Saucony Endorphin Speed 5

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 is a speed training shoe featuring a full race-foam midsole and a plastic plate. Priced at $175, it competes with models like the Adidas EVO SL ($150) and Hoka Mach X2 ($190). Here at Supwell, we loved the Endorphin Speed 3—it was fun, bouncy, and featured a large rocker with near-perfect geometry. Unfortunately, the Speed 4 was a letdown. It had an awkward ducktail at the back, felt slappy underfoot, and lacked the smooth, fun ride of its predecessor. It aimed to be a more serious speed training shoe but was weighed down by a mushy feel that made it hard to run fast in. With the Speed 5, Saucony seems to have fixed most of what didn’t work in the 4. The specs are more in line with the Speed 3: it has that same great rocker, an 8mm drop, no gimmicks, and a full slab of PWRRUN PB, Saucony’s beaded PEBA race foam. The winged plastic plate returns, but this time they’ve removed the lateral winglet while keeping the one on the medial side, likely in an effort to balance stability without overdoing structure. The upper is also a big step up. It offers a great step-in feel—not overly plush, but comfortable and dialed in. The toe box is slightly narrow, though more voluminous than in the Speed 4. Overall, it feels like Saucony has returned to the spirit of what made the Speed 3 so special: a fun, lightweight, bouncy daily trainer with solid speed potential. However, with its older (and slightly less durable) foam and higher price point compared to competitors, you may want to consider a more budget-friendly option like the Adidas EVO SL at $150, which offers a similarly fast ride with a more modern feel.