Article by Sally Reiley and Sam Winebaum
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 ($275)
Introduction
Sam: The Endorphin Elite 2 is unlike any of Saucony’s previous supershoes, or for that matter any of the many carbon supershoes we have tested.
Why? It features the softest foam we have ever experienced in a racer or for that matter any run shoe with incredibly quick rebound. Saucony calls this TPEE foam IncrediRun and while the naming is a bit “goofy” it is, I think, perfectly named. Its carbon plate plays well with the foam delivering enough stability and notably smooth propulsion without ever over prescribing a particular strike type.
It remains to be seen if “elites” will like it, and I bet they will, but for me, a slower and older road racer the shoe delivers a uniquely exciting, fun, effective and very fast experience.
This is not an “overweight” marathon shoe as some of the more forgiving shoes targeted at runners with less than elites times ar It weighs 7.16 oz / 203g in my US8.5 sample. It has the full maximum heel stack height of 39.5 mm with an 8mm drop to 31.5mm up front. Please read on as Sally, 3x 2nd in her age group at the NYC Marathon in recent years and I put it through its paces.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
The most exciting midsole ever? Very soft quick rebounding TPEE and effective carbon plate: Sam/Sally
Incredibly unique and fun ride!: Sally/Sam
Any pace, any distance: a very pace and strike type versatile super shoe: Sam/Sally
Elite racer that even us slower folks can race fast and also enjoy: Sam/Sally
Competitive weight for cushion: Sam/Sally
Mostly superb upper hold especially at the far rear of the shoe but up front.. Also see cons: Sam/Sally
Cons:
Overly narrow, low and stiff metatarsal/ bunion area) upper caused some very rare irritation for me. More use may change this: Sam This shoe also reawakened a forgotten bunion for me: Sally
Challenging for my low-volume foot to get a secure lace lockdown in midfoot/forefoot without a painful buckling of the fabric under the laces. Thick socks helped with this, admittedly still experimenting : Sally
Runs short in the toe box with a stiff toe bumper, accentuated for me by the need to wear thick socks to cushion/protect top of foot: Sally
Loud squishy sound that worsens when it is wet (somehow loud shoes annoy me more than others): Sally
May be too soft for "heavier" runners for shorter races where more sharp pop is desirable: while the soft foam is fantastic a bit firmer might be in order: Sam
Most comparable shoes
On Cloudboom Strike
Xtep 160X Pro 3.0
Nike Alphafly 1
Please find the testers full run bios at the end of the article after Comparisons.
Stats
Spec Weight: men's 7.0 oz / 199g
Prior Version Weight: men’s 7.15 oz / 202g US8.5
Sample Weight: men’s 7.16 oz / 203g US8.5 ,
women’s 6.5 oz / 182 g US W8
Stack Height: men’s 39.5 mm heel / 31.5 mm forefoot (8 mm drop spec)
Platform Width: mm 85 heel / 70(35) 105 mm midfoot / mm forefoot
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Sam: The first impression is bold and colorful with promise of an exciting friendly ride. The bulbous curving rear of the platform on the lateral landing side says lots of cushion while on the medial side the more vertical sidewalls hint at some stability for all the soft foam.
To pressing and on the run, the IncrediRun foam is by far the softest foam I have ever experienced in a racing shoe or for that matter any training shoe I can recall. I had concerns that it would be unstable and mushy on the run, that it was more of a “concept car” than a serious elite racing shoe. Neither came to be, and quite the contrary.
The upper is a very open engineered mesh with the interior a longitudinal mono mesh with vertical softer threads a softer material arrayed in branching non straight grouping of 3 threads each. This is not a particularly soft to the touch or in use pliable upper from lace up forward but I found it very secure. And given the very soft foam a secure upper is essential here.
The exception to that feel is the very soft, very smooth and comfortable rear of the shoe.
There is no heel counter per say just a softish mesh wrap with internal rubbery horizontal overlays and stout straps running from the lace up rearwards providing all the ear structure.
