The Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 follows the hugely popular Endorphin Pro 3 and adds a new dual-density midsole foam. That midsole combines a top layer of the bouncier PWRRUN HG foam used in the Endorphin Elite with a bottom layer of PWRRUN PB used in the Endorphin Pro 3. Saucony has also added a new sockliner into the shoe to add even more bounce to the ride.
In addition, there’s an updated lattice outsole rubber design to improve the grip, a new lightweight mesh upper that aims to improve breathability and minimise material, and a slightly modified heel design.
Tom, Nick, Mike and Kieran have been testing the shoe out to see if it’s still one of the best carbon plate racers out there.
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JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:09 – Stats
00:26 – Design
01:08 – How’s The Fit?
04:41 – The Run Test
16:44 – Verdict
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Hey Tommy from the ancestors and this is Our long awaited review of the sakon Endorphin Pro 4 let's take a Look the S endorphin Pro 4 costs $230 or $225 it weighs 221 G or 7.8 Oz for men In a size8 and the drop is 8 Mm the S and dorin Pro 4 follows the Hugely popular endorphin Pro 3 and adds A new dual density mids cell phone that Mids cell combines a top layer of the Bouncier power and HG foam used in the Endorphin Elite with a bottom layer of Parum PB used in the Endorphin Pro 3 Sakon has also added a new sock liner Into the shoe to add even More Bounce to The ride in addition there's an updated Lce outsole rubber design to improve the Grip a new lightweight mesh upper that Aims to improve breathability and Minimize material and a slightly Modified heel design like its Predecessor the shoe still uses s's Speedroll geometry to promote a fluid Transition so s endorphin Pro 4 fit me Really well in my normal running shoe Size the same size I've had across s's Range and the previous versions of the Endorphin Pro the upper is really nice Actually it's got really good step- in Comfort 4 a carbon plate racing shoe it Holds the foot really well tightly if You are going to run fast even on twisty Uh Roots like I have done in the shoe It's also a very comfortable fit so yeah
Best of Both Worlds really I really rate The upper on this and I would stick to Your normal running Sho size so fit for Me and IND Dophin Pro for has been very Good overall no issues to report Whatsoever post that first run video That we did I've had mine in the UK size Eight I was a size eight in the Pro 3 And I didn't have any real issues with The fit of that shoe with this shoe I Think you know the changes in the upper Do ultimately naturally give you Something that feels a little bit more Roomy and a little bit more Accommodating it's not giving you loads Of extra space but I think compared to The Pro 3 you may be getting a little Bit more there so if that's something You wanted I think maybe you do get that Here very happy with the space up front In the toes it Narrows nicely in the Midfoot to give you that kind of nice Hold uh there as well too you want from A racing shoe the level of padding is Pretty similar to the Endorphin Pro Which I didn't have any issues with There's no internal heel padding but I Never really had any kind of lock down Or kind of heel rubbing issues in my Time with it similarly with the tongue And the lacing you get a good lock down There I've had no issues of It kind of You know moving around and you know we Mentioned the tongue probably massively
Unnecessary here but I quite like it a Feature it doesn't seem to add any kind Of undesirable weight to the shoe so I Think based of my testing if you are a Go with the size you wear in the Dophin Pro 3 if you're looking to upgrade from The pro4 I think you'll fine this shoe Should work for you so I ran in my Regular socony running shoe size that's A US 9 a half UK 8 and A2 and now the Endorphin Pro 4 I don't find fits as Closely as those carbon ra shoes with a More booty style fit but overall I think The fit here was good one note I found The lacing a bit odd and I had to use The top eyelets to get a reliable Lockdown prevent a bit heel slipping I Also struggled sometimes to get these uh Sort of integrated tongues to sit in the Right place right at the bottom end of The laces here to make them kind of come Up and over the foot and across the top Of the foot tugging on the tongues Didn't always get the positioning Correct and it just felt a little bit Odd I also feel like the tongues are a Little bit flimsy and they might break Ditto the top lace eyelets here that are A bit separate from the shoes in a way That feels potentially terrible now when It comes to rumus I found them hugging But not cramped with a nice Flex in the Toe box decent balance of comfort and Security overall I'd recommend going
