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The latest model is markedly different from its predecessor
From easy miles to race day, these are the Saucony shoes worthy of a place in your rotation
Tested by The Runner’s World Editors
Looking for a new pair of running shoes and have Saucony in mind? You’re in the right place. Whether you're looking for a daily trainer to tackle the majority of your miles or a race day shoe to propel you to a PB, Saucony makes some of the Not built for speed/race day on the market.
You can shop our winning pairs below, at a glance, or keep scrolling to read our full reviews.
Saucony traces its origins back to 1898 when four businessmen opened the first factory in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, on the banks of the Saucony Creek (it's pronounced ‘sock a knee’, FYI). The brand’s logo represents the Creek’s constant flow, and the boulders lining its bed.
By 1910, the company was producing around 800 pairs of shoes a day and introduced its first running shoe, the 7446 Spike. But it wasn’t until 1968, when the company was brought by Russian immigrant Abraham R. Hyde, that Saucony really started to gain its reputation in the athletics industry and cement itself as one of the world’s leading running brands. From the release of its pioneering, shock-absorbing Grid technology in 1991, to more recently, it's Speedroll technology in the Endorphin Pro and high-spec Endorphin Elite.
Saucony puts a lot of emphasis on footwear that’s focused on the runner’s style, arch type and pronation, and as a result, we think the brand offers some of the The Rocket X3 is back in business – first look 👀 on the market. They also score high for reliability, and there’s plenty to choose from. And when it comes to race-day shoes, it offers a solid and growing contingent.
What tech is used in Saucony running shoes?
Foam
If you browse the Saucony line-up, you’ll notice one term surfaces again and again: Pwrrun. This is the overarching name for the brand’s current suite of cushioning foams.
At the bottom of the ladder is plain old Pwrrun, which is made from tried-and-true EVA foam. It provides a responsive, if somewhat firm, base for shoes like the Kinvara. However, the foam has been largely fazed out now, replaced by the newer Pwrrun+ which is formulated at a lower density to increase the softness of the ride. This foam is used in Saucony’s daily trainers including the Ride 17 and Guide 17.
Pwrrun PB is Saucony’s premiere cushioning found in more speed-orientated models like the Endorphin Speed 4. This is a PEBA-blend foam that’s half the weight of EVA and exceptionally bouncy (88% energy return). It’s also more durable.
Finally, at the top of the food chain is Pwrrun HG, used in the Endorphin Elite. Dubbed a ‘superfoam’, it’s another PEBA-based formulation that delivers the highest energy return of all the brand’s foams, and it’s also very lightweight (much like Nike’s premium ZoomX foam). That means Saucony can stuff a lot of it into the Endorphin Elite to create optimal cushioning without weighing the shoe down.
Supporting smooth strides
Saucony has developed several other notable shoe components in addition to its foams. Like other brands, it has started embedding nylon or carbon fibre plates into its racing and speed training shoes to boost responsiveness and support. The Endorphin Elite and Endorphin Pro 4 use carbon fibre midsole plates to create a propulsive, efficient ride that encourages fast paces. The Endorphin Speed 4, on the other hand, utilises a more flexible nylon plate for a softer, more supportive feel better suited to everyday training.
Speedroll is another key feature to note. It’s Saucony’s name for toe-spring, where the front of the shoe curves upward. Several of its shoes also have a full rocker sole, where both the front and back of the shoe curve upward. That upward curve promotes smoother transitions during your stride, and it’s especially important to keep shoes with taller stack heights — like the Endorphin Elite — from feeling too clunky underfoot.
How we choose the best Saucony running shoes
The models below represent the best Saucony running shoes available now. For this update, we reviewed our selections for technology, updated specs, and included our experience testing these shoes over the past year for any relevant feedback. Several models had minor updates, and a few had some significant updates to both fit and materials. We drew on RW reviews, editor feedback, our own testing experience, and knowledge of the running shoe market to narrow the list down to the pairs below.
