The Saucony Endorphin Trainer is a shoe designed to balance performance with comfort. It does that by combining a soft layer of the brand’s IncrediRun foam for comfort with an outer layer of firmer PWRRUN foam. That mix of foams aims to deliver a high level of cushioning with a good amount of energy return.
The upper is made from a breathable mesh, built for comfort and breathability, and the outsole features two minimal areas of rubber coverage for a sprinkling of grip on varied surfaces, as well as some additional durability.
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00:14 – Stats
00:29 – Design
00:59 – How’s the fit?
03:26 – The Run Test
13:24 – Should You Buy It?
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Hey Tommy from the Run testers in this Video we are going to be reviewing the Sakon Endorphin trainer let's have a Look and see what we all thought of this [Music] Shoe the socony Endorphin trainer cost $180 in the US we don't have a confirmed UK price yet but some stocket are Stating it's £200 it weighs 289 G which Is 10.2 Oz for men in a size 8 and the Drop is 8 mm [Music] The Z andin trainer is a shoe designed To balance performance with Comfort it Does that by combining a soft layer of The Brand's in credy run foam for Comfort with an outer layer of firmer Power run foam that mix of midsoles aims To deliver high level of cushioning with A good amount of energy return the upper Is made from a breathable mesh built for Comfort and breathability and the Outsole features two minimal areas of Rubber coverage for a sprinkling of grip On varied surfaces as well as some Additional durability So when it comes to the fit of the sakon Endorphin train I've actually got a Uk8.5 here which is half a size down on Mind normal size in general it's a US 9.5 though which is a size I often use And I find with socky training shoes I Can actually generally go for an 8.5 Over a 9 and this fits me really well
I've got enough room in the toe box good Hold around the heel and midfoot it's a Similar fit around to what I have with The Endorphin speed 4 in the same size So I kind of could go for a UK 8.5 or a 9 whereas with some of their Racing Shoes like the Endorphin Elite 2 that is Too small if I go half a size down so General stick to your normal size but if Like me you're in between two sizes you Might be okay going with the smaller one With the Endorphin trainer no concerns At all about the fit otherwise quick Word on fit then in the socony Endorphin Trainer I ran in a UK and a half which Is my regular running shoe size in Socony these I love the fit of soccon Shoes fit me so well they feel instantly Comfortable on the foot great things About this loads of length in the toe Box there really good clearance wiggle Room for the toes all the way across so I can spread all of my toes here loads Of room it's good for a cruising shoe This kind of airiness and light feel up Front nice and spacious nice and roomy And then I always get really good Midfoot lock down from socon shoes they Hold really well they're sort of snug But not restrictive it just sort of Comfortably gives my kind of midfoot Here or by the toen knuckles a nice Secure feel across the midfoot there's No movement tongues do a good job and
Then back to the heels I just think You've got really nice balanced heel Colors here that hold the heels really Well I had no slipping easy to lace down And I would recommend going true to size In these shoes a good fit for long Hauling the fit for me in the Endorphin Trainer I'm size eight in the UK this is A size eight it's quite a roomy shoe um There's plenty of space around the foref Foot pling space around the midf foot It's not uh if you've got average size Feet you should be absolutely fine with This uh there's also pling space before The big toe as well probably about the Amount that most people want I normally Have a little bit less than most people Um but uh I think this is absolutely Fine I definitely say to my size in this Shoe very very comfortable and even Though it's quite a spacious shoe it's Quite easy to get nice lock down fit in So um oh and there's lots of nice Padding around it as well it's a very Comfortable shoe all around it sort of Fits fits like a a cushion daily shoe so Um designed more for Comfort than that Sort of performance level um fit that You might get from a a leaner uh upper And um Design so in testing I've done nor of 25 M was in the S endorphin trainer a big Chunk of that mileage has been easy but I've added in some faster segments to
