Saucony continues to improve the Endorphin line across all models and where it was once clear what the role of each was, one model, in particular, has started to shift a bit and with the latest release, we feel shifts even more. We are talking about the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 and while this was originally designed to be a more up-tempo, speed, and even race day shoe for some it has slowly morphed into more of a daily trainer that just happens to have a nylon plate. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the name gives you the impression that it’s something else and almost does it a bit of an injustice because it’s a really great shoe and these changes make it even better and more accessible.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- The Endorphin Speed 3 becomes closer to a daily trainer and it turns out, that’s a really good thing.
- Weight – 8.1oz or 230g for a US Men’s 9, 7.2oz or 204g for a US Women’s 7
- Cushion – 36mm of cushion and a 8mm heel/toe drop
- Pricing – $170.00 USD
- Colors – 3 color options for men and women
Construction and Materials
- Upper – A lightweight breathable mesh that uses their personalized FORMFIT system designed to mimic the shape of your foot for a better fit.
- Midsole – Retains the PWRRUN PB foam cushioning that is light and responsive. Gets an updated S-curve winged nylon plate that allows for greater stability. Also uses Saucony’s SPEEDROLL rocker for better foot transition.
- Outsole – Uses their XT-900 rubber with a new pattern that should grip the road better.
Performance Review
Some of the Endorphin shoes have gone through a pretty dramatic overhaul, looking at the Pro 3 in particular, which feels almost nothing like the Pro 2. The Speed 3 however feels like a very small update from the Speed 2, but those improvements are in just the right areas. As we mentioned prior, we’d also love to move away from the Speed moniker because this shoe has started to shift into more of a daily option for runners. Don’t let the nylon plate fool you, this shoe is highly capable and not super aggressive, which means the target audience should be a lot bigger than it was prior.
The upper continues to use a lightweight breathable mesh using Suacony’s FORMFIT design giving the shoe a feeling of wrapping around your foot while still leaving a decent amount of room in the toe box for movement. It has an elastic gusseted tongue and a more improved heel in terms of padding and stability. It locks you in well and does feel supportive instead of thin as many other “speed” shoes feel.
The midsole continues to use their ultralight PWRRUN PB foam which has that great mix of cushioning and responsiveness and when paired with their SPEEDROLL technology delivers really solid movement through the stride and a solid level of propulsion. The S curve winged nylon plate has been improved as they have extended winglets down the lateral and medial edges which provide stability side to side. The outsole uses their XT900 rubber which grips the road really well and keeps durability high. The platform itself is wider and then it has been prior again trending towards more of an everyday shoe instead of just something reserved for race day.
This is definitely still a shoe you can run fast in and if you want to keep it in that category then totally fine. However as more runners get accustomed to running with a plate and wanting a little bit higher stack, it makes shoes like this, more accessible given its weight and it’s cushioning level, to a broader audience. We can run in these when our legs are tired, when we’re ready to go fast, and even when we’re ready to race.
Overall Conclusion
With the Endorphin Speed 3, Saucony continues to build upon an amazing platform and our only recommendation for them would be to shift the naming of this shoe. The Speed 3 has evolved into something different and that is totally okay because we are here for it. This shoe is great and we’d only love if more people had a chance to run in it. We feel the name Speed gives people a certain impression and that is simply not all this shoe can do. That being said, can’t wait to see where Saucony takes this entire lineup in the future.
Learn more on the Saucony website
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Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
