Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 review

After thorough lab testing, we believe the Endorphin Elite 2 is a standout choice for:

• Runners always chasing the softest foam on the market. The EE2 offers a midsole that’s unlike anything else we’ve tested.
• Saucony loyalists who felt let down by the stiff feel of the first Endorphin Elite. This version flips the script completely.
• Tech-obsessed runners who want a shoe that stretches the limits of energy return and shock absorption. This shoe is a beast built to impress.

We’re convinced that the Endorphin Elite 2 isn’t the right choice for runners who need a stable supershoe—especially heel strikers. Its super-soft IncrediRUN midsole creates a wobbly platform that demands perfect form, and if you are not that type of runner, we think the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 or Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 are safer bets.

We also believe that the tapered toebox of the Elite 2 could be an issue for marathons. In our experience, a design like this can cause pinching after the first hour for those with wide feet. If you’ve dealt with toe pain or discomfort before, we’re confident that the Nike Alphafly 3 or New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4 are better picks.

Saucony designed this shoe mainly as a marathon supershoe, so top-tier shock absorption is a must. Luckily, our ASTM F1976 test confirmed it goes the distance with 157 SA in the heel and 123 SA in the forefoot.

We really need to talk about energy return, because the new IncrediRUN foam from Saucony is the real deal. We measured 80.6% energy return in the heel and 82.1% in the forefoot, and both scores are the highest we’ve ever recorded out of more than 200 shoes tested at the time of this review.

For context, the original Endorphin Elite returned 69.0% in the heel and 74.5% in the forefoot, so the difference between both is crystal-clear. And along with that extra bounce, the shoe feels wildly energetic and explosive—more than any other running shoe we've tested so far. And yes, we really paused before typing that.

To deliver maximum energy return and shock absorption together in a single package, Saucony pushed right up against World Athletics’ limits. We measured 39.9 mm in the heel, just 1 mm shy of the 40 mm legal threshold.

This is absolutely the right call for this shoe, as its ultra-soft midsole needs as much foam as possible to prevent bottoming out and maintain peak performance.

The forefoot also features a solid 32.4 mm, clearly above the 30 mm mark where most supershoes tend to hang around.

Saucony states a drop of 8 mm, and we measured 7.5 mm in the lab. The difference is really small—one of the lowest we’ve found in any supershoe so far.

But, is this the right drop for this shoe? Some might think a lower one would allow for more foam under the forefoot, but there's a catch. Because this shoe is so plush, heel strikers sink in quickly, and without enough offset, the ride feels flat instead of rolling forward. So Saucony had no choice but to stick with a moderately-high drop.

There are very few shoes on the market that spark a side-to-side grin even while warming up—and the Endorphin Elite 2 easily leads that feel-good pack.

We measured an ultra-plush 6.5 HA midsole softness from the TPEE-based IncrediRUN foam, putting this shoe in the top 1% of the softest we've ever tested in the lab. And honestly, running on it is even wilder than the number suggests.

The foam compresses and rebounds with a springy feel we’ve never experienced before. Even the Endorphin Trainer doesn’t come close, as the Elite 2 is the first shoe built entirely from IncrediRUN.

But extreme softness is a good thing? It depends. If you’re after cloud-like midsoles and joyful bounce, you’ll be in heaven. But if you lean toward a more grounded, balance-tuned ride, it might be a recipe for disaster.

The Endorphin Elite 2 comes with a dual-density midsole, sporting a firmer (if we can call that) foam above the carbon plate and an ultra-mega-hyper-plush layer of IncrediRUN below the carbon plate.

And while 6.5 HA was actually pretty impressive in terms of softness, the 4.0 HA we recorded in the lower layer really shattered everything we thought was possible with running shoe foams.

Look at this comparison from our microscope. The Saucony foam shows larger, rounder cells with thinner walls, which compress more easily and create a softer feel. In contrast, the Nike foam has smaller, irregular cells and thicker walls, making it denser and firmer. This difference in cell structure explains why Saucony's foam feels so soft and airy.

The rocker geometry in the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 clearly starts very late in the forefoot. As seen in the side profile, the curve doesn’t begin to rise until past the toes, resulting in a delayed roll-through. This late-stage rocker design suits midfoot and forefoot strikers chasing efficiency at fast paces.

Meanwhile, the heel offers an extended shape, paired with a pronounced bevel, that helps smooth out landings for heel strikers.

The most common carbon plate design in supershoes is the spoon shape with a curved forefoot, and that’s exactly what the Endorphin Elite 2 delivers. However, it’s goes higher in that area compared to rivals like the Nike Vaporfly 4, likely due to the low midsole softness.

When we laced up the pair of Elite 2 we purchased, we immediately noticed it wasn’t a spacious supershoe. Then again, with such a wild-hearted design, we weren’t expecting it to be.

That said, it never felt uncomfortable. Aimed at marathon racing, Saucony settled on a middle-ground width of 95.6 mm. But there’s more to uncover about the fit!

Where the upper might feel tight for some is in the toebox. We measured just 71.0 mm, which limits natural toe splay. For runners with average feet, it's passable, but those prone to toe discomfort after long efforts should take caution.

In contrast, the toebox height is surprisingly generous thanks to the oversized toe bumper Saucony built into this version.

However, while the vertical clearance is impressive at 29.5 mm, the bumper might feel stiff for runners who prefer a softer toe area.

The outsole of the Endorphin Elite 2 features four distinct rubber pieces. The forefoot showcases a large slab of lime-colored rubber with horizontal slits that enhance flexibility and reduce weight. On the heel, the lateral side gets a thinner strip of the same rubber, while the medial side sports a compact black segment with three raised circles in a subtle nod to Saucony’s logo.

