Nuestra conclusión

The Endorphin Trainer marks a step forward for Saucony in the ultra-competitive supertrainer category, but we think it still lags behind top-tier rivals. We were impressed by its breathable-and-comfortable upper and ultra-bouncy IncrediRUN foam, which felt amazing on our runs. However, the firm PWRRUN layer and heavy build made our runs less enjoyable, especially at faster paces. It may work well for Saucony fans seeking a premium training shoe, but we believe most runners will prefer a more refined competitor.

Pros

  • Ultra-bouncy incrediRUN foam
  • Ideal for slow long runs
  • PWRRUN+ insole adds comfort
  • Wide, stable midsole
  • Snappy for forefoot and midfoot strikers
  • Much better than the Kinvara Pro
  • Comfortable, breathable upper
  • Amazing lockdown

Contras

  • Dull, firm-as-a-brick PWRRUN foam
  • Narrow toebox
  • Heavier than key rivals
  • Low rubber coverage

Veredicto de los usuarios

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Who should buy

We believe that the Endorphin Trainer can serve well to:

  • Runners who disliked the Saucony Kinvara Pro’s lack of responsiveness.
  • Forefoot or midfoot strikers needing a long-run shoe packed with a carbon plate and cutting-edge foam at a reasonable price.
  • Saucony fans of the Endorphin line wanting a premium complement to their Endorphin Pro 4 or Endorphin Speed 4 for handling slow runs.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer

Who should NOT buy

We believe that the Endorphin Trainer struggles a bit as a tempo shoe. Its ultra-firm PWRRUN layer that goes below the plate delivers low energy return and adds too much weight. We definitely think that the Nike Zoom Fly 6 or ASICS Superblast 2 offer a better running experience at faster paces.

Additionally, from our perspective, the narrow, snug-toe fit leaves little room for comfort during long runs for most runners. We think that anyone needing a more accommodating toebox will find the Adidas Adizero EVO SL or New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3 to be superior alternatives.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer parts

Amortiguación

Altura de la suela en la zona del talón

The Endorphin Trainer hit the market as quick as possible to replace the underwhelming Kinvara Pro, and despite its slightly lower stack height, we feel it’s far more of a genuine supertrainer.

Some claim that for a shoe to qualify as a supertrainer, it must exceed 40 mm of stack height—but we think that’s becoming an arbitrary benchmark mainly tied to World Athletics’ racing limits.

In reality, the difference between 38.9 mm and, say, 40.3 mm is almost impossible to feel. We believe that a true supertrainer is more about being a performance-focused trainer packed with a high-rebound foam.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Heel stack
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 38.9 mm
Media 34.2 mm
En comparación con 408 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
22.5 mm
Altura de la suela en la zona del talón
46.3 mm

Altura de la suela en el antepié

The forefoot also packs top-tier cushioning at 32.0 mm, making the Endorphin Trainer a super-solid choice for long runs.

With its new naming, it's clear that Saucony positions this shoe as the training companion to the Endorphin series, offering extra durability while keeping an ultra-responsive feel underfoot.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Forefoot stack
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 32.0 mm
Media 25.7 mm
En comparación con 408 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
13.7 mm
Altura de la suela en el antepié
37.1 mm

Drop

This shoe is listed with an 8 mm drop, but we measured 6.9 mm—slightly less, though it feels the same underfoot. It offers a solid geometry that works smoothly for all footstrikes, yet we believe it’s best for midfoot strikers.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Drop
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 6.9 mm
Media 8.6 mm
En comparación con 408 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
-0.2 mm
Drop
16.1 mm

Suavidad de la mediasuela

Now we’re getting to the most fascinating part of the Endorphin Trainer. While the Kinvara Pro really underwhelmed with its energy return, Saucony aimed to flip the script here.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer incrediRUN

Like many supertrainers, this shoe features a dual-foam setup, with the premium one closer to the foot. We tested the TPEE-based incrediRUN foam and it shattered our lab record with an ultra-low 5.9 HA softness—an absolutely mind-blowing result.

During our runs, it felt remarkably different from anything else and bounced back with crazy energy!

