The Adidas Boston 12 and Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 are two of the most versatile running shoes available, with comfortable, lightweight designs that make them great for all kinds of training runs, and even racing. Nick loves both shoes, but what are the key differences between them? Watch the vid to find out.
Check out our full reviews of both shoes:
Adidas Boston 12 Review:
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 Review:
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Design & Key Stats
02:01 – How’s The Fit?
03:02 – The Run Test
06:45 – Verdict
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Hello and welcome to run testers my name Is Nick in this video I'm going to be Comparing the sakon Endorphin speed 4 And the Adidas Boston [Music] 12 Boston 12 and the Endorphin speed 4 Are two of the best super trainers on The market that is training shoes that Have some of the Super Shoe Foams or Tech from their Brand's respective Carbon shoe Racers the Boston 12 came Out last year and the Endorphin speed 4 Came out this year speed 4 is more Expensive it's £180 or $170 Boston 12 is £140 or $160 the Dophin speed 4 is the Lighter shoe it's £255 G or 9 oz in a UK 9 whereas the Boston 12 is 259 G or 9.1 O in the same size although that is a Half size smaller in the US the Boston 12 has a 7 mm drop with a stack height Of 38 mm at the heel 31 at the 4ot the Endorphin speed is an 8 mm drop with a 36 mm stack I at the heel 28 at the 4T Comes to the design you've got a Lightweight mesh upper on the a Boston 12 a very racy upper with minimal Padding and not a lot of structure Around the heel and then the mid soole Is a dual density setup with a layer of Adidas's light stke Pro foam over layer Of Light Strike 2.0 which is an EVA foam You've got ad's energy rods running Through the midsole there to add some Propulsion in the same way a plate does
In the Endorphin speed 4 youve got a Continental rubber out soole with very Good coverage especially on the 4 foot It's pretty thick layer of foam actually Considering that this is still a very Lightweight shoe with the socon Endorphin speed 4 you've got a Lightweight mesh uper with a gusted Tongue a bit more padding than the Adidas and certainly a bit more Structure around the hill you've got a Full internal heel counter on this shoe Then you've got s power run PB foam in The mids soole this is a p based foam The one they've been using since the Endorphin series was first launched you Have a winged nylon plate running Through the midsole of the shoe and the Shoe has a s speedroll rocker to create That rocket geometry on the shoe there You now got a latice rubber outsole on The shoe which is different to past Models pretty good coverage of the Forefoot not so much of the back Fair Bit more exposed foam there and you got Cut out in a similar area to the Boston To try and reduce weight in the center Of the shoe there [Music] So when it comes to the fit it's worth Noting that I've got uk9 in both these Shoes but the Adidas is a us99.5 it's Half a size smaller than the sakon which Is a us10 that is the normal size I get
With Adidas and sakon across all shoes But in general Adidas is a slightly Tighter fit if you're going by UK sizing Boston always used to have a very tight Fit in general was a very narrow shoe I'd say that's not so much the case with The Boston 12 it's got a slightly wider Fit than past Boston's but it's not a Fit without its problems I've talked About this a lot in videos but it's very Fussy upper it's got a few things you Have to deal with almost every day if You are going to wear it for daily Training I had a bit of heel rub with The shoe i' actually ended up heel Locking it as a result you get a bit of Lace bite from the very thin tongue it's Hard to position the tongue correctly It's just not that comfortable an upper All round whereas the Endorphin speed 4 Has a much more easy fit I did have to Heal lock the Endorphin speed three to Avoid getting heel rub because it's Quite a wide shoe and I have quite a Narrow foot but hasn't been the case With the Endorphin speed 4 I don't if They just narrowed it slightly the fit In some way I do think it's got a pretty Normal fit all round and sticking with Your normal size W have any problems Boston I'd stick with your normal size But yeah it's a slightly fussy upper Like I [Music]
Say so it comes to the run test I'll say At the start that I think these the two Best super trenders on the market I Think these are both very verse style Shoes they're both shoes I really like And you can do pretty much any kind of Running these very happily so I'd always Use a carbon Super Shoe to racing myself But these shoes can do it and then they Are very versatile training shoes so What I'm saying here is that neither of These is a bad shoe and when I'm going To highlight differences in the upcoming Section it's not to say that one shoe Does it and the other shoe can't do it At all it's really very much to Highlight the differences between them That are more marginal they are both Great allrounder shoes but when it comes To the differences the ride of the two Shoes the speed is more rocked and you Get more of a Snappy ride through from The Boston even though it has the lower Drop the speedroll geometry on the Endorphin speed form does make it that Slightly smoother feeling shoe at times Whereas the Boston has a Snappy feel Really gets to you on your 4 foot Quickly but it has more of a snap to it Than the rolling Rocket Ride of the Speed the speed is the better Sho I'd Say for easy cruising you've got a wider Base at the hill in particular Especially with the Endorphin speed 4