The achilles collar is high, with a new one on me (first seen in Elite 1), very smooth memory foam padding bolsters entirely at the achilles and extending very high. There is no side of ankle bolster padding as commonly seen. Despite what appears to be a very minimal rear construction and with all the soft foam below the rear hold is superb and incredibly comfortable.
The tongue is a stretch knit that connects the two sides of the upper with slightly denser knit in a band where the laces sit. I had no issues getting a good lockdown and did not have any lace bite if I keep the lace up moderately tight.
The medial midfoot is backed up by a stout support band along with one that extends to the rear
In addition the foot sits deeply into thin midsole sidewalls (the non transparent areas above the sockliner) which clearly also assists with stability.
I can well see given the non pliable nature of the upper and the stretch knit tongue that those with narrow low volume feet (Sally) may have to tighten down beyond a comfortable level.
The toe box is characterized by a toe bumper that is very high, extensive and firm for a racing shoe or even any road shoe.
It tends to pull in the width of the shoe just behind it towards the laces. The interior for sure not soft as the longitudinal mono mesh as do the vertical threads touches the foot (socks. I experienced some irritation, slight abrasion from the threads I think actually, with thin socks at one bunion (left below) which was only noticed after finishing runs but not in motion, a rarity but not unknown for me.
I think this area’s mesh could be relaxed or broadened especially given how stout the toe bumper is. In addition the stitching holding the front of the knit tongue could be less stiff to allow more vertical space there.
While the toe box is notably high it is for sure not broad or particularly forgiving. Regardless, the lock down is total and that is important given the soft foam below and is particularly so for forefoot strikers.
The fit in the toe box is just short of true to size in length (given in large part due to the toe bumper) and not particularly broad given the non-stretch nature of the mesh. Runners with broader, higher volume feet should consider sizing up . With my narrower to medium volume feet I am on the fence but in a next pair would likely size up half a size to get a bit more room for longer races.
I do think the somewhat rough on the skin mono mesh and vertical woven in threads in the toe box at the sides in combination with a bit less rigid toe bumper could be relaxed and toned down for a better, more comfortable fit. This is my very only knock on the shoe.
Sally: One cannot help but get excited just looking at this intriguing and uniquely beautiful new race shoe. We see the clean white lines of the upper, the striking contrast of the yellow/orange band of foam sandwiched between the lacy thread striped upper and that massive white stack of super squishy foam, and wow, let’s get it on our feet! Sam details the specifics of the upper really well, so no need to repeat it.
I have a relatively narrow woman’s foot and found it very easy to pull on, thanks to the fairly wide sock-like opening and very stretchy fully attached tongue. Once on my foot it felt unusually roomy in the midfoot for a race day shoe, contrasting to the snug “performance fit” we often see and expect to see in its competitors.
I played around with tightening the stretchy laces to lock down the midfoot and all felt secure. The heel hold is immediately good for me. Standing up, the extreme softness of the midsole foam is wild and basically a never-before sensation underfoot, which we will get into later.
I have had four runs now in this shoe and am still playing around with the fit. I find my sample pair in my usual size women’s 8 fits a bit short, especially when I wear thicker socks necessitated by both the cold winter temperatures (I can vouch for the high breathability of this upper) and my need for more padding on the top of my foot to prevent lace bite/tongue buckling pain.
For my first test run, I tightened the laces snugly to obtain that tighter race day fit that I am accustomed to, and the fabric of the built-in tongue bunched up under the laces causing discomfort.
The fit is definitely accommodating for a high-volume wider foot. My narrow foot swims around a bit. Heel hold is very solid.
For my second run I tried thicker socks while leaving the laces looser, and discovered the midfoot hold was amazingly good and more comfortable; however, my big toes took a beating (too short).
For my third run, I tried a runner's loop in the laces and found it did not change the fit much; heel lockdown has always been good. I do not feel the runner’s knot is needed in my case.
My fourth run was done without the runner’s knot and with medium snugness of the laces and all felt great after nine miles, the only area of any irritation being the slightly short toe box. I feel no hotspots anywhere else in this shoe and I feel as if I now have the fit nicely dialed in. The short length is tolerable for my big toes up to 8 or 9 miles, but I would size up half a size for half or full marathon distances.