Test the versatility in those upper Paces after all socony pitches this shoe For effortless speed I didn't quite get That and for me it's been a bit of a Mixed bag if I'm honest still feels very Much like the canara pro and there's Some hits and some misses with that as With that shoe there are some bits that I like some bits that don't quite land On the plus side I find them super Comfortable I love sakon's uppers and The fit and the way they tend to feel Instantly like they belong on your foot The moment you put them on and Lace them Up I think sophony does step in Comfort One of the best out of all the brands And the Endorphin trainer stays true to That kind of Heritage there's a good Balance of padding and plushness in the Heel collars and the tongues the uppers Fit really nicely it's a really easy Unfussy shoe to put on head out in There's real promise as well when you First lace them up and sort of start Walking around but then when I got Moving things went a little bit wayward For me for me the jewel foam 3/4 length Kind of plate combo just doesn't quite Deliver it's all a bit blocky it's a bit Slushy it's a bit sluggish and a bit Slappy and finally a bit labored if this Was aiming for Super Shoe I can't quite Feel that punch and liveliness that You'll get from other shoes in the
Endorphin lineup or beyond for me it's Sort of more as it's Nimbus than it is Sort of hooka Max 2 I found the soft High cushion feel a little bit draining At times even when you're doing your Slowest heaviest recovery miles I really Found I wanted a bit more Tempo more Tempo less trudge from the midsole Return and certainly when I pushed the Pace I didn't find I got back what I Needed to me it seems to prioritize a Kind of cradling softness over any kind Of energy or bounce now I think some may Well love the way that the incred run That new incred run foam sort of holds And cocoons the foot and really does Dampen the road it did a good job of Making 99% of that road impact disappear It's undeniably cushioned and Comfortable but I think we've got shoes That can do that now they do all of that Stuff that I've just described but they Also add a bit of energy to boot the Brooks Glycerin Max might be one the New Balance SC Trainer V3 is one that I find Does that the oncloud Monster hyper 2 I Put in that territory I also found a new Balance Rebel V4 a bit more direct but a Better balance of cushioning and umph Now I used the kinvara pro for 30 odd Miles of a 100 mile ultra couple years Back and it did a solid job as an easy Slow plotter and I feel like this Trainer sort of offers the same but even
When I was moving slow on some more Uneven ground I got some wobble in that Softness so it wasn't the most stable For me either certainly not the most Stable big stack shoe that I've run in So this shoe is a bit of an interesting One because the kimara pro that came out Last year I did not get on with that Shoe I just it just felt like I was Running in clogs um I don't know if it Was because I'm relatively light but I Just didn't get anything out of the Mido Um it just felt like I was with very Heavy chunky shoes on wasn't getting any Bounce back wasn't getting any softness Wasn't getting any comfort it was a Really weird shoe I actually wasted in That shoe the bright and 10K in it and I Wish I hadn't because it just didn't Work for me there was there was nothing About that shoe which which I really Enjoyed um so when the sock in trainer Came along which is Essentially an evolution of that that Design concept um I was expecting it to Be pretty much the same as the the Convar pro um but I I've pretty much um Had a really good series of runs in this I've done about 70k in this shoe so far I've using it quite a lot um and that's Not just because I was testing it I was Actually picking it up because I was Quite enjoying running in it um now it's An interesting shoe because the kar Pro
Didn't really have any plus points for Me I think the only plus point I could Think of is that maybe if you were a Heavier Runner that really dense and mid Sole foam might actually you might get a Bit more out of it it might give you a Bit more stability um whereas for me it Didn't do anything it just felt like it Was a big hard chunk of like plastic Rubber on on my feet the the socket Doing trainer so it has this Mido in it This incred run um midell phone which Sits in the middle um above the outside Which is poweron plus power and plus is A very sturdy firm stable Pham which is Essentially what the kimbara pro Completely had the incred run is a very Soft foam um really squishy so it's a Weird experience CU you get that that Really soft phone and then you get this Harder um so as well but it's quite a Big difference like some some Foams if You look at some of the hookah shoes Like the um the Mac series they they the Dual density midsole foam that they they Have in those shoes or the earlier ones Of those shoes is not too far apart it's Not it's not as noticeable as this the Two different frames are so different And and it doesn't have a dramatic Impact on the way that the shoe rides so It's very different ride than the convar Pro um and it's a very comfortable ride So I've actually very much enjoying