Which is a bit wider than previous Models it feels a bit softer at the back There as well as a heel strike in Particular that makes it feel a bit more Relaxed and cruisy and easy when you are Going at easy Paces Boston is a shoe I Enjoy using easy Paces but it's not Necessarily a shoe I'd say that everyone Would love using at easy Paces it's got A slightly more Speedy ride and a Narrower design at the back in general Feels a bit faster and some people might Feel it's a bit too fast for easy runs Whereas the speed 4 feels like a great Shoe for easy runs I found I will say Though when it comes to comfort the Boston I think is a little bit more Comfortable under the 4 foot for long Hard runs because you've got a slightly Higher stack there and the deeper wedge Of Light Strike Pro phone there which I Think is a bit softer than the power run PB phame on the S endorphin speed 4 it's Not a harsh ride at all with the Endorphin speed 4 but I do notice if I Do hard runs of over an hour I get a Little bit of for foot discomfort Nothing that would put me off carrying On running in the shoe but I don't Really get it with the Boston I think You've got a bit more Comfort there if You are a heel Striker rolling through Onto your forefoot and running hard Boston in general has a nimbler faster
Feel like I think you can go and do Allout interval reps it just feels a bit Faster in the Boston it's got that snap Your ride it almost feels a bit lighter Even though it's the heavier shoe of the Two it feels very racy on the foot part Of that is the upper but also the way The foam and the geometry is set up with Those rods there it feels very Snappy For those short efforts but I do think When it comes to holding a pace over Longer periods I think that's probably Where the socony shines a little bit More feels like it's a little bit more Efficient to run in the Endorphin speed 4 and it can just roll you along very Smoothly and if you're going to hold Something like a Tempo effort over the Course of an hour or a look at kind of Marathon pace reps of 4K 5K I prefer to Do those kind of things in the Endorphin Speed 4 where to Boston has a nimbler Faster feel if you're going to go and do Short reps Boston has better grip I'll Say that you got the Continental rubber Out on here it's a fantastic material Adas has been using it for a long time And you are getting better grip from the Boston Dophin speed 4 has slightly Better grip than past models with this Lattice outsole but can still slip a Little bit especially on something like A greasy track surface if it's been Raining so has a much better upper cover
This a bit in the fit section but it's Just more comfortable it's easy to get The shoe on if you're using it as a Daily trainer it's just a much less Fussy upper than the one on the Boston Which takes a little bit of figuring out Every time you pull the Sho on it's hard To put it on partly because I had to Heel lock it to avoid heel rub and in General it's a slightly more annoying Upper once you have put the shoe on and Sorted out it is fine the Boston upper Is okay for me didn't really cause any Lasting discomfort on the run but the Upper is much easier on the Endorphin Speed 4 and feels more suited to daily Training so I did a short run wearing Both shoes at the same time just to kind Of again feel all these differences on Them and yeah it is quite apparent that The Boston feels that little bit nippier Maybe it's not really firmer so much is More direct and faster like I said it Doesn't feel less comfortable indeed I Think it's a bit more comfortable under The forefoot for those long runs bit More Comfort at the heel of the Endorphin speed though like I said it's A bit wider a bit softer there that's Probably how I'd highlight the main Differences between them I think the Speed's a little bit better for those Easy runs I think it's better for Holding Paces over long periods cuz I do
Like a rocker in a shoe like this and The Boston has got a slightly faster Feel I think it's the better shoe for Short sharp workouts as I mentioned up Top these are all marginal differences I Think both of these shoes are pretty Much great for [Music] Everything vertices these are both great Shoes you can pop either into your Rotation as an allrounder shoe to do Everything or as a daily trainer for Fast sessions and the odd easy run as Well and they do a really good job of it Boston is cheaper and often reduced so There is a big plus point in his favor Cuz I do think when it comes to Performance it is very similar between These two shoes so if you're not coming In with any preconceptions about the Kind of Vari you prefer and you find the Boston a lot cheaper I wouldn't hesitate Just to go and grab it it's a great shoe Concerns about the upper not Withstanding it's really good about Everything else I personally prefer a More rocket ride and as a heel Striker I Like the extra width and kind of Softness you get at the back of the Endorphin speed 4 I think I'd probably Slightly refer out of these two shoes as A result it just suits my ride Preferences a little bit more but like I Said if you haven't got those ride
Preferences in mind already then I'll be Looking pretty much at what the cheaper One is and it's usually the Boston 12 Boston 12 also has that slightly faster F so if you are looking for a pure speed Day shoe to add to rotation between These two then the Boston 12 would be The better pick I'd say even though they Are comparably fast you've got a Slightly faster feel from the Boston and It is better for interal workouts I'd Say and then if you're actually someone Who's doing maybe marathon training Doing a lot of long hard sessions so When on marathon training I'll do lots Of progression runs lots of hours held At a decent pace that kind of thing I Think I'd say the indor speed for is a Slightly better shoe for that and I do Think if you're looking for all round Daily trainer one youo to do at all the Speed forward probably slightly edges it Again cuz I do think it's a more Comfortable shoe for relaxed runs than The Boston 12 like I say it's all very Close and even someone who prefers to Ride of the speed for I wouldn't pay a Lot more from it if I saw the Boston for Kind of 50 Quid less I'd be very happy To go and pick up that shoot instead Just deal with that upper over [Music] Time that's a comparison of the Boston 12 and the Endorphin speed 4 let us know
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