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Midsole softness
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 5.9 HA
Media 20.9 HA
Utilizamos la media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 335 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
5.9 HA
Suavidad de la mediasuela (de blanda a firme)
35.0 HA

Suavidad de la espuma secundaria

However, the Endorphin Trainer doesn’t feel that soft when hitting the ground, and there’s a good reason. While most brands blend two foams with similar densities, Saucony went bold and mixed the softest foam we’ve ever tested in the lab with... one of the firmest!

That’s why, in our video, the shoe looks firm—pressing on the secondary layer shows almost no deformation. But underfoot, we experienced a different feel due to the much softer incrediRUN layer. We believe this setup won’t suit everyone, but it’s undeniably unique.

We found that the secondary layer hit 37.8 HA on our durometer, so we confirmed it's firm as concrete. And it's made from PWRRUN, so isn’t new for Saucony fans, but they modified the EVA foam to be ultra-dense here. In our view, maybe too much...

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Secondary foam softness
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 37.8 HA
Media 24.1 HA
Utilizamos la media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 66 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
9.9 HA
Suavidad de la espuma secundaria (de blanda a firme)
40.0 HA

Rigidez de la mediasuela en frío (%)

Like PEBA, TPEE basically keeps its softness even in cold temperatures. In the Endorphin Trainer, we measured a minor 3% change after 20 minutes in the freezer. That's a super-impressive result!

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Midsole softness in cold (%)
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 3%
Media 25%
En comparación con 334 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1%
Rigidez de la mediasuela en frío
63%

Grosor de la plantilla

In true Saucony fashion, the insole stands out as something special compared to average offerings. We discovered it’s crafted from PWRRUN+ (TPU) foam, delivering an ultra-plush, bouncy feel thanks to its generous 7.2 mm thickness.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Insole thickness
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 7.2 mm
Media 4.5 mm
En comparación con 404 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1.5 mm
Grosor de la plantilla
7.3 mm

Rocker

Those who love a late-stage rocker—meaning it doesn’t kick in early—will instantly appreciate the Endorphin Trainer, as we discovered it’s one of the most less curved midfoot designs among the supertrainers we tested.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer side

This setup favors runners who dislike an overly-intrusive feel yet crave a highly-energized, snappy toe-off. And, as we said before, we think it's better suited for those who strike the ground with the midfoot or forefoot.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Rocker

Plate

The Endorphin Trainer features a carbon plate, but we discovered it’s a different-than-usual design—covering only 3/4 of the shoe and leaving the heel unplated for softer landings. And despite being a partial-length plate, Saucony considers it part of the Speedroll Technology series.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Plate

Tallaje y ajuste

Talla

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Anchura / Ajuste

The Endorphin Trainer midsole feels highly-polarizing, and we found the toebox mirrors that bold character. Before taking measurements, we simply tried the shoes on to gain a first impression, instantly realizing this wasn’t going to suit every feet out there.

Still, we believe numbers beat feelings, so we went ahead and measured. We crafted a 1:1 gel mold of the toebox using our ultra-precise method and discovered that at 92.3 mm, the widest part of the upper is definitely narrower than the average running shoe.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Toebox width - widest part
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 92.3 mm
Media 95.4 mm
En comparación con 163 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
88.5 mm
Anchura / Ajuste
102.4 mm

Anchura de la parte delantera

And for those with wide feet, things get even trickier as we move closer to the tip of the Endorphin Trainer.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer tapered

In the big toe area, we measured 70.1 mm, which is undeniably a tapered, race-inspired design choice by Saucony.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Toebox width - big toe
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 70.1 mm
Media 73.6 mm
En comparación con 163 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
66.7 mm
Anchura de la parte delantera
83.6 mm

Altura de la parte delantera

On the other hand, we were surprised by the impressively high toebox height of the Endorphin Trainer at 28.9 mm.

There’s generous space for upward toe movement, making it a pleasant surprise for runners using this shoe for marathon-prep long runs.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Toebox height
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 28.9 mm
Media 27.2 mm
En comparación con 162 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
22.4 mm
Altura de la parte delantera
33.8 mm

Estabilidad

Prueba de estabilidad lateral

With such a towering platform and a cloud-soft foam layer, we expected some instability. However, we discovered that the ultra-firm PWRRUN layer offsets this with extra support, making it a smart pick for runners with moderate stability needs.

