7 Best Saucony Running Shoes in 2025

Among the Saucony roster, Endorphin Pro 4 earns the top spot. It has tons of cushioning and energy to boast while keeping its weight to a minimum. This superior combination makes it very forgiving on long races yet responsive on shorter races—a winner at every distance. Our lab results confirm what our feet truly enjoyed: running fast feels effortless with EP4.

This racer is a featherweight champion, measuring 7.8 oz (220g) on our scale—17.0% lighter than average! It even has a remarkably airy and surprisingly durable upper that gained above-average scores in the lab: a flawless 5/5 in our breathability test and an impressive 4/5 in our durability test.

The S-shaped carbon plate delivers seamless energy rebound in our strides. Our flex test reveals it’s 71.3% stiffer than average, sustaining our momentum and power efficiently together with the Speedroll technology.

Complementing the stiffness is the cushioned midsole—the true star of the show. It packs comfort and responsiveness in one. Testing for energy return, it impressed with remarkable scores of 71.7% in the heel and 71.5% in the forefoot. When it comes to comfort, we enjoyed its luscious 38.1 mm heel foam, which is able to reduce landing impact effectively, proven by its 139 SA score.

While already highly responsive, PB chasers who value every second should go for more aggressive supershoes.

Endorphin Speed 5 leads the Saucony pack with its incredible lightness, undeniable speed, and surprisingly forgiving ride. It delivers high performance over both short and long distances but shines best during tempo running, and our lab results verify its delightful versatility.

ES5 is much lighter and much more responsive than the average running shoe. Our scales reveal it’s only 8.5 oz (241g), 9.1% lighter than average. Upon dissecting the shoe, we discovered a nylon plate embedded in the midsole, explaining its peppy ride. What’s special about this nylon plate is that it feels more natural on foot than ultra-stiff carbon plates. Our bend test shows it’s even 14.0% more flexible than the average running shoe and even non-plated trainers.

ES5’s midsole contributes to its exhilarating speed, as evidenced by its impressive energy return scores of 73.2% in the heel and an even higher 78.2% in the forefoot.

On longer runs, the ES5 gave us comfort for miles. With an above-average stack height of 37.4/26.8 mm, the cushion is leg-saving. Both the heel and forefoot also returned above-average shock absorption scores of 132 SA (heel) and 108 SA (forefoot), proving the midsole’s capacity to reduce the impact of road running effectively.

Please note that this version offers a broader platform for enhanced stability. Runners who prioritize top-level agility should go for a more streamlined shoe.

Post-running and testing in the lab, the Ride 18 is undeniably the top daily trainer in the Saucony running line. It’s a reliable workhorse that strikes the perfect balance between cushioning, agility, and responsiveness. It has a light and flexible build with just the right amount of foam to keep us comfortable for daily mileage.

The Ride 18 stands out with its firm yet bouncy ride, boasting a 35.0/26.6 mm stack in the heel and forefoot. Our durometer readings reveal it’s 24.3% firmer than average, boosting the ride’s stability.

One of the Ride 18's key strengths lies in its effortless feel. Weighing only 9.0 oz (255g), it feels easy to pick up the pace when we want to. Its lightness is further enhanced by how easily it bends with our feet. Our flex test shows it’s 9.6% more adaptive than average. These elements enhance the Ride 18’s comfort and versatility for activities beyond running.

While the Ride 18 impressed us in so many ways, we wished for a more spacious toebox for long runs. Since it can’t handle wide or swollen feet, those who need more real estate in this area should check alternatives.

The second iteration of the Saucony Endorphin Elite shatters lab records. This shoe features comfort and protection for countless miles, a light build, and seamless propulsion. An excellent supershoe that feels good when running at top speed, the Endorphin Elite 2 is our top Saucony running shoe with the best shock absorption.

EE2 likes to push the limits and matches the soul of a racer. It stretched its platform to the maximum legal stack height of 39.9/32.4 mm, ensuring we never feel like running out of cushioning. On top of that, we measured solid shock absorption scores of 157 SA and 123 SA in the heel and forefoot, respectively, confirming its lasting comfort.

