Saucony Endorphin Trainer Review | 4:30 Marathon Shoe

You read that right, there’s an entirely new shoe in the Endorphin line up. Not really a surprise when they’ve found such massive success with the shoes that they’d want to expand on it. But the question becomes do we need it? Here’s our Saucony Endorphin Trainer review to give you the scoop.

Saucony has really catapulted forward in recent years with the introduction of their Endorphin line up. So it’s a no brainer to keep adding to the series…or is it?

There are a lot of mixed thoughts on this new Saucony Endorphin Trainer and I think it comes down to the speed of the tester and what they want out of the shoe. Middle and back of the pack runners are going to really enjoy this for half and marathon training or race days.

Who is This For?

Right now we’d say if you like the Kinvara Pro or Endorphin Shift 3, no longer in the line up, this is an upgraded choice.

And if you’re already sold on the feel of the Endorphin line (we are) then this could become a more durable daily trainer to give you that same feeling.

• Wide Feet: Generally we do not find Endorphins to be great for wide feet.
• Heavier Runners: The change in foam should ensure that these don’t breakdown as fast.
• Long Runs: Absolutely designed to go the distance and feel good.
• Front of the Pack: Only as an easy run shoe, this is not a tempo or speed shoe for 3 hour runners, but a nice race for the midpack.

This is a max cushioned daily run shoe, that’s trying to fit in to the super trainer category, but might not be there yet.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Overview

This is is a 3/4 carbon plated running shoe that’s not designed to be your top in Saucony Elite, but also doesn’t feel as speedy as the Endorphin Pro 4 that’s become a pretty beloved shoe.

In truth, it feels like most like a max cushioned training shoe and the plate isn’t super noticeable. It’s going to be a daily trainer to race day shoe that the back and middle of the pack enjoy for being lighter, bouncier and a really nice ride. But it’s not an overly fast shoe.

It’s a shoe that can serve a number of paces for those around or above the say 4:30 marathon times.

Let’s try to breakdown what all of that means!

Having run in this shoe a bunch of times, I will say I never put it on and thought “YES time for my speed workout”. Instead, I thought man this is a nice little run. However, I did play with some marathon paced miles and a variety of other speeds to see what the results would be.

You can pick up the pace and that 9 min mile is really comfy , so it’s not a plush shoe that sucks away your energy. It’s a really nice stable ride that feels bouncier than most daily trainers. Plus, there’s just a slight rocker giving you that little bit of a forward motion without being in-your-face super shoe.Like most of the super shoes now, you’ll find the carbon plate here is layered between 2 types of foam. The top layer of IncrediRun foam is giving you that bounce and softness, while the bottom layer of PWRRUN foam gives the shoe enough structure to not sink to the ground and provides more longevity to the foam.

Another reason we like this shoe for the mid-pack and even our heavier runners? It’s more stable than most super shoes thanks to the flare at the heel and the structure of the midfoot.

What’s with the shorter carbon plate?

By using a 3/4 length plate the average runner is going to find some key benefits. Another reason we say this shoe might not be the super trainer they planned, but instead a really fantastic

One of the reasons that super shoes don’t always work for slower is just different biomechanics.

It’s not that they don’t have the potential to help all paces, but the 3:00 runner has a different stride than a 5:00 runner. Not bad, just different. And one of those differences is often in ankle mobility, which needs to be higher with a really stiff full plated shoe.

The 3/4 length is going to help runners still feel all the softness of the foam under the heel, while being able to get a good push and power out of their toes.

Having compared it to the Kinvara Pro in many places, I felt compelled to share them side by side. There are a few major differences: Endorphin Trainer is bouncier and 100% the shoe I would pick between the two.

But on the downside, it’s also heavier and that goes against our speedy goals…which once again points back to who we think the shoe is really for! NOT the front of the pack.

Specifications

• Weight: 9.9 oz for men’s, 8.9 oz women’s
• Heel Drop: 8 mm
• Stack: 41 mm
• Not available in wide (the Endorphin line rarely is)
• Available in 4 colors
• Available for $180 on Saucony.com

I don’t usually talk a lot about the breathable mesh upper that truly every shoe has at this point, but this one is pretty nice. Being in the super trainer category, they did pull out more weight and layers making it feel a bit cooler and that is absolutely a win when you’re putting in long miles.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Fit

Very traditional daily trainer Saucony fit. There shoes have always run true to size for me in length, but they can be a bit more narrow than other brands. This is NOT as narrow as the Endorphin Pro or Elite, more like the Saucony Ride.

Moderately padded tongue and heel collar make for a comfy fit without taking up too much room in the shoe. The gusseted tongue (meaning it’s attached inside) also ensures that it doesn’t slide around, which has become one of my favorite recent shoe changes.

Laces are unfortunately not long enough for heel lock lacing. I didn’t need it in this shoe, but I use it so often that I would need to replace the lace here.

While it’s not a wide toe box, I felt comfortable and unlike my first marathon in the original Endorphin Pro, I’m not worried about losing any toenails.

Similar Shoes to the Endorphin Trainer

We love trying to find comparable run shoes to help you know how the shoe feels or perhaps you’ll find something you like better in a brand that fits you differently.

• Hoka Skyward X (Similar big bouncy cushion, may not as fast)
• Brooks Hyperion Max 2 (Firmer ride super trainer)
• Nike Zoom Fly 6 (Carbon plated for the midpack, a little less bouncy)

Where Does This Fit in the Endorphin Line Up?

We are so glad you asked because the Endorphin line up has been a smash hit for years and sometimes you need to not mess with a good thing right?

Here’s a top level summary:

First there are updates coming to each of the shoes this year, so these are the current models, not the 2025 future releases.

• Saucony Endorphin Elite — Top level carbon plated racing shoe for the say sub 3:15 marathoner
• Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 — Supertrainer with a nylon plate, a little more durable, not as bouncy as the other Elite or the Pro
• Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 – A great bouncy, more cushioned carbon plated shoe that we think is a great middle of the pack racing shoe and for front of the pace great tempo training
• Saucony Endorphin Trainer – Now we’re looking a 3/4 length carbon plate for the mid-back of pack training and possibly racing.

They’re changing the top layer of foam across the line to what they now call IncrediRun which is EVA based. Traditionally we see EVA in more of your daily trainers like a Brooks Ghost or a Hoka Clifton, not in super shoes.

However, EVA is changing folks. It remains slightly more durable and therefore is going to help super shoes last a bit longer and as they keep tweaking the configuration they are finding that softness and bounce we all want.

While the Elite will have more of the IncrediRun, the Trainer is a layer of IncrediRun and a layer of what you see in things like Kinvara the PWRUN. That means it won’t have the same amount of bounce, but at 41mm…it’s gonna be cushioned.

Ready to get running? Grab the Endorphin Trainer here >>

Looking for more running shoes?

• Best Carbon Plated Running Shoes
• Sub 4 Hour Marathon Training Plan
• Marathon Pace Chart

Other ways to connect with Amanda
Instagram Daily Fun: RunToTheFinish

Facebook Community Chatter: RunToTheFinish

Sign Up to Receive a Weekly Newsletter with Top Running Tips and Laughs