Additionally, we were impressed by how the rigid carbon plate adds midfoot and forefoot stability, while the wide base provides a centered, secure ride.

Rigidez torsional

Packing almost 40 mm of foam and a carbon plate, we knew this was destined to be a super-rigid shoe. However, since the plate stops short of the heel, we thought it might get a 4... but nope, it achieved a clear 5/5.

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 5
Media 3.4
En comparación con 387 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1
Rigidez torsional
5

Rigidez del contrafuerte del talón

The heel counter is surprisingly flexible, scoring 2/5. This is quite unusual among supertrainers, though we believe Saucony clearly positions this shoe as less ideal for heel strikers—and this adds yet another subtle reason for that.

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 2
Media 2.9
En comparación con 371 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1
Rigidez del contrafuerte del talón
5

Anchura de la mediasuela - antepié

The Endorphin Trainer is massive—there’s simply no other way to describe it. When we unboxed the pair, we were genuinely amazed by its ultra-broad shape, making an average daily trainer look almost like a child’s shoe.

In the forefoot, we measured an impressive 121.7 mm width, which aligns more with a stability shoe. This super-wide platform plays a huge role in the grounded-and-secure feel we discovered while testing this model.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Midsole width - forefoot
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 121.7 mm
Media 114.2 mm
En comparación con 409 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
102.2 mm
Anchura de la mediasuela - antepié
126.9 mm

Anchura de la mediasuela - talón

The heel is even more impressive when compared to the average shoe, measuring a remarkable 100.1 mm. It adds extra stability for heel strikers—especially important since the plate stops in the midfoot and the heel counter remains ultra-pliable.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Midsole width - heel
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 100.1 mm
Media 90.7 mm
En comparación con 409 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
70.8 mm
Anchura de la mediasuela - talón
106.6 mm

Flexibilidad / Rigidez

Packing such a thick foam layer and a carbon plate running through the midfoot and forefoot, we knew this shoe wasn’t going to be flexible.

We tested it by bending the shoe 30 degrees with our custom machine, and 25.6N confirms it's stiff as a supershoe.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Flexibility / Stiffness
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 25.6N
Media 15.8N
En comparación con 129 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
4.6N
Flexibilidad <> Rigidez
28.5N

Peso

Here in the lab, the Endorphin Trainer kept getting more polarizing with every single test—and weight followed the same trend. We discovered that at 10.05 oz or 285g, this is no lightweight supertrainer, leaving us underwhelmed.

It may not feel too heavy during slow or steady long runs, but when we tested it at faster paces, the bulky construction became unmistakably noticeable compared to many competitors on the market.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Weight
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 10.05 oz (285g)
Media 9.35 oz (265g)
En comparación con 409 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
5.61 oz (159g)
Peso
12.59 oz (357g)

Transpirabilidad

One of the first things that struck us visually about the Endorphin Trainer was the oversized ventilation holes that clearly signaled sky-high breathability.

To confirm this, we used our smoke machine and discovered that the Endorphin Trainer breathes incredibly well, almost outperforming every other shoe we’ve tested when it comes to battling overheating on hot long runs. It's another 5 out of 5 for this shoe.

We found that the thin mesh material used by Saucony contributes massively to this breathable feel, and when we moved the upper across a bright light, the airy structure became even more obvious to us.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Microscope

Taking things further, we examined the shoe under our digital microscope, and it became clear that Saucony made a bold choice by skipping the common secondary layer under the mesh—boosting airflow compared to what we see in most running shoes.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer mesh

Interestingly, we noticed the upper has a dual-personality design: the front half is thin and race-ready, while the rear section leans toward extra-comfort with generous padding for a plush-and-supportive feel.

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 5
Media 3.8
En comparación con 338 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1
Transpirabilidad
5

Durabilidad

Durabilidad de la parte delantera

We had some concerns about possible durability issues, as the shoe lacks a reinforcement layer below the upper, but after we tested it with our Dremel, the Endorphin Trainer impressed us with a respectable 3/5.

