Saucony Men's Endorphin Speed 5 Sneaker

Update: 10/31/2025 - I put 430 miles on my first set of Speed 5 and bought a second pair and have put on 143 miles on them. My opinion on these shoes has not changed. Great shoes and way better than the god awful Speed 4. Original Review: Long winded review so the TLDR version is: if you loved the Speed 4s and thought they were the best, then you're going to hate this version. Over 140 miles in these and my rankings are from best to worst: Speed 1 & 2 > Speed 5 > Speed 3 >>>>>>>>>>>>>Speed 4 (I hated that shoe). Me: 54 year old runner. 35-45 miles per week. I'm old so I do a lot of zone 2 work with only one speed session per week which is either a longer tempo run or threshold repeats. I rarely do VO2 max stuff. For reference my zone 2 pace is roughly 9:00-9:30 min/mile. I fight against having to buy different shoes for each kind of workout so I try to find a work horse shoe (although I do have an OG Endorphin Pro I with only 200 miles and an Asics Magic Speed for those occasional VO2 max sessions). Size: I've run in the original, the 2s, 3s, and 4s. In fact I still have a 2 with 700+ miles and a 3 with 400+ miles so I can still compare the older versions with newer models. So when I discuss comparisons it's not with one of those "I remember back when I wore them years ago..." kind of comparisons. The 4's had a super narrow toe box for me to the point where my small toe would literally jut out over the side of the shoe. Length-wise it was fine but man these tapered into a narrow toe box and I had to go to an alternating lacing pattern to widen these a little. I put 400 miles on my usual size but since I can't find any other brand/model that's similar, I grudgingly got the 4s again but a half size up (and that brought issues as they fit fine width-wise getting the bigger size but then the rocker didn't work when I ran). The 5s fit great! I actually think they're roomier than the 3s and that's saying a lot since the 3s were known to be roomy. I got them in my normal size but I've had to use a runner's loop to keep them snug. I really don't mind as thank god the toe box is normal!!!! If you thought the 4s fit just fine for your narrow foot, you're totally screwed with these 5s. I suggest you try them on at a local running store before buying. What are they like to run in? - I still prefer the original and the 2s (I couldn't tell the difference between the OG and 2s). I like the cushion and the propulsion and they were just fun to run in. They also fit like a moccasin. For me they were very good at easy recovery paces but excellent at tempo or higher. - The 3s weren't as propulsive but were more stable as the footprint of the shoe was widened. So no longer did they feel wobbly going over uneven pavement. However they became just a tad more plodding as a result. They were excellent at recovery paces but only very good at tempo or higher. Basically the exact opposite of the OG and 2s. - The 4s were terrible at slower paces as I felt they were heavily biased towards heel cushioning with almost nothing in the fore/mid foot. When I ran slowly it felt like I was running in those shoes made 10 years ago before the super foams came out. And for me, I tend to land fore/mid foot at easy paces. So I began to over stride when I'd go slowly which gave me achilles issues. I really disliked this shoe but again, I couldn't find anything else that were more tolerable to run in. Terrible at slower paces and very good at tempo or higher. But boy, I really had to heel plant for these to be tolerable. Now to the 5s. I actually really like this shoe. It's not quite like the OG/2 but comes really really close. It feels like they've listened to people's complaints about the 4s and changed the rocker and softened the fore/mid foot so that these shoes for me are a great all arounder. When I run slowly, they provide enough cushion so I actually look forward to doing my bread and butter 7-8 mile base runs. And they provide enough propulsion so that I'm not fighting the shoe when doing intervals or longer tempo sessions. They're not quite as fun as the OG/2s as they feel heavier than those shoes. But since I can't get the OG/2 anymore NEW in my size, these will do. For reference, when the 4s went on sale at really cheap prices, I didn't bother snatching up 3 pairs of them at a discount like I did all other versions. But with the 5s, I for sure will hoard them when they go on sale. Very good almost excellent at slower paces. Very good almost excellent at tempo or higher. For reference the photo is of the 2,3,4, and 5 from left to right so you can see the toe box.

Endorphin Speed 5’s are stand-alone shoes for long distance street races. As I was a big fan of Speed 2’s, I decided to give in and try something new. Maybe it was the flashy colors that caught my attention. One of the first things I noticed was the toe box ingenuity. It is spacious, doesn’t cramp the toes and the mesh offers a breathable experience throughout the entirety of my runs. The foam gives a cloud like feeling for the feet, all while the heels offer a spring like reaction upon every stride. The overall shoe weight is unmatchable with the “step-in comfort”. No more pulling down of my socks or heel rubbing! The shoes rocker shape also propels you on the shorter races like the 5K. More importantly, my lower legs and ankles no longer have dreaded soreness like other led competitors’ shoes have given me. For now, I’ll be sticking to Speed 5’s as my go too. Possible might try new additions as they come out. Why try to re-invent the wheel once it’s shaped? For a novice runner like me I don’t need a fancy carbon plated shoe. Nylon plated seems to do the trick. One downside would be the price of the shoes. If this sport becomes your passion the Speed 5’s are well worth the price in preventing injuries.