Using the shoe for easiest runs uh I Wouldn't say it's the best easy run shoe In the world I definitely pick a a Midsole that was a little bit more Balanced uh I don't think the Dual Density Mido really has a is has a big Benefit to to this I think it'd be Better to have one midsole for this type Of shoe that was just the right type of Midsole um so you're getting sort of Bits of both of these midsoles um I Don't think it particularly excels in Either area I don't think it's a very Good easy day shoe and I don't think It's a very good performance shoe so Which makes it a confusing shoe to have But what I have found with this shoe is That um it works for me on those runs Where I'm going out and I'm probably Going a consistent Pace above my easy Easy run Pace but below training hard um It's relatively easy to maintain a nice Consistent Pace with this soon as you Start trying to go much faster it sort Of doesn't work because the that softer Midsole doesn't really benefit you and That harder midsole doesn't really Benefit you either but it just sort of Sits in the middle uh as this sort of Consistent um midell phone which Actually does work for me oddly on those Specific types of runs and I do enjoy it For those types of runs go for an easy Run I don't enjoy it uh and I I would
Never I used this for a farlex session As well and I didn't enjoy it for that It just didn't it just felt a bit too Chunky a bit too much on the feet uh Didn't feel like it it could accelerate Very quickly it's a bit of a cumbersome Shoe um so it any really worked for me On those type of runs but it did I did Like it for those type of runs it did Work quite comfortably for me and I did En enjoy it on my feet and didn't have Any issues with it um so it's a tricky Shoe to really work out why it exists Especially for the price I mean if you Put this in the same bracket as Performance level shoes like the super Blast 2 and things like that where that Shoe is very much geared towards the Faster training sessions and the longer Training sessions um it's nowhere near As good and if you put it in the Brackets of easy day shoes things like The Brooks Glycerin Max it's not as good Um it just doesn't really excel in Either of those areas it's sort of got This sweet spot for me which sits in the Middle of which I do quite like it for Um but as I say that's a difficult Position to put a shoe in because not Many people want that from one shoe You're not going to buy a shoe just to Do that um so that's what I'm sitting With at the moment I've enjoyed it but Only for those specific runs the outso
On it it's a funny one um this power one Plus is pretty sturdy it's basically got These tiny bits of rubber on the front And back which aren't really for Durability because they're not going to Do a lot uh when you got the whole rest Of the shoe exposed um presuming they're More for a bit of grip on the front and Back but um the this this mid is very Very sturdy no signs of wear or tear on It at the moment absolutely fine um so I Expect it to be a pretty durable shoe so I've run about 50k in the soc endorphin Trainer using it for a mix of daily Training runs mostly at pretty easy Pace A little bit of speed here and there but Mostly just you know cranking out miles In it I think this is what the shoe is Redesigned for to be a shoe that you can Use for a lot of miles and be fairly Versatile I wasn't really a big fan of The canara pro I found it just quite a Heavy shoe quite a clunky shoe and just Didn't really work for me like I much Prefer something like the Endorphin Speed 4 and that's very much the case When I'm looking at the speed 4 versus The Endorphin trainer as well I think The shoe does fit into the Endorphin Range fairly well but it still doesn't Really have much of a role for me as a Runner so I wouldn't be using this as my Easy day shoe as a companion to the Endorphin speed 4 I wouldn't want to
Plate in my easy shoe I'd prefer just a Pretty standard cushion shoe for that Role and then it doesn't have the life To replace the Endorphin speed 4 like It's not a speedy shoe for me maybe it's A shoe that could work as an endorphin Speed 4 alternative for people who find That too unstable or something but in General I just find the r of the shoe Pretty uninspiring like there is a nice Layer of this incred run foam which is a Good foam but it's very much dwarfed by The amount of power run you have on the Shoe which is the bottom layer of foam Here and it's that's just not a very you Know Lively foam or anything like that And that's the dominant feeling you get On the run is that kind of pretty thuing Dense feeling from the power run foam Exactly the same as it was with the Convar pro its power run PB top layer I Think you got a bit of an improvement With the Endorphin trainer compared to The convar pro I think I like the setup A little bit more on this shoe and it Feels a little bit better but it's still I you it doesn't really have the most Natural ride even at easy pace and then Just doesn't give you know a lot back if You are going to try and push the pace It's just doesn't really feel like it's Doing enough for me to justify you know The amount of stuff that's going on in The midle and it's high price can tick