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 3
Media 2.6
En comparación con 272 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1
Durabilidad de la parte delantera
5

Durabilidad del acolchado del talón

We got exactly the 3/5 score in the heel, although here it feels less impressive...

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 3
Media 3.3
En comparación con 267 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1
Durabilidad del acolchado del talón
5

Dureza de la suela

We were surprised to find that the Endorphin Trainer features only minimal orange rubber on the outsole, placed solely in the most wear-prone spots, leaving most of the surface exposed to a reinforced PWRRUN layer—raising clear concerns about long-term durability and wet traction here in the lab.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer outsole design

The orange rubber should offer pretty durable protection, and at 81.8 HC, it showcased average hardness. However, we strongly advise sticking to smooth, well-paved roads, as the exposed sections could face rapid wear and tear on rougher terrains.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Outsole hardness
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 81.8 HC
Media 79.5 HC
Utilizamos la media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 389 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
55.5 HC
Dureza de la suela
93.0 HC

Durabilidad de la suela

To check if the orange rubber used by Saucony held well against wear and tear, we tested it with our Dremel for the third time in this review. After the tool finished, we found just 0.7 mm of damage, which is pleasantly impressive!

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 0.7 mm
Media 1.1 mm
En comparación con 250 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
0.0 mm
Desgaste de la suela
2.0 mm

Grosor de la suela

Those two pods of rubber feature 3.1 mm of thickness, which is quite a lot for a performance shoe designed for tempo workouts. We believe Saucony could use a thinner, 1.5 or 2.0 mm rubber instead, covering more outsole and boosting the shoe’s surface versatility.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Outsole thickness
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 3.1 mm
Media 3.3 mm
En comparación con 405 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
1.0 mm
Grosor de la suela
6.0 mm

EVA outsole

We were happy to see that the reinforced EVA, despite being much softer than the rubber at 59 HC, delivered a good outcome with only 0.8 mm of damage against our Dremel.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer dremel 2

However, it’s important to remember the real issue isn’t regular wear—but running on paths with sharp stones or debris, where ultra-durable works wonders while this EVA material can rip apart quickly.

Varios

Precio

The supertrainer market is boiling like lava with fierce competition among brands. The Endorphin Trainer is priced right alongside most rivals—neither discounted nor premium—and it feels exactly that way against the competition, landing squarely in the middle of the pack.

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer $180
En comparación con 409 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
€50
Precio
€300

Elementos reflectantes

As seen in many of their other models, Saucony added three small, reflective circles to the back of the shoe for extra nighttime visibility.

Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer

Acolchado de la lengüeta

One of the usual traits of supertrainers is you get some of the performance from a supershoe combined with the comfortable feel of a daily trainer. And the tongue definitely leans toward the latter category.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer tongue

In fact, we discovered it feels almost identical to what we tested on the Saucony Ride 18, although this one is slightly thinner at 6.5 mm, yet still comfortable for long runs. We also found zero issues with the ultra-secure laces and the durable eyelet chain, which uses punched holes and includes an extra one for a runner's knot.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Tongue padding
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer 6.5 mm
Media 5.8 mm
En comparación con 406 zapatillas de running para asfalto
Número de zapatillas
0.4 mm
Acolchado de la lengüeta
14.2 mm

Lengüeta: tipo de refuerzo

We found that Saucony added a partial gusset to the tongue, and it feels fantastic for a tempo-focused shoe—it’s non-intrusive, feather-light, and holds the tongue perfectly in place without any annoying shifts.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Tongue: gusset type
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer Ambos lados (semi)

Tirador del talón

Saucony went with a sleek, minimal design, skipping a heel tab and using some TPU overlays to cover the stitching, giving the shoe a polished, premium finish.

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Heel tab
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer Ninguno

Plantilla extraíble

The FormFit insole of the Endorphin Trainer looks ultra-cool, but if you want to remove it, there’s absolutely no problem doing so!

Saucony Endorphin Trainer Removable insole
Resultados de las pruebas
Endorphin Trainer