This pair currently has 100-110 miles on it. Used primarily for interval sessions. This shoe has some miles from treadmill speed and incline intervals as well as some track time for speed intervals. Stable and comfortable at faster paces (6-8:30min/mi). I don't find this shoe enjoyable at slower paces (9-12min/mi); the ride feels flat and the support isn't conducive to running slow. Fits as expected however took a few runs to soften up the area around the top eyelets. They did rub causing some irritation and blisters for the first few runs. Traction is okay on dry pavement or treadmill, noticed it did not feel confident on a wet track (not that it was going to slip out or cause a fall but not as fast or confident taking the curves at speed when wet). Upper is breathable, doesn't provide a ton of unnecessary support for longer efforts (think marathon pace blocks in a long run). Would recommend for people looking for a specific shoe to do intervals or speed work with other shoes for long runs at pace.

I use these shoes for walking. Great padding all round your foot, lots of cushion while walking, foam can make some sounds while walking on hard surfaces like in a office floor, polished concrete ( very negligible ). They feel soft yet they have lots of lateral stability you wont twist an ankle in these and lots of traction too. Weight is about average. Shoe feels like high quality, you wont wear it out anytime soon. Almost too many color choices. Upper has a TON of ventilation even for a 100F walk your feet wont be cooked. Shoes are pretty easy to put on and while on your feet have place to move around, lots of shoes these days are super tight unlike these. True to size. I ordered about 8 pairs before finally finding these beauties. Overall I'm super happy only thing that's negative at the beginning shoes were stinky ( smell of rubber ) but it went away in few days.

Honestly, I absolutely love this shoe. That said, I don’t know if it’s a durability issue or a craftsmanship defect, but after less than 20 miles, one of the eyelets on my left shoe was tearing away from the fabric, and there was a hole in the upper next to it. Amazon was able to do a return after the window, which I appreciate appreciated. I think I will probably re-order the shoe because my guess is that it was a defect in the specific shoe and not the model itself.

Excellent energy return in a non carbon plated racer. Works good for easy runs but seems more at home with faster paces. Great stability and support, at an unbeatable value. I’m 6’1 and 205lbs and this shoe stays comfortable and stable even in fast paced sprints.

I’ve used these for fast paces and races - up to half marathon distance. I think they are AWESOME and perhaps my favorite pair in my rotation. The things I like: the toe box is spacious and the single layer engineered mesh is the most breathable upper I’ve had. The foam is energetic with good energy return. The overall weight is light and they have that “step-in comfort” that disappears onnre foot. The heel collar is comfy with no rubbing or sock pulling. The shoes have a great rocker shape which seems propulsive at race paces. Most importantly, they’ve passed the day-after soreness test where my legs and hips have felt good. I’m now a fan of this model and will likely make it a normal pair to upgrade as new versions come out. For recreational runners like me who don’t need a carbon plated shoe, the nylon plate is plenty and I don’t feel wanting for a full race shoe. If there is one downside, it’s that on a treadmill, the great foam is springy enough to be a little bouncy since the treadmill deck also flexes. But for outside on tempo/speed/race efforts — this is the fave. I use a firmer shoe on the treadmill.

The shoes are really good. They feel really good. I dont think they will last 6 weeks though. The foam is falling apart in less than a week. Insane for over a hundred dollars. My last new balances lasted 5 years and over a thousand miles and were half the price. I wont be purchasing saucony shoes ever again. I am overseas and cant return 🤢🤮 2nd picture is 2 months never ran outside, only on the treadmill. These shoes are trash. Only walked outside with them. Do not buy these shoes 🤣 I have never purchased any shoes in my life that fall apart so fast.

Amazing product and amazing price

The box was badly damaged and you sent the wrong size. I ordered uk 9.5 you sent Uk 8.5 The shoes themselves are good. Your picking process and transportation packaging needs to be looked at.

Tenis excelente porem veio 2 tamanhos acima. Tive que devolver.

Wow One of the best for running Little bit slippery but manageable

Es mi tenis favorito! Suficiente para dias largos, repes intensas, o incluso dias ligeros, sin la necesidad de placas de carbono agresivas. La espuma y el rocker es un deleite. Saucony garantía