Along in it I'm pretty sure it's a shoot It's going to last a very long time and Be a daily trainer you can use for lots Of mileage maybe like I say it might be An alternative the Endorphin speed 4 if You are a heavier Runner or maybe don't Find endorphin speed 4 stable enough for You but we'll talk more about some Better Alternatives I think in the Verdict so yeah it's just the actual run Test of it just hasn't been that fun Like it plays a role that I think has Played better by very standard basic Cushion daily trainers that are a little Bit lighter and actually maybe have a Slightly more lively foam setup it's Also quite a loud shoe which is you know Never great if you're stomping around in A shoe so while I didn't dislike the Ride that much like it's just there's so Many just things that don't really hit The mark for me with this shoe that it All adds up to something that I wouldn't Really consider my own rotation I don't Really see how easily it fits into other People's rotations either because it's Pricey and just doesn't really deliver a Lot on any particular Front so my verdict on this shoe you Probably got it from the uh the the run Test there I I like it for a very Specific type of run but you can't Market a shoe for that sort of run if You're just buying a shoe for those sort
Of consistent um over easy run over easy Pace runs where you you're just you're Going a bit harder you want you want to Maintain it for longer um it it feels Good but it doesn't really work very Well for the easy ones or the the the Faster sessions it it sort of sits in This realm in the middle the super blast Sort of does that where it's designed For it's best it's best used for longer Sessions but if you do marathon training And you're going out and you're going You know 25k 30k and you're running at a Nice consistent Pace that a little bit Maybe below your marathon pace but You're you're going hard at it you're Going at a Tempo Pace um that super 2 is Really good at that this is almost like That but just not as high level as that It's just sort of overly competent runs Where you know you maybe want to run a Bit harder but you're not really Training hard in now I definitely Wouldn't use this shoe as a as a Marathon training shoe it just doesn't Just doesn't have as as much benefit as I want from that um but yeah as I say For those those once that sit in the Middle fantastic really enjoyed it for Those um and I do think that combination Of the incred run and the power and plus Does work in that scenario but it's a Very Niche purpose for a shoe and I Think I could probably pick 10 other
Shoes that would work better either side Of of what this shoe is doing so um so a Tricky one to suggest especially Considering the price um I think Super Blast 2 is obviously an alternative to This I'm not entirely sure how this shoe Is being um marketed uh if it is they're Trying to make it a performance shoe if They're trying to make it a daily shoe That's that's comfortable um because I Don't think it fits into either of those Super Blast 2 that's a much better Versatile shoe that you can use to an Extent for easy runs probably as well as This for easy runs um but it it just Surpasses it a long way when you get to Um those faster longer sessions um I Know you can't find that shoe very Easily so um that's probably going to Have a impact on if you if you're going To get that but um other shoes that you Might want to look at instead of this There's loads of daily shoes that you Could look at that that probably do a Better job than this that are Considerably cheaper um so things like The M Neo Vista um shoes like the Brooks Gisser in Max even I would say is Probably has a similar level of Versatility to this shoe Um apart from maybe that that one Specific type of run that I think this Does does better at so yeah um tricky One to really pin down this shoe I have