Exposed midsole foam takes over the center area, where a deep midfoot cutout lightens the build and reveals the carbon plate.

We put the Endorphin Elite 2 in our machine to test its flexibility and recorded 17.5N. This is a result that aligns well with other supershoes featuring a single carbon plate.

The ultra-soft foam clearly influenced this number, as we believe a standard midsole compound would’ve landed closer to 20N.

While 6.9 oz or 197g is still an impressive number, we couldn’t ignore that other supershoes—like the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris—offer similar stack heights with noticeably lower weight. 7.0 oz used to be cutting-edge for competition shoes, but that’s no longer the case.

And the issue here is that Saucony asks for a cutting-edge price. While not a major flaw or a dealbreaker, we believe trimming about 10% off the weight should be a priority for the next version.

Saucony put a lot of effort into engineering the upper of the Endorphin Elite 2, and it turned out to be one of the most impressive in the entire supershoe category.

Ventilation is simply excellent. We connected our smoke machine, and airflow was so remarkable that we rated it a perfect 5 out of 5.

The upper is split into two parts—black for structure, yellow for ultra-breathable lightness. That’s why light passed through the yellow mesh with almost zero resistance.

Using our digital microscope, we discovered an amazing design where a translucent synthetic layer wraps around each mesh strand for structure. It’s a high-end, airflow-boosting design that can't be seen in mainstream models due to its manufacturing costs.

Padding is minimal, but that’s expected in a race-ready shoe focused on performance. But again, just look at how clearly our hands are visible through the upper! Saucony truly went the extra mile with this design.

If you’re looking for a stable supershoe, the Elite 2 is nowhere near that category. With its ultra-soft IncrediRUN foam, it demands top-tier form and pristine form. Otherwise, too much energy goes into staying upright, not moving forward.

Another side effect of having the softest midsole we've ever tested is that torsional rigidity only reached 4/5 (even with a full-length carbon plate) whereas most supershoes hit 5/5. Saucony might want to consider a slightly stiffer plate next time to boost stability.

The lateral cutout also plays a huge role in lowering this shoe's level of rigidity.

The heel counter is extremely pliable and comfort-focused, but it doesn’t provide much support with 1/5 of stiffness. We also found that it keeps the signature look from the first-gen Endorphin Elite, featuring a tilted design instead of a straight one.

Interestingly, Saucony slightly reduced the forefoot width from 118.3 mm in v1 to 116.2 mm in version 2. Maybe it was for weight-saving reasons, but it’s still plenty wide. In fact, we think this was a smart move, because super-wide racing shoes often lose agility and staying just above average tends to work well for a wider range of runners.

The heel also sits right around the average at 90.6 mm, slightly narrower than version 1’s 91.3 mm. 

Still, compared to other supershoes, it belongs to the wider group. Pushing it further wouldn’t have made sense, especially with so many rivals going ultra-light and this shoe already carrying extra grams.

Durability isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when talking about supershoes, since performance always takes the spotlight. But we think it still matters a lot, especially because these shoes always come with a high price tag.

That’s why we were thrilled to discover a 5/5 toebox durability score in the Elite 2. This ultra-durable yet breathable upper features a rare combo that truly stands out.

The heel counter uses its low-padded design to reach a strong 4 out of 5 score. As a result, we proved that the entire upper is built with long-lasting materials that won’t wear out early.

But wait, it gets even better. The rubber that Saucony used held up really well against our Dremel, even when spinning at 10K RPM. We measured only a 0.5 mm dent, much better than most supershoes.

Outsole thickness is just 1.2 mm, so about as thin as it gets. However, the rubber is strong as we proved in the lab, so we expect it to hold up better in real use than what the eye suggests at first glance.

The insole is quite thick for a supershoe at 4.8 mm, since most in this category stick to 2–3 mm. Let's say that it’s more in line with what we usually find in a daily trainer.

After 20 minutes in the freezer, the Elite 2 became 27% firmer. That’s not ideal, but since the foam is ultra-soft to begin with, most of you probably won’t notice much of a difference.

You can remove the insole if needed, but we think it's best to keep the original one since it's not made from regular EVA like most. It uses PWRRUN+ foam to further boost energy return, and it also adds extra cushion and comfort.

There are no reflective elements anywhere on the Elite 2. But let's be honest, you won't need them on race day, right? Better to spend the budget on that bouncy IncrediRUN foam instead.

The tongue features minimal padding at just 1.5 mm, although here’s a little trick from us—you can fold it to double the thickness and better protect your instep if needed. Take a look:

The lacing system skips the usual punched eyelets and uses lace loops, similar to the Alphafly upper. It allows for more precise adjustment and helps prevent lace bite, a premium detail that feels great on foot.

The tongue uses a sock-like, knitted design very similar to the one in the Adidas Adizero Prime X3 STRUNG—giving both shoes something else in common besides the sky-high price. And we found that it works great by completely preventing tongue shifting.

If you want the best of the best, no matter the category, you usually have to pay for it—whether it's a S-Works road bike, a Ferrari supercar, or a bottle of aged Rioja wine. The Endorphin Elite 2 fits into that premium-tier group with its record-breaking energy return and world-class upper, so if it's on your wishlist, you’d better be ready to spend more than usual on a running shoe.

The heel keeps the design of the first Endorphin Elite, with an extended collar that supports the Achilles tendon and makes it easier to slide your foot in. And it's especially helpful due to the knit-based integrated tongue.