The best Saucony running shoes for 2025, tried and tested
Pros
- A uniquely squishy but responsive ride
- New, barely-there upper
- Great lockdown
- Is Brooks Ghost 17 the best Ghost yet
Cons
- One of the pricest super shoes going
- Can feel quite unstable
- Not for every runner
Read our full Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 review
The Endorphin Elite 2 sits right at the top of Saucony’s food chain, just above the slightly heavier Endorphin Pro 4. As the ‘elite’ signals, this is the pair you pull out with the intention of maxing your performance on race day.
The latest model is markedly different from its predecessor, but it’s got all the bells and whistles that Saucony could throw at it, including a new super foam and a fancy new, barely-there upper made from TPE yarn. When it comes to the fit, the toe box tapers quite dramatically, with very little wiggle room. While, to an extent, this is what you'd expect from a race day shoe, going up half a size could be beneficial. There’s no heel counter – something that will likely be welcomed by runners with heel sensitivities – but there is a bit of sideways wobble, due in part to the shoe’s high stack height, which makes cornering at speed a bit of a challenge.
In terms of the ride, this is a shoe like no other. The new midsole is surprisingly squidgy and bouncy while retaining a great level of responsiveness that makes you just want to just run, and run, and run. The Speedroll technology – a consistent feature throughout Saucony’s Endorphin line, including the original Elite – is pretty aggressive and really does roll you through your stride, too.
Here’s the catch, though: this is probably one of the most unstable super shoes we've tested and definitely isn’t one that will suit every runner – particularly heel strikers. Whether or not it’s for you will boil down to whether you can handle that squishy softness and if your ankles are strong enough to handle that instability. Oh, and that small matter of the £280 price tag.
| Weight | 199g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 39.5mm (heel), 31.5mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Performance |
Pros
- mm heel, 28mm forefoot
- Some minor heel slippage
- Improved outsole
Cons
Saucony have tinkered with the midsole mix in the latest Pro, adding a layer of PWRRUN HG to PWRRUN PB (which the Pro 3 used exclusively). The result is rather wonderful. The v4 feels super-soft on step in – almost too soft for a racer – but once you get moving the foam blend combines with the plate and Speedroll midsole (shaped to help heel/toe transition) to launch you forward. There’s so much propulsion you struggle not to accelerate, but the softness so palpable at step in stays in the mix to smooth any hard edges. It’s a dream ride, delivering those super shoe snappy, bouncy, fast transitions, but softened and smoothed to feel comfortable and stable over longer runs and at slower paces.
The redesigned mesh upper is featherweight and super-breathable, with just enough padding at the collar and on the integrated woven tongue that you can run long in comfort. The rubber outsole has switched to a lattice design which improves traction, adding to the confidence factor in all conditions. A seriously impressive stand-out performer that offers fast, smooth and true to its name, endorphin-inducing miles.
| Weight | 212g (M), 185g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36mm (heel), 28mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
Pros
- Wider and more accommodating than previous versions
- The Runner’s World Editors
- Great traction
Cons
- Laces are slightly long
- More soft than springy
Read our full Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 review
The Speed 4 is intended to fit into Saucony’s Endorphin line up as a training companion to the race-day Pro 4 or Elite 2 models. It fulfils that role with aplomb, but it’s a little more aggressive than the Speed v3, which makes it something a lot of people would also happily turn to for their fastest sessions and chasing PBs.
The midsole combines full-length PWRRUN PB PEBA foam with a nylon winged plate to serve up that bouncy PEBA feel, but it doesn’t ride as harsh or aggressive as all-out racing super shoes. Transition is beautifully smooth through the mid- and forefoot, with updated geometry making it feel a touch more stable. The upper is light and extremely breathable, fitting fairly snug for good lock-down.
