, there is enough room in the forefoot for me to spread my toes. This is partially due to extra volume that is only in the forefoot, which allows extra room but also can cause creasing over the top of the upper. This creasing also occurs in the midfoot, which fits slightly wide and has a stretchy tongue that is integrated into the upper. The extra room also causes creasing in the tongue and extra care must be taken to make sure it lies flat. The extra room also requires the laces to be tightened for security. With the shoe's thin tongue, however, the laces can't be tightened too much due to lace bite.
The first several runs I had to loosen the laces to avoiding pinching the extensor tendons on the top of my foot and had to deal with the mild internal sliding. Fortunately, this has not caused any blisters and I have had to get used to a little extra room. Those with a high instep will have to keep the laces loose to avoid pinching. The heel fits slightly snug with no heel collar padding. The small heel counter is flexible and should not bother those with mild to moderate heel sensitivities. The only problem is that the heel tab comes up high and absolutely requires having tall socks. I only made it half a mile sockless before the tab started to tear into the skin on my Achilles tendon. So tall socks are required with this shoe.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: No
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: Yes
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Above Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 is a distance super racer/workout shoe. It features full-length PWRRUN PB with a top layer of PWRRUN HG. There is a full-length carbon fiber plate in the midsole with slots in the forefoot for added frontal plane (side-to-side) flexibility while maintaining longitudinal (sagittal plane) bending stiffness. Compared to previous versions, the Endorphin Pro 5 has a much firmer ride underfoot. The design and feel is reminiscent of the Endorphin Speed 4, which also felt firmer and despite a large heel bevel initially felt clunky. It took 25-30 miles for the PWRRUN HG and PB to break in and I am now getting a little more compression and compliance out of the midsole. Overall, it still has a much higher level of resilience/responsiveness compared to the compliance/softness. The weight is supposedly lighter, but I measured my Pro 5 weighing 5 grams more than my Pro 4 (230 g vs 225 g). This is still decent for a running shoe but is on the heavier side for a super racing shoe.
This hasn't gotten in the way of me running fast as the firmer ride has worked far better for fast intervals and quick tempo runs. My fastest mile recently was in this shoe (5:18) at the end of a workout. On the other hand, my worst long run has been in this shoe. During easier efforts, the shoe feels awkward and clunky. Even at uptempo efforts, I could not get into a rhythm. The heel bevel is large but is centered. Like the Endorphin Speed 4, the lateral heel midsole has to break in and compress more before the rearfoot smooths out. This initially makes for a abrupt/stiff ride that at 40 miles is just starting to smooth out When the pace picks up, that's when this shoe starts to come alive. While faster intervals and tempo runs at paces from 5k to half marathon effort feels great, going any faster also starts to feel awkward. The forefoot has a much longer rocker than the prior version, which makes the tipping point into terminal stance start much earlier. This makes this shoe great for heel strikers rolling quickly through the shoe as the forefoot is smooth transitioning through despite the firmer ride. The awkward part of this long bevel is that getting up on my forefoot is difficult, so sprinting is awkward. Luckily, the forefoot is still stiff with no flexibility. However, the slotted plated design provides extra side-to-side flexibilty that is noticeable. I go into this further in the next section, but I found the forefoot to be far less stable. Those needing a stiff forefoot only in the sagittal plane will be fine if they have stiff toes, but those who also need stability will not find enough.
One of the few things the Endorphin Pro 5 maintains is its durability. I have 40 miles on my pair and there is no wear at all on the outsole. The midsole is only just starting to soften slightly, so I expect this shoe to last far longer than other super shoes (just like previous versions). Saucony has traditionally had poor traction on wet road and the Endorphin Pro 5 completely changes this with the addition of PWRTRAC outsole, which creates fantastic grip on both wet and dry road. I ran a workout in the middle of a rainstorm and had complete confidence with each footstep even while turning (something I never had with prior versions).
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: While the last two versions of the Endorphin Pro have been clearly stable neutral, the Endorphin Pro 5 takes time to break into being stable neutral. Like all stable neutral shoes, there are no traditional stability elements in this shoe. There are several guidance measures, including sidewalls, a filled in medial midfoot, a strong central guidance line in the midsole/outsole, a wider forefoot, more medial heel sole flare, and midsole geometry that collapses more on the lateral than medial side. Some of these components were not immediately apparent and both Andrea and I felt like the Endorphin Pro 5 had a valgus wedge in the forefoot that shoved us medially. I also felt like my foot was being pushed medially thanks to what felt like extra lateral sole flare in the heel. I initially wondered if splitting the plate into multiple prongs rather than one solid spoon in the forefoot had decreased the torsional rigidity up front. However, I found that the shoe just needed time to break in.
Similar to the Endorphin Speed, the lateral heel needed time to break in and collapse more. It took about 20 miles for this to feel better and now the heel feels more medially stable to me. The midsole in general also needed to break in and now I notice the central groove and medial fill in keeping me more centered during the run. The lateral forefoot also does not feel nearly as stiff but I still notice that landing farther forward pitches me a bit more medial.
People with different footstrikes may perceive this shoe differently. This shoe feels better and more as a heel striker (also it feels better when I am not running with the stroller, which shifts my landing pattern forward) as it allows me to engage more of the stable neutral mechanisms in the heel and midfoot. The forefoot is more neutral now, while the heel and midfoot still has stable neutral components that need time to break in, but are effective once they do.
