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Endorphin Pro 5
Slotted carbon SpeedRoll plate with PWRRUN PB and Super Critical foam
Today's tracked prices
- 01365RiderLIVE£146.06£225.00−35%
- 02Greaves12d ago£150.00£225.00−33%
- 03Sportsdirect13d ago£183.91£225.00−18%
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Price history
Our verdict
The Endorphin Pro 5 is Saucony's carbon marathon racer, and the fifth version is the most complete one yet. This is a road racing shoe built around a slotted carbon SpeedRoll plate sitting in a stack of PWRRUN PB and Super Critical foam, so you get that firm, rockered snap through toe-off that the Endorphin line has always chased. At £225 it lands squarely in the super-shoe bracket alongside the Nike Vaporfly 4 and adidas Adios Pro, and it earns the price if you are racing anything from 10k to a marathon. Compared with the Endorphin Pro 4 it feels a touch more planted and a little more forgiving on tired legs, without losing the rolling geometry that makes it want to move at pace. In our view this is a proper PB tool, not an everyday cruiser. Buy it to race, and it delivers.
Key features
- Slotted carbon SpeedRoll plateGives the shoe a firm rocker that tips you onto your toes and keeps you rolling forward at pace
- PWRRUN PB foamDelivers light, springy energy return so your legs stay fresher through the closing miles of a marathon
- Super Critical foamAdds low-weight cushioning that protects without turning the ride soft or vague
- 8mm drop, rockered geometrySuits midfoot and forefoot strikers and smooths the transition from footstrike to toe-off
- Thin race-day upperWraps the foot with minimal weight and stays breathable over long, hard efforts
Who it suits
Who should buy it
- Marathon and half racers chasing a PB who want maximum return at pace
- Efficient neutral runners who like a firm, rockered super-shoe
- Midfoot and forefoot strikers who want the plate to work with them
- Runners who already get on with the Endorphin geometry and want the racing version
Who should not buy it
- You need stability or support for overpronation
- You want one shoe for easy runs as well as racing
- You have wide feet and dislike a snug, low-volume fit
- Your budget cannot stretch to a £225 single-purpose racer
Best uses
Extra information
Fit & sizing
The Endorphin Pro 5 comes up true to size for most runners, so we would order your usual Saucony race length. The fit is a race-day fit: snug through the midfoot with a locked-down heel that holds well when you push into a bend or a downhill. The toe box is on the performance-narrow side rather than roomy, which is normal for a carbon racer and helps the foot stay centred over the plate, but wider feet may find it close. The thin, breathable upper wraps rather than pads, so lockdown comes from the fit and the lacing, not from bulk. If you are between sizes or racing longer with feet that swell late in a marathon, size up half. If you want a similar geometry with a more forgiving daily fit, the Endorphin Speed 5 is the roomier, nylon-plated sibling.
Performance breakdown
Ride & feel
The ride is fast and rolling. The slotted carbon SpeedRoll plate gives the Pro 5 a clear rocker that tips you forward and keeps the cadence ticking, so the shoe genuinely wants to run at pace. Hold marathon or tempo effort and it comes alive. Drop to an easy jog and it feels stiff and a little insistent, because the plate and geometry are tuned for turnover, not shuffling. Off the line it is quick and direct, with the PWRRUN PB foam giving enough return that you are not fighting the shoe over the closing miles. The 8mm drop plus the rocker suits midfoot and forefoot strikers best, though heel strikers can still get on with it once the pace is up. This is a racer that rewards commitment.
Cushioning
There is plenty of foam underfoot, but it is race foam, not pillow foam. The PWRRUN PB and Super Critical blend is light and springy rather than soft and sink-in, so you get protection and energy return without losing ground feel or the sense of the plate working beneath you. Over a full marathon that balance matters: enough cushioning to keep your legs intact through the closing miles, firm enough that it never feels vague or mushy when you are trying to hold a pace. It is a firmer, more responsive ride than a max-cushion trainer, which is exactly what you want on race day and exactly why it is wasted on recovery runs.
Stability
This is a neutral racer and it behaves like one. The slotted plate and tall, rockered stack prioritise forward roll over side-to-side security, so there is a natural amount of instability that comes with any carbon super-shoe. The relatively snug midfoot and firm foam help keep the foot centred, and the geometry is more planted than some rivals, but there are no medial posts or guidance rails here. If you are an efficient neutral runner it will feel locked in at pace. If you overpronate or need genuine support, this is not the shoe, and no super-shoe really is. Save it for the surface and pace it was built for and it holds a line well.
Upper & comfort
The upper is a thin, breathable race-day mesh that is built to disappear on the foot. There is minimal padding, which keeps the weight down and stops the shoe overheating over a long effort, and the lockdown comes from the wrap and the lacing rather than bulk. Most runners will race sockless-or-thin without hotspots, though the low-volume, performance-narrow fit means you should try before committing to a marathon in them. The heel counter holds securely without digging in. This is not a plush, everyday-comfort upper and it is not trying to be. It is a lightweight, no-nonsense race upper that does its job and gets out of the way.
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FAQ
Specifications
| Category | Race |
| Surface | Road |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Heel Stack | 39.5mm |
| Forefoot Stack | 31.5mm |
| Weight | 206g |
| Carbon Plated | Yes |
| Stability | No |