Through to sizing these shoes Okay so The fit for me in the soc endorphin Pro 4 I'm size eight in the UK this is a Size eight I also had two pairs of size Eights in the soc Dophin Pro 3 and had Absolutely no shoes with those shoes at All I found them to be fantastically Comfortable and werein for many Marathons and races that I did uh this Is very much the same it's a very Comfortable shoe there's plenty of space In the 4 foot for me uh what I would say Is that the upper is a little bit tricky It's got this sort of lightweight um Material which is actually quite hard to Get a lock down fit it's not very Reinforced um when you do the shoe up it Also has these stretchy laces as well so What I found is when I put the shoe on And tied the laces there's a bit of give In it so you'd actually end up um having A bit more space in the shoe than you Wanted especially for a race shoe so it Can be quite tricky to get a lock down Fit in I found that I do have to double Knot it um once I've got the right fit But first few times I put this on I did Have to uh undo the laces and do them up Again cuz I hadn't quite got it right But I did seem to have that problem with The previous one as well um but once You've got it right it is a very Comfortable shoe and I would stick to my Size in sorin Pro
4 now in testing I've run 40 miles in The sakon Endorphin Pro 4 that's a Mixture of marathon training sessions From intervals to progression runs Plenty of marathon paced efforts and Faster I've also clocked some easier Miles on tired legs to see how the Endorphin Pro 4 holds up when you're Running with a little less pacy intent Now from the off the stepping Comfort I Think is pretty good I like the fact There's a bit more heel collor padding Here than you get in some ra shoes Particularly at that kind of back Section you know some of the raoes that Strip the heels right back can be a Rubbing risk none of that here overall The pro four is about as comfy as carbon Raoes get I would say while remaining Relatively light on the foot still it's Not a million miles away from the on Foot feel of the sakon and dwen speed 4 Now once I got moving it wasn't really a Case of Love at First miles for me I Found the mid sort a bit soft and a Little bit ponderous it provides plenty Of cushion protection with a bit of Bounce and some life to the midsole but For me it doesn't have the same Immediate punch and energy as some Carbon Ray shoes likes of the alphafly The edios Pro 3 uh having said that n Did the Endorphin Pro 3 really it was a Little bit sort of tamer in that sense
And if that smooth mildly springy Cushion ride is what you like about the Pro 3 you're still going to get that Here and you'll probably like it here Too now I did one test run where I ran a Set of six intervals at 5 km Pace Swapping from the S and dorphin speed 4 Into the Pro 3 halfway through through The intervals in one of the recoveries And I was really surprised when he did Side by side like that to find that the Sck endorf and speed for actually I felt Gave me a snappier more responsive Lively ride by comparison the Endorphin Pro 4 I felt just a little sof a little Less immediate and I had to work a bit Harder in the Pro 4 rather than getting That leg sparing benefit that you might Expect from carbon races or at least From the best carbon races now there is Perhaps a benefit to that though as Carbon raoes go I think the Endorphin Pro 4 will look after you better than Most running shoes deeper into longer Races at least that perspective of Delivering cushion comfort and good road Protection you know keeping that way That kind of dreaded foot fatigue it Handles slower Pace as well without Feeling unstable and that's good news if Things get ragged at Mile 22 of your Marth and you're not running with that Kind of best form that can happen later On now when I ran a 90-minute
Progression run moving from 8 Minute per Mile up to 6 Minute per mile the Pro 4 Handled the whole gamut of that well They may not be the allout performance At the top end but you get a safety net At the slower Paces which will suit a Lot of Runners I think so into that run Test I've done well over 50k in this Unit it has pretty much landed at the Ideal time when I'm having to do a lot Of Long training runs but I have used it For some shorter stuff as well so you Know my first run was a kind of 80 M Kind of marathon training run and I had A very good run in it I think there was A few things I was a little bit on the Fence with I think the main thing for me Was had it lost a little bit of that pop I think you did have in the Pro three But ultimately this is why you should Never judge a shoe on the first run I Think once once I'd done some kind of Track sessions in it some quicker Sessions in it I did a kind of 5K Session when it was kind of reps and it Felt fantastic there's some bounce there That speedroll geometry is a real killer I think ingredient for sakes kind of Race shoes and I think really kind of Makes it a shoe that works well when you Are running faster and you're running at Your rais pace it's a good way overall As well too and I think having that kind Of power run um HG in here which I think