Midsole & Platform
The midsole is a game changer! Saucony goes bold with an incredibly soft yet incredibly energetic TPEE foam they call IncrediRun. One may chuckle at the naming but that is exactly what the Elite 2 delivers! Yet for me it also delivers with also more than adequate stability which is really shocking. Tribute to the geometry, the rising midsoles sidewalls and the non stretch upper.
We filmed Sally and my son Nathan running the Elite 2 in the short clip below
One can clearly see that both compress the entire length of the platform deeply and quite linearly forward without what might be expected excess pronation due to the soft foam as it starts to return quickly from its deep compression. In particular, note how Sally’s toe off drives the foam down to the big toe. What one wants to see as the medial big toe is where the toe off power comes from. More rigid shoes on lighter runners will tend to require yet more force down and vertical knee lift to get that strong toe off effect. More heel striking slower runners in such shoes may end up to getting the full front benefit of such platforms.
Sitting on a max race legal platform stack height of 39.5 mm heel / 31.5 mm forefoot (8 mm drop spec) its weight in my US8.5 at 7.16 oz / 203g is not the very lightest out there but is competitive.
Combined with its now slotted carbon plate, which gives it a touch more front flex than other supershoes, it is for me the easiest to run really at any pace carbon shoe I have experienced, and I have run almost all of them. Next closest to the Elite 2 are the more flexible than usual Xtep 160x series also with TPE foam and the very first Vaporfly 4% Baby Blue,
Yes, the Adizero Prime X v1 had yet more incredible sensation of flying off its dual plated forefoot but total concentration was required at all times to stay aligned on the narrow unstable platform. Prime X Strung 2 widened the platform but became a much heavier shoe.
Here it is more about rebound off the heel, smooth roll through midfoot and an energetic but not crazily springy toe off due to the soft foam and slotted carbon plate which I assume has more give and flex than the usual as I note a touch of front flex.
One might expect such soft foam to make the shoe unstable. That was not the case even with more heel striking at slower paces as I tend to do.. I note that, unlike the Elite 1 (right below) there is now black rubber on the medial heel which while thin helps stabilize after initial landings and those rising midsole sidewalls.
I felt lots of softness at the heel when landing then a very quick and energetic return. The is not the somewhat mushy softness with slow more awkward return and transitions at the rear of the New Balance SC Elite v3 for example with its less reactive EVA/PEBA blend.
I believe that often the “instability” felt in carbon racers comes from the combination of firmer foams, very rigid carbon plates and the geometry. Less give if not perfectly aligned for a forward strike leads to more tippiness. I tend to heel strike initially on landings.
Here we also have vertical medial side walls and somewhat unusual for a super shoe the cut out is on the lateral instead of the medial side which I presume makes it more stable during the early phase of the gait.. The combination of soft foam, plate and geometry here leads to easy landings, lots of rebound off the rear, a smooth easy to find roll through midfoot and a surprisingly easy and very energetic roll and rebound off the front with the final SpeedRoll increasing in in its presence as the pace picks up.
Sally: This is the epitome of a shoe where the magic is in the midsole! And wow, what a unique riding midsole it is. A quick examination of this shoe exposes what is undoubtedly the softest foam I have felt, easily poked and pushed and squeezed with my bare hands.
The underfoot feel is unlike that of any other shoe: it is a lovely and lively, bouncy springy ride that rolls you forward to an energetic toe-off that simply leaves you wanting more and more, encouraging a faster cadence.
For a foam that feels so soft and squishy, this new IncrediRun foam can deliver an incredible amount of energy return. It is almost as if the foam firms up under the midfoot and forefoot as you run, especially when you pick up the pace. My Garmin surprised me with an average pace of 7:47 min/mi on my first 7 mile run in this shoe - to put it into perspective, that is almost my race pace, and yet it felt fairly effortless and my legs felt protected.
