Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 Review: Run Incredible

Introduction to the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2

MEAGHAN: It’s been nearly two years since the Endorphin Elite made its debut, and boy, has a lot changed. Similar to the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4, the Elite is meant for race day, but at a premium experience and price ($275 vs. $250 for the Pro 4). If Saucony had a VIP section, the Endorphin Elite 2 would be popping bottles with carbon plates and sipping LMNT cocktails. It features the best and lightest upper materials and the latest and greatest foams, all of which are brand new in this update. 

The upper of the Endorphin Elite 2 is designed with a lightweight TPE yarn, a flat knit tongue, and stretchy laces. Beneath the foot is Saucony’s latest super foam called incrediRun, (we all feel some sort of way about the name) that’s a co-polyester elastomer, or a form of TPEE. It feels really soft and squishy in the hand, but under load the material creates a springy responsive effect.

Similar to the original, it pushes right to the legal limit with 39.5 mm in the heel and 31.5 mm in the forefoot (for an 8 mm drop). It also retains the slotted carbon fiber plate and aggressive Speedroll rocker geometry. The outsole comes with a new rubber compound called PWRTRAC, which is the same stuff they use in trail shoes, so you know it’s going to be pretty darn grippy. 

My women’s 7.5 came in at a mere 6.2 oz. (the exact same weight as the previous version), but does it feel light and fast on the roads? Let’s get to it.

THOMAS: I must have missed something regarding the first version of the Endorphin Elite. Other reviewers were glowing in their reviews, but I felt the shoe was blocky, too firm, and not that fun to push the pace in. Our entire team was left scratching our heads. Other reviewers, even ones we respect, were saying it was soft and responsive. I was so confused, so I laced them up again– after our testing period was done– to see if I had gotten the wrong impression of the shoe. My impression did not waiver. Who knows, maybe we got a bad batch of PWRRUN HG foam in our pairs. Regardless, I was underwhelmed.

Fast forward to the Endorphin Elite 2, and boy, things could not have gone differently. I have had a fantastic time running in this model. I’ll explain in the below sections, but if you can’t wait, it’s a run of green lights from here on out.

My men’s 10.5 weighs in at 7.8 oz. (221 g).

What we like about the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2

MEAGHAN: I didn’t love the original Endorphin Elite, and if given the opportunity to race in any Saucony shoe, I would pick the Endorphin Pro. But things have changed and the updates to v2 are pretty exciting. I’ll start with the upper, which, despite feeling a little short (more on that later), hugged my feet pretty well. The TPE yarn is super light and somewhat stretchy so it does a nice job of molding around your foot. The knit tongue (love a knit tongue) is comfortable and the 3D molded heel collar is soft but adds a touch of structure. The laces are pretty standard, and the knit tongue did a nice job of protecting the top of my foot when I’d lace them tightly.

But you’re probably here to find out about that jazzy new foam, incrediRun. It’s unlike any race day foam out there. At first the cushioning feels like you’re walking on Jell-O or marshmallows, but then you start running and it turns into the kind of Jell-O that’s caffeinated and yelling motivational quotes at you. The stuff is bouncy. I wasn’t even sure that the bounciness would translate to fast, but a couple workouts later, and I’d say it does. 

I’m in base training right now and fitness levels are not high, but I’m still doing a workout here or there. So I laced up the Elite 2 for some 4-minute repeats and they ended up averaging 30 seconds faster per mile than what I expected to run, which is always a great feeling. It’s an odd sensation, because I’m used to fast shoes feeling firm, but the squishy midsole just works. 

I also found the rubber on the outsole to be grippy, and performed well in wet conditions. It’s not the most stable shoe in the world, but for flat straightaways I was very confident picking up the pace.

THOMAS: This was a love at first run shoe. As I started my warm-up miles, the shoe squished down and bounced back up. I haven’t felt that type of response since the original Alphafly. The most interesting attribute of the foam is that it has multiple personalities. While warming up, the shoe felt squishy and bouncy, but when I picked up the pace, the foam became more firm and punchy.

Finding a foam that is soft and comfy and doesn’t feel like you’re running through sand at faster paces is a challenge. The incrediRun midsole is magical. Typically, race day shoes are developed to meet elite athletes’ demands. The same shoes can work for some of us running in the middle of the pack and beyond, but they aren’t always ideal. The Endorphin Elite 2 is ideal for all. In the nearly 60 miles I ran in the shoes, I mixed in tempo runs, easy miles, hill repeats, and sprints. The Endorphin Elite was flawless for every effort. The incrediRun foam left my legs feeling great and ready for the next day’s run.

The upper fits well, breathes exceptionally, and has an ingenious tongue that folds over for regular lacing and flips up to protect your ankle if you choose to use the runner’s loop. The tacky, thin Pwrtrac rubber layer works well on wet and dry surfaces. 

What we don’t like about the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2

MEAGHAN: I was wearing a thick sock when I first laced up the Endorphin Elite 2 and pretty immediately took them off and put them back in the box. Thomas convinced me to try again with a thinner sock, which I did, and they worked out fine. The shoes run short, but seem to stretch out with wear. Since this is a race day shoe, it’s meant to fit more snug than a daily trainer, but I think it might be a smidge too much. 

I love a high stack, but it has to come with some stability. I wouldn’t call the Elite 2 unstable, but the squishy foam paired with the high stack had me feeling uneasy around tight corners, especially when trying to hold pace. 

Lastly, I don’t know about the aesthetics here. Maybe it’s the short stocky design? Maybe it’s the wild geometries paired with the see-through upper? I don’t know, but it falls into the slightly-too-crazy-for-Meg bucket of looks.

THOMAS: I land midfoot so I didn’t notice the instability of the shoe that Meg did. If I had to knock something on the shoe, I’d go after the laces and the ankle collar. For race day, give me the sawtooth laces. The ankle collar gapes a little. It doesn’t bother me, but this is the bad section, so I gotta nitpick. 

Of course, the $275 price tag is gonna keep some people out of the shoe. That’s a shame, because this one will work for many runners at all levels, though maybe not those that need stability or have wide feet. I disagree with Meg about the look of the shoe. I like it.

Final thoughts on the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2

MEAGHAN: The Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 was a fun surprise at the end of the year (or beginning of the year for you, when it actually releases on March 1). The new foam, incrediRun, doesn’t feel like anything else on the market right now. It’s a new sensation of fast, with such a soft and squishy foam underfoot, but it’s one that I think will appeal to all sorts of people and paces, from the sub 3 hour to the 5+ hour marathoner. I can’t wait to hear what people think. 

THOMAS: The Endorphin Elite 2 is in my top three race-day shoes. Everything I loved about the Hoka Cielo X1 is in the Endorphin Elite 2 and at a weight that is nearly two ounces lighter! I also have to give this shoe high marks for being a racing shoe for elite and average runners. Any time I keep running in a shoe after the video and written review is finished, you know it is a banger. 

You can pick up the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 on March 1, 2025, for $275 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) by using the shop link below.