On the seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of super shoe announcements and releases, it’s clear that brands are all trying to compete for space at the top. Gone are the days of Vaporfly dominance in the supershoe game of a few years ago, which instead has given way to a host of equally capable race-day options from almost all major brands.

We’ve long been fans of Saucony and their performance-oriented Endorphin label, particularly the versatile Speed 4 which has been flying out of the Shoe Room doors almost as soon as we get new stock. The long-standing American brand’s race day shoe, the Endorphin Elite had been knocking around somewhere in the background of super shoe talk for a while, gaining a moderate buzz around its uber-bouncy responsiveness and distinctive design. Given our fandom for the brand we were especially looking forward to the updates to the Endorphin Elite when it was announced.

Enter the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2. No surprises on the name. 

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With this release, Saucony are premiering their brand new super-critical IncrediRun foam which boasts an apparent 96% energy return, alongside an updated upper construction and fit.

Let’s break it down from the top. They look awesome. Sticking with the distinctive split midsole, there is obvious similarity between the 2’s and their predecessor’s curvaceous underfoot looks. We love the sleek white/black colourway punctuated by the tie-dye-esque orange/yellow.

One of the noticeable changes aesthetically from the first edition is the knit upper that has been stripped back of overlays, including the removal of the mid-foot cutaway and locking ‘strap’. Instead, the one piece knit makes for a minimalist look - almost entirely see-through and unbelievably airy.

This upper provides a decent fit, with a nice amount of stretch through the lace-closure making it a nice option for high volume feet. One standout feature is the soft heel-counter, which removes discomfort through the achilles that could lead to blisters. Through the toe, they skew somewhat snug, but the rounded toe profile is more forgiving than many race options currently on the market. An overlayed toe-bumper is pretty structured, so beware if you do tend to kick through the forefoot of shoes. Because of this, we recommend buying a half-size up from your regular running shoes. Oh, and wear socks! This is not a shoe to go sockless in unless you want your feet scraped raw…!

One thing Saucony always have done well with their race-shoes is weight. Ticking the scales at 199g, it is one of the lightest options available in the maximal-stacked race day category. Combined with the airy upper, this makes for a feel that can be only described as non-existent. That is, until you actually get going in them.

Bounce! Soft! Those are the two words that reverberate around the shoe room whenever we have people testing the Elite 2s. And we couldn’t echo this sentiment more wholeheartedly. 

If you were a fan of the firmness of the Endorphin Elite 1, this probably will feel like a major shift from the past as this is by far the softest of the current crop of supershoes, visibly squidgy when on-foot almost to the point of making it unstable for some runners. The compliant bounce isn’t snappy but instead provides comfortable bounce and roll, making them ideal for Half and Marathon distances. We’d caution that this isn’t very stable, so other racing options may be better suited if you have any concerns about pronation or lower-limb stability. 

On foot, this truly puts the ‘super’ in super shoes, and Saucony’s research and development has been well and truly considered, asking “how can we stand out and compete?”. Honestly, it’s nothing short of an exciting shoe, even if the Endorphin Elite 2 won’t be for everyone. And one of the reasons it won’t be is the price: £280. That’s a lot of shekels!

Great for:

Half and Marathon runners looking for a soft and comfortable ride with the super shoe edge.

Verdict:

Incredible tech that provides a distinctive option in the super shoe game to compete with the popular models from major brands.

£280

Available in: White/black

Weight: 199g*

Drop: 8mm

Support: Neutral (Race Day)

Available in-store and online at runlimited.co/

*Weight based on a UK size 8.