The original Saucony Endorphin Pro is a winner in my books. Even though my originals are still holding up well after more than 500 kilometres, I jumped at the opportunity to test the new version.
The Endorphin Pro is one of those shoes where you hope the updated version stays true to the original, and the Endorphin Pro 2 barely changed from the first iteration.
I’ve trained in five different carbon plated race shoes and, unlike other “super shoes,” the Endorphin Pro feels the best at varying speeds. It’s great at speeds faster than 5km race pace and it also performed really well in a 50km training run on crushed gravel. Heck, it even feels fine during warm-up and cool down.
It took me very little time to get used to the Endorphin Pro 2. The upper is very comfortable and breathable and the shoe didn’t cause me to get sore, which can often happen when breaking-in race shoes.
The outsole and foam of version 2 look and feel exactly the same as the first. This is good news to everyone who enjoyed the original Endorphin Pro. They perform well and hold up for a very long time.
I didn’t have any issues with the upper of the first version so I was a little worried about any changes to the Pro 2. Spoiler: nothing to worry about.
The tongue still has that sock-like fit however the new tongue is a little longer and has a pull tab. This helps pull the shoe on easier, not that I had trouble with the first version.
The middle lace eyelets in the new lacing system are anchored deep into the upper which helps pull the shoe snug around the middle of your foot.
Version 2 is slightly wider but with the new lace system you can easily get a snug fit even if you have a narrow foot.
If you’re a fan of the original Endorphin Pro you’re going to love the 2 as well. If you haven’t tried a carbon plate “super shoe” this is the one to start with as it is the most versatile, least intrusive and still manages to go fast.