You know I felt was a little bit too Aggressive for me in the elite I think Here as a combination with the power on PB that's kind of kind of bounc your Sock line here you get here as well I Think as a combination of things it Gives you that comfort and protection But it also gives you that responsive Feel particularly in the foref foot Which I think you know really kind of Excels and kind of maybe pushes the pro Kind of you know range on a little bit And maybe where it needed to go I wasn't Sure about it in that first run but I Feel as I said have a put some shorter Kind of quicker runs in it I do feel Like this is a shoe you can run kind of Race in shorter distances But ultimately I think as a Marathon shoe as a long Running shoe it definitely has all the Qualities you want it is stable it's Bouncy enjoyable it's Comfortable I think ultimately the Change in the mid sole maybe gives it a Little bit more of a responsive Edge to It which you know you ultimately want And I think the upper again as well I Think it's probably a little bit more Accommodating for for more people as Well too outside wise absolutely fine I Mean durability has been solid overall I'm not seeing any kind of terrible Signs of where yet and the you know the Grip and traction has been absolutely
Fine of running dry and what conditions Has been absolutely fine from that point Of view so I feel pretty satisfied as a Package about what you're getting with The pro for as a super shoe as a shoe That you can run long potentially run Marathons in it as well but also I think For the shorter quicker stuff as well it Can absolutely work as they kind of a Bit like the pro three a daily trainer Kind of shoe a quick for your quick Sessions but also a shoe you can Absolutely race in as well so all very Positive as I said don't you know should Never judge a Sho in its first run and I Had a good run in it that first run but I definitely feel the more time it I've I've started to appreciate more what the Pro thought is a very special shoe okay So I've been waiting for this shoe for a While the So norin Pro 3 was a shoe that I've used for two of my big Marathon Attempts Berlin and Chicago I got PBS in That shoe over the course of a year and A half and it is probably my favorite Race shoe ever um so I've been very Excited to get hold of the socer Endorphin Pro 4 and slightly worried as Well uh because there are some changes In this shoe which uh are which do Change the feel of the shoe slightly um The biggest of those is this HG layer in This dual layer uh midle and it does Have an effect on the ride of the shoe
I've done uh about 65k in the shoe so Far but one of those runs was a 34 km or 21 Mile run which had it's quite a tasty One it had 5times three uh miles at Marathon pace in it which for me is About 405 uh minute kilom mixing up my miles And kilometers there um so it was quite A difficult one and to be honest I Failed uh to do all um five sets of Those three miles at my marathon pace my Legs just didn't have it in them um but That was the first major test I did with This shoe um and what I found of it is That that HG layer that's in there I can Tell it's in there um and I think what It does is it adds an extra level of um Responsive bounce I wouldn't say it Makes it like soft uh it's not a softer Bounce but it's more responsive uh when You're picking up the pace so when I'm Training this and doing faster reps in It I I can feel it I can feel that extra Little bit responsiveness I feel like There's a tiny bit more aggressiveness In this shoe than what was in the Endorphin Pro 3 not massively it's not a Major difference it's not going to Completely um ruin the shoe for you if If if you love the S dfin Pro 3 Um but it does have a little bit of a Different ride uh to that and I also Think at slower Paces I don't know how Much HG um uh Mido foam is in the uh
Back of the shoe over the heel but I do Feel it's a little bit less soft in the Heel section as well U I've just been Out in the S dorphin Pro 3s just to Remind myself uh what it felt like Before doing this review definitely Feels a little bit softer in the midell To me um so what I would say is that It's probably the changes of scooted a Little bit more to running faster um When you're running on your foref foot And you're picking up the pace I can Feel that in the foref foot and I feel That it's a little bit more pickup in There I feel like it it's better Designed for running a little bit faster Um but also I don't think it's as well Designed for running slower we talked Quite a lot about the so D Pro 3 being a Fantastically um accessible Caron plate Shoe and a shoe that you could use for Easy runs as well uh as as daily runs And and for racing just because it has That really nice versatility I think the Pro for has lost a little bit of that Versatility on the easy end not Massively it's still absolutely fine but For somebody that's done a lot of Testing in that shoe I can see I can see The slight difference in that so apart From that it's pretty much what you Would expect from um if you'd Experienced the Pro 3 it it is a Progression of that shoe and it's only a