There’s a surprising dash of plushness from the rather thin looking tongue and an almost bucket shaped heel adds comfort, stability and hold. The same grippy lattice outsole as the Endorphin Pro 4 offers great traction, too. It all adds up to a really versatile shoe which easily shifts between paces. A perfect partner on multi-paced sessions and for those not in a rush to invest in an additional race shoe, it’ll serve you well on your big day over a wide range of distances.
| Weight | 233g (M), 204g (W) |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Performance/daily training/neutral/road |
Pros
- Cushioned yet responsive
- New, more dialled in upper
- Versatile across distances/speeds
- Excellent value
Cons
- Some minor heel slippage
Read our full Saucony Ride 18 review
The Ride has always been Saucony’s staple daily workhorse, designed to help neutral runners tackle the majority of their miles. It’s not a particularly flashy shoe and Saucony hasn’t throw the kitchen sink at it in terms of carbon plates and super foams. It is, quite simply, a solid, dependable daily trainer that offers fantastic bang for your buck.
The latest iteration has received very minor tweaks that allow it to maintain what so many loved about the v17. Namely, a reformulated midsole (which Saucony is still calling Pwrrun+, even though it’s lighter and snappier than the v17) and a refined fit. The latter comes in the form of a new engineered mesh upper that feels a bit more taunt and structured than that of the v17, creating a more dialled in fit around the midfoot. The heel counter is quite stiff, but it’s well padded – a touch more so than the v17 – which helps to avoid any issues, and a new lacing system makes things smoother and effortless.
Meanwhile, the midsole offers versatility in abundance. During testing, it's been used for long ultra-training miles, commutes with a bag, speed work and everything in between, successfully treading the ground between offering enough cushioning for those slower, easy runs, while still retaining a liveliness that lends itself well to some faster running.
| Weight | 278g (UK 8.5) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 35mm (heel), 27mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
Pros
- New stability tech is less intrusive than previous
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- Plushy interior
Cons
- Lacks 'pop' for speed/race day
Read our full Saucony Guide 17 review
who want a daily workhorse to tackle the majority of their miles overpronators who want a daily workhorse to tackle the majority of their miles.
The Guide’s stability tech has involved over the years, and in the latest version Saucony has introduced new Center Path Technology. The idea is that it rejects the old 'treadmill gait analysis' that the industry used to study runners’ ankle and foot rolls. Instead, the brand’s team focused on pressures underfoot, observing how this impact is distributed. The team dialled in the support on those high-impact zones with the new tech, which provides more cushioning across a broader base for a stabler platform.
Soft underfoot feel while retaining a good level of liveliness, the ride feels small and effortless, and there's plenty of structure alongside the plushy interior, too. A shoe you're sure to reach for when you want a trusty stability shoe for the bulk of your miles.
| Weight | 269g (M), 232g (W) |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 6mm |
| Type | Stability/road |
Pros
- Good looking
- Fantastic lockdown
- The 7 best New Balance running shoes for 2025
- on the market
Cons
- Saucony Endorphin Speed 5: A top carbon-free racer
- Best stability shoe for daily training
Read our full Saucony Hurricane 24 review
The Hurricane ran for 23 iterations before Saucony announced that it would be discontinuing it two years ago. But now it’s made a comeback, with Saucony claiming that it’s been 'transformed from the ground up'.
It features a new dual density midsole foam, combining the soft and bouncy PWRUN PB underfoot with the firmer and more responsive PRWRUN below that. The result is plush, fairly responsive cushioning that feels soft underfoot without being too squishy.
Stability now comes in the form of Saucony’s CenterPath Technology, which ditches traditional medial posts in favour of a broader platform, higher sidewalls, an asymmetric profile and a rocker shape that guides the stride from impact to toe-off. It's subtle but effective.
At £165, it's definitely positioned as a premium stability shoe. However, its comfort, performance and durability help to justify the cost. And while it might not be your go-to for speed sessions, it excels as a stacked daily trainer, offering a reliable, comfortable experience for many miles.
| Weight | 302g (M), 279g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 38mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 6mm |
The Runner’s World Editors
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The Not built for speed/race day for high arches
g M, 204g W
