Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 Introduction
When a brand makes significant changes to the sequel of a successful shoe, some runners love the new changes but others hate them. In the case of the Endorphin Elite 2, I think most will fall into this second group.
It’s always a big risk to stray too far from what made runners love the previous versions. That’s why Nike doesn’t change the Pegasus too much from update to update. The same goes for the Brooks Ghost and the Hoka Clifton. It’s too big a risk to upset the loyal fanbase. The Endorphin Elite doesn’t quite have the same large fanbase but I know plenty of runners who love version 1.
The Endorphin Elite is the pinnacle of Saucony long-distance racers. It’s the top of the range, most expensive Saucony road racer. It’s lighter than Saucony’s other racer, the Endorphin Pro and it has a newer midsole foam.
The original Endorphin Elite was my favourite super shoe of the past 2 years. I loved how stiff its midsole was and how its aggressive forefoot rocker made fast running feel easy, especially in the second half of marathons when my tired legs felt like lead.
The global launch of the Endorphin Elite 2 is 1 March 2025. Saucony was forced to launch a small batch to the public because a Saucony elite athlete used it in the Paris Olympic Marathon. I was able to purchase a pair on the Saucony UK website.
There wasn’t any marketing campaign for the Endorphin Elite 2 so not much is known about it except that it weighs 7 oz (199 g) for a men’s US 9, it has a 39.5mm/31.5mm stack height and it features a “next generation” super foam.
The price is 280 GBP or $275, the same as the previous version.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 First Impressions
My first run was a track workout consisting of 400 m intervals. My main thought was that version 2 felt like a completely different shoe to version 1. The squishy, new midsole foam made it feel like I was running on a marshmallow. It felt very squirrelly underfoot.
The ride felt really unstable and the plate was more flexible than its predecessor. The aggressive rocker feeling had also been toned down. It didn’t feel as fast as version 1 but it was the most bouncy ride I’ve ever experienced.
The ride reminded me of the Nike Invincible Run versions 1 & 2 which also had extremely squishy rides but the Endorphin Elite 2’s ride was even softer and less stable.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 Upper
The Endorphin Elite 2’s upper is an improvement over version 1 mainly because of its new heel cup which results in better lockdown. It’s now a semi-bootie construction but it has the ability to do a runner’s knot.
Breathability is good but not as good as v1 due to the new knitted tongue which doesn’t have ventilation holes in it. The new heel cup flares away from the Achilles and reminds me of the one on the New Balance 1080v10.
It has an accommodating midfoot and forefoot with a normal toe box. I recommend going true to size and it should be suitable for runners with wide feet.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 Sole Unit
Over the years, many brands have used marshmallows to advertise and convey how soft their midsoles feel. Most of the time, it’s an exaggeration. With the case of the Endorphin Elite 2, you get the first and true “running on marshmallows” experience.
The ride of the Endorphin Elite 1 was targeted at runners who wanted a stable, firm ride with a prominent forefoot rocker. This is in stark contrast to the Endorphin Elite 2 which is targeted at runners who prefer a super soft, bouncy ride with a mild forefoot rocker.
The bad news is that the Endorphin Elite 2 doesn’t feel as fast as the previous version. Transitions feel more relaxed and it feels more like a training shoe than a hardcore racer now. This is mainly due to its new midsole compound.
The original Endorphin Elite had a midsole made of PWRRUN HG, a Pebax foam. It had a firm ride with little compression.
In the new version, the unnamed midsole foam is now an aliphatic TPU, similar to the one in the PUMA Deviate Elite 3 but much, much softer. This foam has a very squishy ride with a lot of compression.
I enjoy soft shoes for training; the Invincible Run 1 and 2 were my favourite trainers of all time. But for racing, I prefer a firm ride. A firm ride translates to better stability for long distances and a more responsive ride. When the foam is as soft as it is in the Endorphin Elite 2, it takes a long time for it to compress when loaded and then to decompress.
During transitions in the Elite 2, it feels like my heel is sinking in too much before rolling onto my midfoot and forefoot. I felt similar transitions when testing the PUMA Fast-R Elite 2, another racer with an aliphatic TPU midsole; it doesn’t feel efficient.
I used the Endorphin Elite 2 for a 30 km race. I’m a heel striker with slight overpronation- it felt way too squishy and unstable for my form. I also didn’t feel a high level of speed assistance from it, just a lot of bounce.
One of the features that made the Endorphin Elite 1 stand out was its high toe spring and stiff forefoot that made it feel like it was tipping you forward. With the softer midsole foam of version 2, the plate has to be more flexible and it doesn’t feel like it’s throwing you forward during toe-offs.
Durability is one of the worst I’ve ever experienced. On the outsole, the exposed foam is so soft that it gets chewed up by the road. On my pair, on the heel section, the part which is not protected by rubber is missing a large chunk because I heel strike. This also happened with the original Endorphin Elite but it wasn’t this bad. This is a shoe that you have to reserve for racing only.
Outsole traction is fine on dry surfaces but very slippery on wet ones. When I raced in it, I went through water stations and I could feel that the outsole wasn’t gripping the wet road well.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 Conclusions
The Endorphin Elite 2 is a disappointing update because it feels nothing like version 1, which was top-tier. It’s a lot softer and it has a more relaxed ride. It’s also very unstable and not as supportive.
They’ve changed too much- all they needed to do was to add extra rubber on the outsole and to improve the heel lockdown (which they did). If you’re a fan of version 1, you should stock up now while it’s still available.
It’s perhaps one of the most fragile running shoes I’ve ever tested. If you’re a heel striker or you’re hard on outsoles, you’ll face durability issues due to the midsole being so soft. Even the one-race Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 has a more durable outsole.
The Endorphin Elite 2 is not a top-tier super shoe for me and I won’t be racing in it again. I would even choose the Endorphin Pro 4 over the Elite 2 for its extra stability and its better outsole durability.
I’m not sure why Saucony chose to go in a completely different direction for the Endorphin Elite 2. It feels like a prototype or an experimental release.
It suits a narrower range of runners than its predecessor due to its instability and I don’t think elite runners like their midsoles to be this soft and squishy.