Slight difference I would say it's Minimal and um it's not going to make Have a massive impact uh if uh you've Tried that shoe and you try this you're Not going to go this is ridiculous I Don't like the shoe anymore um I so for Me I think it's a shoe that has probably Just got a little bit more performance Level in it um for running faster I'm Very much looking forward to using this Shoe for um uh Boston Marathon uh I Think I'm going to use this year I don't Think I'm going to use the Nike Alpha Fly 3 um so and just how it responds to Running at that quicker Pace um but Other than that very much enjoy testing It I think it's a solid carbon plate Racer I think it's still very very Accessible and definitely a shoe that I Would suggest to people who haven't used A carbon plate racer before um so yeah Big thumbs up from me so far so I've Done about 60k of running in the Endorphin Pro 4 and most of that was in Two really big marathon training Workouts some of the key workouts I've Done in my block so far really hard ones And I've been really impressed by the Shoe like it's easy to kind of underrate The Endorphin pro at this stage I think Because it's a bit cheaper than lots of Carbon shoes soy has obviously the Endorphin Elite in its range but I Really don't think that should be a
Stick to beat the Endorphin Pro with Because I think it is a very good carbon Ring Sho that has the performance to Match or get close to matching the very Best shoes on the market so the first Run talked about the first Big Workout I Did in the shoe where I did 20 time 60 Seconds on 60 seconds float and then Like a 4 Mile Tempo and yeah the shoe Felt really good for that at the faster Paces in the 20 seconds on where I was Trying to push towards 5K 10K Pace Didn't feel quite as good at the float Paces or the tempo pace which is around My marathon pace but I think it felt Really good all around for a long Workout and then the second workout it Was even longer where I did 10K at 330 Perk Pace a park run all out and then 8K At 330 perk pce so those two stints Either side of the park run were at my Goal marathon pace you know hard pace For me at the moment especially early on In marathon training with the park run All out in the middle and kind of I Think about 3 4 minutes recovery between Each section of the workout and the shoe Felt great it doesn't have that boingy Springy repulsive ride you associate With Carle shoes there is a bit of that For sure you are getting a nice amount Of punch but really it's the smooth Rock You're getting here and now I think a Little bit more pop compared to previous
Models thanks to the power run HG phone I really like the S and dorphin Pro Three I loved it especially out of the Box but I felt over time either on Really long runs or actually over the Course of the life of the shoe I just Lost a little bit of Pop from that 4ot And I think the firmer power on HD Pham Being in there now means it retains that Deep into those runs at the end of that Second 330 paet stint in the shoe I was Running well and you know I was about 26k into a workout and the shoe felt Really good really poppy really Lively Like I'd be very happy to push that to Marathan distance and I think that's What you're getting the upgrade here on The Endorphin Pro for I think there is a Little upgrade on the end in Pro 3 Because of that that slightly firmer Feeling there which doesn't make the Shoe harsh at all which is where I think It differs from the Endorphin Elite Because with that all power on HG midell And the very aggressive rocker on that Shoe I found the Endorphin Elite just a Little bit harsh like it came through Bit too snappily for me and on runs over 10 miles or so when I was actually Pushing hard get a little bit of for Foot discomfort haven't had that at all With the Endorphin Pro with this dual Density midell in the middle of that Workout I ran park run like 1640
Something or other around there and good Enough time in the middle of a workout I Was pleased with that and I don't think The Endorphin Pro AB best when you're Pushing to those faster Paces I think it Definitely felt better when cruising at Marathon pace but it has got a good Range for a carbon PLU it's not one that You' put in a box saying this is only a Marathon racer or only a 5k racer or That kind of thing it's a nice vertile Fast shoe with a rocket that just works Really well it's you know still Aggressive maybe not as aggressive as The endorf in Elite but still aggressive And the Mido setup where is really well Balanced to'd be comfortable but still You know aggressive and repulsive when You want to when you are running fast it Is also a very comfortable complex shoe A bit like the Endorphin Pro for just Cruising around I've already done really You know slow runs in this as part of Warm-ups and cool downs but those have Been quite long at times and I've been On tired legs after workouts and they Felt really good in the shoe I do think It is a comfortable all around shoe uh Which is you know not something that you Usually have with carbon plate shoes so All around very enjoyable run Test so my verdict on the sock endorphin Pro 4 is that I think it is a fantastic Um super shoe kind of marathon shoe