Each mile feels faster than the last because of its mind-blowing propulsion. We drilled down the numbers in our energy return test and recorded the highest we’ve seen in the lab so far: 80.6% in the heel and 82.1% in the forefoot. The respective averages are only at 58.3% and 60.5%, showing the extra power EE2 infuses in each stride.

Aside from its responsiveness, its airy 6.9 oz (197g) build seals the deal, allowing us to glide through our runs. Its lightness helps prevent fatigue and allows us to maintain proper form.

It's important to note that EE2's tapered toebox may cause discomfort for wide or swollen feet. Best to test this pair properly before running a marathon with it.

If we could use one word to capture our runs with the Kinvara 15, it would be effortless. Our lab agrees that its minimalist profile, airy build, and flexible midsole contribute to a breezy experience. Each stride feels smooth with this delicate trainer, making it our ultimate lightweight Saucony running shoe.

Kinvara 15 easily melted away with our feet even as we ran longer. We instantly felt its weightlessness but our scales further confirm it’s only 6.8 oz (194g), 26.8% below average. Adding to the freeing experience is its malleable midsole that gives in to our movements. Our bend test confirms it’s 53.3% more flexible than average, enhancing comfort.

The shoe’s high level of flexibility can be attributed to its low configuration of 27.9/23.5 mm. It gave us heightened ground connection, yet enough cushioning from ground impact. Moreover, it features a low 4.4 mm drop, 48.8% lower than average, which produces a more natural running feel.

However, its lightness and versatility sacrificed a more durable outsole. With its rubber being softer and thinner than average, we don’t expect it to last very long.

Our arches received lots of support and comfort from running with the Saucony Guide 18. As its name suggests and is backed up by lab tests, it guides our foot alignment with its subtle stability features, without losing its adaptive nature. The cushion offers a good mix of comfort and bounce, and delivers the best arch support among Saucony running shoes in our roster.

Guide 18 offers enhanced surefootedness through its midsole sidewalls and expansive base. Using our caliper, we measured a massive 121.9/105.0 mm, giving us lots of room to find our balance securely when landing.

The midsole feels well-balanced, standing taller than average at 36.0/27.7 mm for extra protection. The substantial heel flare smoothens our transitions, while the responsive foam improves turnover. In our energy return test, the heel scored an impressive 61.3% and the forefoot at 62.0%.

Despite its undeniable support, Guide 18 feels good for daily training because of its loose midsole. In our bend test, it emerged 12.0% more flexible than average, boosting comfort and versatility.

However, its focus on flexibility leaves a lot of foam exposed, which gives us durability concerns. Those who prefer a shoe that will surely last could try more reinforced options.

Running with the Kinvara Pro gave us confident and well-cushioned strides because of its stellar outsole and max stack, which we verified in the lab. It offers solid stability through its wide and stiff build, yet its top-level traction is what makes it shine among Saucony running shoes.

Kinvara Pro takes a different route and skips the traditional rubber in the outsole. It uses a reinforced foam instead, which scored an impressive 0.51 in our traction test, proving its bite even on wet surfaces. While we expected it to be more prone to wear, it smashed our Dremel test and proved itself durable by showing 60.0% less damage than the average rubber-covered shoe.

The Kinvara Pro offers zero ground feel, and our caliper shows us why: its stack height is a massive 45.6/35.3 mm, ensuring a well-protected ride for any foot striker. Its forefoot reached a notable 115 SA in our shock absorption test, too.

To ensure our steadiness, the midsole runs wider than average. Measuring 119.5/99.5 mm, it’s hard to lose balance, especially since the shoe has no give to twisting. In our manual assessment, we awarded it the maximum 5/5 torsional rigidity rating.

For such a bulky shoe, its toebox is extremely narrow. Therefore, we recommend those with broad feet to skip this pair.