Enjoyed it but only for a specific Purpose so it's a difficult one to Suggest buying um and I think the only Thing that the kar Pro had that was sort Of a selling point was that it was Really stable and sturdy and maybe would Work for heavier people I don't think This will now because his in credy run Is really really soft so you sort of Lost that benefit as well It's Tricky to Talk about um and not one that I would Suggest people get um but it's a fun one To try uh I have enjoyed testing it out In in some instances verdict then and There are things that I like about this Shoe I like the Comfort on the foot I Like the way it disappears I think There's a nice plushness and balance to The uppers but I'm a little bit confused By the ride for me it's got perfectly Good soft cushioned ride but it falls a Bit flat and if it's supposed to offer Speed I'm not quite feeling it it's Lacking the energy I was really hoping For when I first started moving around In it and for me I found it has limited Gears that's kind of fine if that's all You want it does slow and cushion quite Well but there are lots of shoes that Use I think a dual foam setup to more or To offer more versatility I might lace This up for the middle 40 m of 100 mile Ultra where I want cocooned Comfort but It's a bit big and stodgy for me for
Faster runs and even on the slower Efforts I sometimes found it a bit Harder work than I really wanted now I Sound like I really didn't like the shoe And that's not quite true it's kind of Okay but when there's so many excellent Versatile daily trainers out there I Think we have to get picky so while I Can happily run in this I wouldn't be Picking it ahead of many other shoes Like for 20 bucks more you can get the Aex super Blast 2 for the same price in The US you can get the New Balance SC Trainer V3 and I think it offers more And i' probably choose the soc endorphin Speed four for me and the way I run over This it's a slightly different beats bit More direct but I tend to use that for The same kind kinds of runs so my Verdict on the S and dorphin trainer It's a pretty solid cushion shoe you can Go out there and do your miles in the Shoe it's not going to hold you back or Anything like that but it will hold you Back I think at faster paces and I don't Really think it's got the most enjoyable Ride for easy Paces either just feels Like quite a dent shoe under foot sure It's going to last a long time do a S The job but compared to the other really Exciting shoes with the Endorphin name Or indeed just general super trainers or Cushion shoes from other brands it's Just not one that I'd really go for
Especially given it's got quite a high Price like there's lots of just easy day Cruisers with you know more fun rides at Lower prices like looking at just that Band of really solid daily trainers you Get around the kind of 140 price Mark Things like the ax NOA blast 5 the New Balance Reb V for these a much lighter Shoe slight different shoe but you know Pretty comfortable as well hoker Clifton 10 you know these are all really solid Shoes that I enjoy running in I think I Do the exact same runs in them I do with The Endorphin trainer and I probably Enjoy the ride a little bit more and You're not getting a lot more here from The you know nice foam they have on the Top and the half plate in there just Doesn't really bring a lot of life to Faster runs that you don't get from Pretty standard shoes I think so that's What I would look at instead if you're Looking at kind of a general daily Trainer if you want that super trainer Field then I just don't think you get it Here even if you're someone who wants a More stable and protective daily trainer Super trainer so if you're rolling out Stuff like the hook ma X2 or the S indor And speed 4 is two lightweight speed Focus Shoes and there are still loads of Really great super trainers that have Big stacks of foam quite stable designs Cushioned and fun and enjoyable to run
In one that really stands out compared To this shoe for me is the Brooks Hyperion a Max 2 which is not my Favorite super trainer but that's Because it is more of a daily trainer For me but it's a livel shoe than the Endorphin trainer it's a lighter shoe Get more back from the setup of plate And phone the midols and it's still Really stable and great for grinding out Lots of miles and I think if you're Looking at something like this I would Always Veer towards the Brooks instead Or the Nike Zoom 6 which maybe isn't Quite as stable but a lot more fine and Lively underfoot still really Comfortable Muno Neo Vista soft bouncy You know really fun again with a plate In there cheaper than the shoe lighter Than the shoe even the New Balance SC Trainer V3 which is a very expensive Shoe but a fantastic shoe that I think Think is more versatile and fun to run In so that's the thing the undor trainer Like it's okay to run in this shoe but I Just can't see why I buy it over other Shoes or the kind of Runner I suggest it To over other shoes so you can pick it Up it'll do a lot of miles it'll do them Fine I just think for the price and the Ride you get here there are better Alternatives really on all fronts that's It from us on this review of the socc Dophin trainer thanks a lot for watching
Don't forget to like subscribe and click That little bell and if you go into the Caption below you can find link to our Podcast which comes out a couple of Times each month thanks a lot for Watching catch you next time [Music]
