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Saucony just officially dropped the Endorphin Speed and the Endorphin Shift to round out the running brand’s deservedly-hyped Endorphin Collection. The new additions might seem like just supporting actors to the line’s marquee shoe — the crazy-fast Endorphin Pro, which we reviewed a few weeks ago and Saucony has had trouble keeping in stock — but they’re built with the same, custom SPEEDROLL technology, and based on how everyday runners train in 2020, represent as good a companion set of sneakers as you could ask for.
The Endorphin Pro is Saucony’s contribution to the carbon plate revolution. It’s one of the fastest shoes on the market, and leverages various performance specs (PWRRUNPB cushioning, FORMFIT, 3D Overview comfort) to put runners on their toes, maximize energy return, and push them towards personal bests. In short: it’s a race day shoe. The design process involved Saucony athlete Jared Ward running 5:00 miles over and over again on a treadmill until a pair felt just right. He ran in the first official iteration of the Endorphin Pros at the New York City Marathon last November and finished sixth overall, as the first American.
As fun as it is to lace that shoe up, though, it’s impractical and unsustainable to run in too frequently during training. It’s best deployed for occasional time trials and track workouts, or saved for the day of a road race. For the not-so-sexy, mileage-building work, then, the other entries in Saucony’s Endorphin Collection are crucial. The Endorphin Shift and Speed also went through extensive testing with Saucony athletes — by the Boston brand’s own account, nearly 5,000 miles put on 25 different prototypes — and work well as options for everyday running and speed days, respectively.
The Shift is an ultra-cushioned shoe with a ton of support at the heel. It’s the meatiest shoe on offer here, with a thicker midsole, and for good reason — it’s built to manage multi-hundred-mile months, if necessary. The Speed, meanwhile, has a plate insert (not a carbon plate, but a “rigid nylon plate”), lightweight mesh and expert energy transfer. While it was imagined for tempo runs, and other days where you’re looking to push the pace 15 seconds or faster each mile, it would also make a great racing shoe. Its racing tech, after all, would beat most offerings from just a few years ago.
Each shoe is priced according to its purpose — the Endorphin Pro is $200, the Endorphin Speed is $160 and the Endorphin Shift is $140. The Shift, as an everyday shoe, is also the only one that includes colorways beyond the “White Mutant” scheme that characterizes the Endorphin Collection. Head here to find offerings in red, black and grey. And below, find the complete collection, with links to bring them home. We can’t stress enough — people want these shoes. They might have trouble lasting the holiday weekend. If you’re interested, you know what to do.
EVERYDAY
![](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-7.jpg?resize=1200%2C800)
Endorphin Shift
SPEED DAY
![](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C800)
Endorphin Speed
RACE DAY
![](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3-3.jpg?resize=1200%2C800)
Endorphin Pro
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