I am a midfoot striker, and this foam combined with this geometry works well for me. I feel the soft yet responsive foam just under the balls of my feet on landing and it rolls me smoothly forward and up to a springy toe-off. Even at slower paces, the shoe feels super responsive, making this a fairly versatile shoe that might suit more runners with different paces and slower goal times. The softness of the heel is accentuated and obviously is felt more at slower paces.
Despite the softness and the stack, the shoe is surprisingly stable, but understandably not the best at sharp turns. I did note a loud squishing sound, but nothing as annoyingly loud as the sound of a runner/runners in the AlphaFly.
Outsole
Sam: The outsole has an extensive cover of thin rubber. Grip on wet and dry surfaces has been good if not the best as the rubber is not particularly "sticky"
As noted above, unlike the Elite 1, there is now a patch of rubber on the medial side. The rubber on the medial side clearly serves dual purposes of wear surface but also to stabilize the soft foam a bit.
The decoupling grooves are now deeper at the heel and extend further forward with the rear of the midfoot no longer having as extensive a cavity. This geometry allows the foam to shine, provides a stable yet energetically soft rear platform and allows for a more forgiving rolling type toe off whereas before the toe off was centered on striking forward and popping vertically above all else.
Sally: Even the thin rubber covering the impact areas of the outsole is soft and pliable, not the hard rubber you might find on other shoes. If it weren’t for the squishy sound I hear when I run, the foot strike would be very quiet with this soft rubber. I had some minor traction issues on wet pavement, but not a deal breaker. Durability remains to be determined, but I see no signs of wear after 35 miles or so. All in all, a nice outsole that works well with and complements the soft responsive foam.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Sam: Undoubtedly a very fast shoe, the Elite 2 is also the most fun fast shoe I have run to date. Ver, very soft and forgiving yet with explosive rebound and with a surprisingly stable platform
Its adaptable ride should appeal to a wide range of runners and paces seeking a road racing shoe that is not over prescriptive or punishing. The ride is really different from any other to date, so soft but on return with so much obvious and quick return.
And regardless of pace, the ride feel and geometry remain consistent if increasing in speee of return as pace increases, unlike other supershoes which focus primarily on top end and elite runner paces. For example, I am pretty much unable to “jog” at say 9:30 paces in an Alphafly 3 yet here no problem. And the faster you go the better it feels and the quicker it reacts with the forward SpeedRoll making its presence really known the faster you go with a quick and decisive final roll to toe off.
I do feel that "lighter" faster runners will get the most speed benefit from the shoe as at 163 lbs / 73kg in a 7K race I felt they lacked some snappy pop for that kind of distance and pace due to their softness. I think Sally at 105 lbs / 48kg will get more and quicker reacting pop from the IncrediRUN foam.
The upper is superb in rear hold and comfort and I get an adequate midfoot hold in what in that area is a high volume part of the shoe. Towards the front, I see potential improvements.
My only negatives for the shoe are the side of toe box construction. The combination of non-stretched mono mesh with stitched in vertical threads led to some unusual bunion irritation. The area between the end of the toe bumper and lace up could have more volume on the medial side or the length of the toe bumper might be reduced.
My runs in the shoe to date have been short and fast even taking down a long standing Strava segment I had run 98 times before in all kinds of racers while in no way over pushing it. Every run at every pace has my perceived effort low as there is so much “easy” energy returned by the foam and the overall geometry. Truly an IncrediRUN shoe.
Sam’s Score: 9.5 /10
10/10 for Ride & 😊😊😊😊😊
(-0.25 deduction for front fit,-0.25 for over softness for "heavier" runners at shorter distances )
Sally: One of the challenges of being a reviewer is that you need to run in a lot of different shoes and can not just limit yourself to your few favorites; that’s too bad in the case of the Endorphin Elite 2, because I can honestly say that I would reach for this shoe on a regular basis!
This is simply an incredibly FUN shoe to run in, super soft and bouncy and forgiving yet with a surprising amount of dynamic rebound and energy return. Saucony’s new “next generation foam” that they aptly call IncrediRun makes for a unique and yes, incredible underfoot feel.
