Hyperion Elite 4 vs Endorphin Pro 5

The Hyperion Elite 4 is Brooks going all in on the marathon: a carbon racing shoe with one job, and it does it with a surprisingly light touch. At 196g it is not the lightest super shoe on a shelf full of sub-190g rivals, but the balance is where it wins. The nitrogen-infused foam feels bouncy without the top-heavy wobble some race shoes carry, and the carbon plate keeps you rolling forward once you settle into pace. This is a road running shoe built for race day, not your easy miles. It suits a runner who wants a stable, predictable ride they can trust for 26.2 rather than the twitchiest, most aggressive tool in the pack. Against a Nike Vaporfly 4 it trades a little raw pop for a calmer, more planted feel. At £245 it sits right in premium carbon territory, so it earns its place on merit, not price.

Most carbon racers ask for a steady foot. Saucony built the Endorphin Pro 5 for runners who find them a bit wobbly. It's a carbon racing shoe with a slotted plate and PWRRUN PB foam, and at a listed 206g it isn't among the lightest super shoes. In return you get a planted, guided ride. Reviewers rate it most highly between 5K and half marathon pace, and plenty of club runners will happily take it through a marathon. Fordy Runs sees it as a race shoe for everyday runners rather than elites. Believe in the Run was cooler: it found the shoe barely changed from the Endorphin Pro 4 and missing the pop of the best race shoes. The two views don't really clash. If you want Saucony's most aggressive racer, that's the Endorphin Elite 3. If you'd rather have a stable, hard-wearing race shoe you can also train in, the Pro 5 is one of the easier ones to get along with.