Shorter distance shoe as well versatile Shoe a shoe that I think ultimately If you were having to ease off in you Know in a marathon it would absolutely Be accommodating in that sense and That's really what made the Endorphin Pro 3 special shoe I feel like it was a Very accessible shoe and I feel a little Bit like it's a little bit like The new B SC Elite V4 for me in the Sense that I think if you it's a it's an Accessible Marathon super Sho but it is Cheaper than something like the SC V4 I Think if you didn't want to spend that Top top money on a shoe you're a bit Concerned about having an aggressive Bouncy shoe that maybe may not work for You you may not like the instability of It then this would be a good kind of Alternative to that shoe I think a shoe That can work for your training you know Work for those long marathon training Runs and also kind of deliver and feel Good on those kind of marathon um kind Of race days as well with a good level Of Durability so for me I think it's Standout shoe feels quick there's enough Bounce in there I think the changes make It a good shoe a different shoe to the Endorphin Pro three and I think if you Can get the indulin pro three that Worked for you I still think that's a Fantastic shoe
If I think ultimate if you're looking For something that is maybe has a more Accommodating upper maybe has a more Responsive Edge to it and but still has All those qualities of the Endorphin Pro 3 really then this is why you'd want to Get endorphin Pro for as I said I think It is a super kind of marathon shoe That's cheaper than some of the other Shoes that we've kind of reviewed on the Channel recently and you know I don't Think you know don't put it put that Against it because I think absolutely is A a fantastic shoe here well worth Picking up so my verdict on the sorin Pro 4 I was worried I was excited I am Happy with it I am glad that it hasn't Got massive changes uh like between the Pro two and the Pro 3 obviously that was A change that I really liked because I Wasn't a massive fan of soc Dophin Pro Two uh but I was worried that there Would be another shift and it wouldn't Work for me anymore I think it still Works for everything that I want from This shoe so I still enjoy it as much as The S nor and PR 3 um I just uh I think Excuse a little bit more now towards a Tiny bit more aggressive feel because of The HG phone that sits uh in the midsole Um but overall I think it's pretty Comparable with the soc endorphin Pro 3 I haven't raced in this shoe yet and I Haven't done a marathon in this shoe yet
So when I do that's going to be a big Test for it um but for now I think it's An excellent choice and I think it's Still one of the best options uh for Carbon plate races out there especially If you're somebody that's looking for a More natural feeling shoe something that You can put on uh maybe it's your first CM plate shoe uh and you want something That doesn't feel too alien on your feet And too aggressive I think this is Probably the perfect option for that um And just feels great uh really enjoyable To wear so massive uh positive from me On this review on the sakon indorfin Pro 4 well done sakon for making some slight Adjustments and not ruining my favorite Shoe so I really liked running in the Endorphin Pro 4 I think it's a shoe That's easy to overlook but I think Think it is a great racing option for Loads of people the performance is there Whether you're going for very fast times Or a bit more relaxed times I think That's the other benefit of this shoe I Think it's one that will work for Probably a wider spread of Runners than Some carbon plate shoes because has got A reasonably relaxed ride it's got a Nice rocker there it's more natural Feeling than some of the really Aggressive shoes on the market it's not Really spongy and wobbly or anything Like that it does move you through your