As Sam points out, this race day shoe seems to have the unique ability to work for elite racers as well as middle-of-the-packers who want premium performance because it delivers the same soft bounce and explosive rebound regardless of your pace.The shoe encourages me to pick up the pace by increasing my cadence as the rocker geometry and the squishy foam/carbon plate combination rolls me forward almost effortlessly. My paces have all been faster than the perceived effort.
The accommodating fit of the sock-like upper will definitely work for higher volume feet. As a runner with a narrow woman’s foot, it admittedly took me a bit to dial in the fit because the fabric of the built-in tongue bunched up under the laces, but looser lacing and thicker socks solved the problem. My foot is now held quite securely and comfortably. I do think the shoe runs a tad short, accentuated by the stiff toe bumper. For marathon distances, I would recommend sizing up one half size to protect your toenails.
The Endorphin Elite 2 is going to be a hit in 2025 and put smiles on the faces of many runners!
Sally’s score: 9.78 / 10.0
Ride (50%): 10 Fit (30%): 9.5 Value (15%): 9.6 Style (5%): 9.9
😊😊😊😊😊+!
8 Comparisons
Endorphin Elite 1 (RTR Review)
Sam: While with some similarities in appearance, the Elite 2 is a completely different riding shoe. Firm, very prescriptive and hard to move if one slows, Elite 1 for sure had an “agro” elite ride and feel. I observed many hundreds of mid pack finishers at the 2024 Boston Marathon in the finish stretch and those struggling most were in the Elite 1, Alphafly 2/3 and Adios Pro 3. I expect a completely different picture with the Elite 2 as while a top notch performance shoe it is far more forgiving of less than perfect form or for that matter inevitable fatigue.
Sally: The Elite 1 was a firmer and harsher ride, and a different feel altogether. The upper looks fairly similar yet the now molded beveled heel fit is completely different and the tongue is now connected. Yet the real difference is in the foams: the Elite 2 is softer, bouncier and more responsive. And can I say more forgiving and fun? I likewise expect to see a lot of Elite 2s on race day, and for good reason.
Endorphin Pro 4 (RTR Review)
Sam: I did not test the Pro 4. It has the same stack height as the Elite 2 is about 0.5 oz / 14g heavier and has Saucony older PWRRUN PB PEBA foam. At $225 it is less expensiveAdizero Prime X (RTR Review)
Sam: Yes, the Adizero Prime X v1 had a yet more incredible sensation of flying off its dual plated forefoot but total concentration was required at all times to stay aligned on the narrow unstable platform. Prime X Strung widened the platform but made the shoe considerably heavier. While the Elite 2 has front of shoe upper issues, the Prime X‘s were at the rear. It just did not have enough reliable support or stability given the massive 50mm non WA legal high heel platform. Much more practical racing fun in the Elite 2.
Sally: The Elite 2 has just knocked the Prime X Strung v1 off the top spot on the “Most fun shoe to run in” list! I had originally said that the Prime X v1 Strung gave me the unique sensation of flight while on the run, but it was a wild uncontrolled flight (but still fun). Adidas then made V2 a “more democratized” version that stripped it of its unique wild fun and resulted in a higher than legal stack shoe that was heavier than I would want. We don’t know what a Prime X Strung V3 might be, but I will pick the Elite 2 for all my fun fast training and race days.
New Balance Fuel Cell SC Elite v3 (RTR Review)
Sam: Somewhat heavier (0.3 oz), lower stack and lower drop at 35/31, the SC Elite v3 also had a softer foam than most and we called it at the time “the friendliest super shoe”. Friendly, yes, then, but no real comparison to the Elite 2 which is softer yet, far more energetic due to its TPEE foam (SC Elite had an EVA/PEBA blend) and has a better integrated plate and overall rolling geometry. I did not test the SC Elite v4.
Nike Alphafly 3 (RTR Review)
Sam: I am pretty much unable to warm up in the Alphafly 3 as it so rigid yet have no such issues in the Elite 2. Much more “serious” overall, it is not nearly as good a choice for mid pack marathoners say 3:30 and up and maybe faster as well as the Elite 2 is.