Thoughts as a DPT: Longitudinal vs Bending Stiffness in Other Planes of Motion
By Matthew Klein
One of the focuses of super shoes, racing shoes and plated shoes is utilizing a plate and geometry to create optimal longitudinal bending stiffness. The phrase "optimal" is key, as we know that different people respond best to different levels of stiffnesses and the optimal stiffness varies depending on how fast the person is running (Day & Hahn, 2020; McLeod et al., 2020). Longitudinal bending stiffness refers to the shoe or materials' resistance to deformation/flex in the forward-to-backward (sagittal) direction. This can affect running efficiency and comfort as it may help maintain geometry with higher forces associated with faster running to maintain forward moment and stabilize softer, bouncy foams. Despite the focus on longitudinal bending stiffness, plate design can impact stiffness/flexibility in other planes of motion. The large and wide "spoon" shape often seen in the forefoot design of plates also often creates additional side-to-side stiffness. This can be great for those wanting torsional or frontal plane stiffness/stability, while those wanting more flexibility may find that slotted plates, like the ones used in the Endorphin Pro 5, may be better.
The challenge with slotting the plate is that it maintains stiffness in one direction while increasing flexibility in the other direction. The body will always go in the path of least resistance. The slots cause the fork-like projections of the plate to move independently, decreasing relative bending stiffness in the frontal plane. This means that if someone finds the plate too stiff in the sagittal plane, it will push them even farther in the frontal plane. If the goal of a plate is help maintain forward motion, ie efficiency, then this will create a major problem for people with frontal plane instabilities. This explains why both Andrea and I felt that the Endorphin Pro 5 was so incredibly biased medially at the forefoot until the shoe broke in. This sensation has definitely decreased as the plate has broken in and become a tiny bit more flexible, but is still not as stable up front as prior versions. Given human variation, this will work great for some people and not for others.
McLeod, A. R., Bruening, D., Johnson, A. W., Ward, J., & Hunter, I. (2020). Improving running economy through altered shoe bending stiffness across speeds. Footwear Science, 12(2), 79-89.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I understand what Saucony is trying to do with this shoe. It is supposed to be a "workhorse" super shoe meant for many to use for workouts, then use the Elite 2 or 3 for racing. The slots in the forefoot of the plate are supposed to make it feel more natural, potentially for more use. The challenges with this is it makes the shoe feel medially unstable at the forefoot.
Additionally, this shoe feels way firmer than I would expect for a super shoe in today's era. That makes it feel great for faster efforts but is not a shoe I would consider for marathon efforts personally (especially with the medial instability up front). Therefore, my suggestions are to only slot the lateral forefoot component of the plate and to update the midsole materials. The slotted plate gives too much medial flexibility in this racing shoe. For appropriate stability medially and smoothing out lateral forefoot landings, I would make the medial component of the forefoot plate non-slotted and only add slots on the lateral side. This will achieve what the developers were hoping for, ie smoothing out lateral forefoot landings, while keeping the shoe stable at toe off.
Current PWRRUN PB feels far firmer than it used to. I'm not sure if that is due to contrast with all the newer foams now, but at >$200 I'm expecting more in 2026. I'd rather see a PWRRUN HG midsole with a top layer of IncrediRUN. PWRRUN PB is starting to show its age and some of the newer foams will give more current down bounce and responsiveness. Although it is breaking in, the tongue also needs some work. The amount of lace bite I experienced and difficulty locking down the upper suggests there needs to be some modification there. The tongue and upper also crease a ton, so I would suggest finding some alternative methods to lock down the midfoot while reducing this.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 is a super distance racing shoe for those who want a slightly wider fit, a firmer, rockered and responsive underfoot feel with the durability to handle both training and racing miles. Although it is on the heavier side for super shoes now, the ride works best for faster efforts from 5k to half-marathon. Those wanting a firmer ride will be fine taking up to the marathon and those with mild heel and midfoot guidance needs may find they can take this further. Most will find that it works best for 5k to half-marathon type efforts. Those wanting a bit more frontal plane/torsional flexibility in the forefoot will enjoy this shoe, while those with forefoot instabilities will not. The upper continues to be a bit wider with a little extra volume, although not nearly as much as version 4. It is not the full stable neutral racer that prior versions were and those needing forefoot stability may struggle over longer distances in this shoe.
The durability and traction are fantastic, so while this may not be the most super of the super shoes out there, you will get the most value dollar to mile compared to others. I appreciate the clearly faster ride, while I am disappointed in the slightly awkward fit and less stable forefoot. This shoe also needs time to break in, so those who want to get tons of miles on a super shoe are going to best fit with where this shoe fits in the Saucony lineup.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B- (Wider fit with stretchy tongue. Harsher upper that can cause heel blistering unless socks are worn and lace bite if the laces are tied too tight)
Performance: A- (Fast, rolling shoe that works best for heel/midfoot strikers looking to run 5k to half marathon race or training type efforts. Clunky at slower and sprint efforts)
Stability: B [Neutral] (Stable neutral heel/midfoot when the shoe breaks in but slotted forefoot plate severely decreases stability up front)
Value: B+ ($225 for a durable workhorse super shoe is a solid deal given the improved durability and traction. However, it runs heavier than other super shoes and weighs similar to some plated super trainers out there that cost less)
Personal: B- (I want to like this shoe, but am so disappointed in the loss of forefoot stability and awkward fit. Definitely a shoe I would only relegate to training but will likely be overshadowed and under-prioritized compared to other options)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORSaucony Endorphin Pro 5Price: $224.95 at Running Warehouse
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FURTHER READING
The signature stability trainer returns.
A PWRRUN PB based trainer with no plate.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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