Foot strike quickly keeps you turning Over your legs and gives you a little Bit of extra pop now I think thanks to The power run HG foam in the midsole It's also reasonbly well priced for a Carbon play running shoe and as we've Seen with the Endorphin Pro 3 the price Does come down quite a lot if you see The Endorphin Pro 3 available for1 less Or something like that in the sale i' Still probably opt for that but I do Think the new shoe is a slight upgrade And if you're looking for it in sales Down the line it's going to be a really Strong option for lots of different Runners how it fars against the rest of Shoes in the Caron plate Market it's Always a bit a tricky one these days Because I do think carbon plate shoes a Lot of them are now offering quite a Similar level of performance and how Well they actually suit you and suit Your gate I think will almost be a Bigger determining Factor than any Particularly objective rating of how Great they are like for me at the moment I have three shoes a little bit ahead of The others which is the Nike Ally 3 as a General all around amazing racer Especially for marathons the hoker C X1 I think is the bounciest most fun shoe Most comfortable shoe looking at Marathons and then the aex metas speed Sky Paris I've been really impressed
With so far because it's so lightweight And yet still nice and bouncy impressive Like those shoes that I would pick Myself over the Endorphin Pro 4 but That's not to say this shoe wouldn't Work better than for lots of Runners Than those shoes and I've gone out and Done the hardest workouts of my block so Far in this shoe it's performed at a Level comparable to the shoes I've Mentioned there and other carbon play Shoes I really think you are getting a Very high level of performance here and I wouldn't like people just to overlook This shoe just because it is cheaper Than the Endorphin Elite and doesn't Have all of suing his best time I think The way it's set up is really good and I Think it will work for probably more Runners than the Endorphin Elite which I Do think is a great shoe but just Doesn't suit every gate and it's very Aggressive and maybe it won't work for Those Runners I think this is quite an Approachable carbon shoe both in terms Of price and the ride feel while still Delivering a very high level of Performance so yeah I really love Testing the shoe and I think it's a good Option for lots of people I certainly Think it's also an upgrade on endorphin Speed like in the past maybe the first Two generations of the speed and the pro There wasn't huge gap there I'd also
Almost say the Endorphin speed had a bit Of an edge a slightly more comfortable Shoe that was similarly quick with the Pro 3 and the pro four I think the Endorphin Pro is clearly the faster shoe The more aggressive shoe the better Option for racing and in general just You know a bit higher stack but still Lighter with the HG foam in the midell Gives it a little bit more punch so you Know if you're looking within the Endorphin range for the best racer don't Like the elite I think it is the pro Four the speed is that more of that Daily trainer vibe to it obviously so Yeah really enjoyed run testing thein Pro 4 I think it's a great shoe should Look at probably I have a couple few Shoes ahead of it in the carbon plate Standings but I think it is up there in Terms of performance verdict then with It upgrade a lot has changed but much Feels the same if you like the Endorphin Pro 3 I think you're probably going to Enjoy the Endorphin Pro 4 I think the Look of the shoe is much better than the Last generation that is one step on but The big question really is the Endorphin Pro 4 better than the Endorphin Pro 3 I Would say so but not much better or not So much better that I'd buy it over the Pro 3 if I could find the Pro 3 on a Good deal is it the liveliest carbon Rati shoe going you can buy right now I
Don't think so either if you're a fan of The Nike Alpha flies or the adios Pro 3 You won't find this offers the energy Spring punch that you get from those Shoes or in fact the directness that you Get from shoes like the vaporfly 2 or The Hoka rocket X2 or even the new aex Metas speed Sky Paris for me it's more Akin to the ride of something like the New Balance SC Elite V4 than is those Other shoes I've just mentioned is it a Shoe that many Runners will find offers Great comfort for cruising at marathon Pace or slightly slower yeah absolutely That's exactly what this thing does as Far as I'm concerned the Endorphin Pro 4 Is probably one of the most accessible Carbon shoes you can buy it's really got Your back when things aren't going According to plan or you need to rock Back go a bit slower for that reason it Might well be one of the best Marathon Shoes for a large selection of Runners a Lot of people I think going to enjoy Running marathons in these and racing Marathons in these but I'd also Recommend taking a long hard look at the Cheaper so endorphin speed for as a Potential alternative I I'd argue you're Going to get a similar performance for a Lot less maybe a little smidge less Cushioning overall but I think there's Not a huge amount to choose between Those two shoes and it's worth having a
Look that's it from us on the soc inding Pro for review thanks a lot for watching Don't forget to like subscribe click That little bell and check the channel Out for all the other videos we've got Coming up also if you go into catch Below you can find a link to our podcast Which comes at the end of each month Right thanks lot for watching catch you Next Time what