Sally: I have been a Nike Vaporfly girl for a number of years (ran my marathon PR of 3:24:02 in London 2022 at age 63) and recently raced NYC Marathon in the AlphaFly 3 with excellent results, but I would be very tempted to race my next marathon in the Elite 2. The AlphaFly is very rigid and actually caused the bottoms of my feet to hurt after only about 16 miles, which was a new and unpleasant sensation for me. I would love to size up one half size in the Elite 2 (toe box is short IMO) and give it a go in Boston in April!
Nike Alphafly 1 (RTR Review)
Sam: Similarities in landings here as the AF1 had softish and easy riding heel.That said it is clear that the AF1 had a midfoot to forefoot landing focus which limited its distance potential for me. If you are looking for a more forgiving super shoe ride the Elite 2 is a better choice.
Nike Vaporfly Next% 3 (RTR Review)
Sally: I have raced numerous WMM marathons in the Vaporfly, starting with the 4% and the Next and the VF2 and then VF3. My favorite is the Vaporfly 3. For me it has been comfortable and smooth rolling and my legs have felt great after 26.2. The Elite 2 is softer and bouncier yet feels inexplicably faster thanks to the uber responsive foam.
ASICS Metaspeed Edge Paris (RTR Review)
Sam: I only have one run in the Edge so far but there are clear differences, and some similarities. Its rear platform is narrower, somewhat firmer (but not as brick hard firm as the prior Edge) and less stable as the whole shoe is also more rigid. Its turnover is snappier and quicker but less pleasing. Over an ounce lighter, the weight difference is felt as is the increased agility. I expect it may be a better 5-10K shoe for me with the Elite 2 a superior longer distance shoe, although if I had to choose one shoe for every race distance it would be the Saucony. The ASICS upper is flawless if not particularly broad upfront. Its non stretch mesh is softer and more foot conforming.
On Cloudboom Strike (RTR Initial Review)
Sam: The Cloudboom Strike is another relatively soft super shoe but goes about it differently. A thick removable top midsole of a foam with very much the feel of IncrediRun sits in what feels like a PEBA type foam carrier, so it is firmer overall than the Elite 2’s overall firmness.
By eliminating the sockliner and usual lasting board and replacing it with super foam, the Strike gets effectively more stack height of cushion while remain WA “legal”. One of the most forgiving of super shoes, its lower 4mm drop makes it somewhat harder to turn over than the Elite 2. Its more conventional mesh upper presents no issues for me.. Both are excellent marathon choices if shoes such as the Alphafly and Adios Pro are “too much” for you as overly prescriptive, while both have superb cushioning and are fast but here I prefer the yet easier turnover of the Elite 2
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
The Endorphin Elite 2 will release March 2025. $275
Watch Sam's Endorphin Elite 2 Video Review
Tester Profiles
Sally is a lifelong runner and mother of five who agreed against her better judgment to run her first marathon at age 54; she has since run the past eleven Boston Marathons, three NYC Marathons, two Chicagos, and one London with the WMM Six Star Medal now in her sights (Berlin in 2025). With a Boston PR of 3:25:55 in 2022 (9th place in AG) and three consecutive 2nd place in Age Group awards in NYC, she has competed in several Abbott WMM Age Group World Championships and placed 6th in the world in W 60-64 when she ran an all-time PR of 3:24:02 at age 63 at the 2022 London Marathon. She also competes in USATF races of all distances with the Greater Lowell Road Runners team. To add meaning to her Boston Marathon races she runs with Team Eye and Ear and has raised over $320,000 for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital. Sally stands tall at 5’2’’ and 105 pounds, and lives in Marblehead, MA where she trains outdoors year round. She blames her love of skiing out West for any and all Boston Marathon training challenges.
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is in his 60’s with 2024 Sam’s 52th year of running roads and trails. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range if he gets very, very lucky. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, hiking or on nordic skis. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
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