Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 Review | Better Than the Newer Model?

With Saucony releasing the Endorphin Pro 5 in a couple weeks, I thought it was a good time to take a closer look at the Endorphin Pro 4. This is a shoe that I’ve seen a lot of the clients in my gym wearing for HYROX classes and the group runs we do.

I’ve been running and training in the Endorphin Pro 4 for a while now. I’ve used them for longer training runs, recovery runs, track workouts and fast paced tempo runs. I’ve also put them through the paces with HYROX workouts.

The Endorphin Pro 4 is a great race-day shoe. It feels custom built to contour to your foot and go fast. That does come at a cost though. It’s stiffer and can feel a bit more clunky for your slower paced recovery runs, so you’ll want to keep that in mind before you buy.

Who Should Buy This Shoe?

• If you’re looking for a race-day specific shoe, this is ready to go out of the box and performs when you need it to.
• If you want a high-performing shoe for speed work and HYROX at a fair price. Since this is an older model, they’re marked down pretty heavily, and in our opinions, these perform just as well (if not better) then the newer 5s.
• If you’re workouts skew more track-focused or fast-paced tempo runs, the energy return you get from the midsole is perfect for you.
• If you like to mix in HYROX style workouts with your runs, the stability and security you get from the upper construction keeps you locked in during those dynamic movements.

Who Shouldn’t Buy This Shoe?

• If you’re a more casual runner and stay in the 9-minute-per-mile pace or slower, these are going to be stiff and awkward.
• If you want more upper structure. For runners who like like having more structure to their uppers or run in frigid environments, the lightweight, ventilated upper could be a deal breaker for you.

Fit & Sizing Suggestion

About my Feet: I wear a US 10 in most shoes and have a D/E foot-width with a normal arch.

Relative Sizing Thoughts

• Narrow (<D): True to size
• Medium (D): True to size
• E-EE: True to size
• 3E+: Skip altogether

These fit very true to size. Length-wise I have just the right amount of space at the end of my big toe. Not too much where it feels like I’m swimming and not too tight that there’s any uncomfortable rubbing.

The upper construction really conforms to the foot and keeps it locked into place. I didn’t experience any spillover on the sides despite my foot’s natural pronation.

Performance Breakdown

Short Runs: 9/10

For shorter runs, I’m talking about anything 400-1600 meters, track workouts, and tempo runs. For those type of runs, the Endorphin Pro 4 performs amicably. They’re snappy, responsive, and lightweight. They’re everything you want from a shoe when you’re pushing the pace.

I was concerned about how the upper would contain my foot considering how lightweight it is. Despite my concerns, I didn’t have any issues with cornering on the track or sharp turns on the road. The upper kept me locked in and stable no matter how hard I pushed into the sidewall.

Long Runs: 7/10

Longer runs are anything longer than 5-7 miles. Think marathon training runs and longer recovery runs. This is where they started to feel a bit stiff. Longer runs where you’re easing up on the pace aren’t what these shoes are made for. The carbon fiber plate in the midsole feels clunky and awkward.

For longer runs, these are best kept in reserve until race day. I recommend training in something different and pulling these out for your testing days and for race day. There’s no break-in period with the upper so you shouldn’t have any concerns over keeping them in reserve.

HYROX: 8.7/10

I saw a lot of gym members wearing these during their HYROX classes so I was curious how they performed and I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t expecting a race-day shoe like the Endorphin 4 to be as suited to HYROX style workouts as they are.

Even with the higher stack of the midsole, I didn’t have any security issues. Wall balls, sled pushes, sled pulls, they were all a snap in these shoes.

Construction

The Endorphin Pro 4 weighs in at 7.7 oz in a US10 and have a heel height of 39 mm, a forefoot height of 31 mm, and a heel-to-toe drop of 8 mm.

The outsole is a segmented rubber outsole, Saucony’s XT900 rubber. It covers the base of the forefoot, extending into the midfoot. There are two more outsole pads on the medial and lateral side of the heel. The segmented outsole leaves a lot of the midsole foam exposed, something to be aware of if you run in climates with a lot of wet or nasty weather.

The midsole is a dual foam midsole with a carbon fiber plate. The upper layer is Saucony’s PowerRun HG foam, with their PowerRun PB foam beneath it closer to the outsole. The carbon fiber plate, Saucony’s Speedroll Technology, sandwiched in between provides incredible energy return and snappiness.

The upper is a lightweight mesh with the outsole extending a bit up the toe box. There is a large Saucony branded overlay running from the toe box along the side before ending at the boot. The boot is a thinly padded and does not have an external heel tab.

Running up the midfoot there are fore core eyelets over a soft, booty style tongue. The lacing system is a bit awkward to get used to on these shoes. The tongue itself features an extended fabric that folds down over the laces. The laces then get knotted ABOVE the folded tongue which prevents any uncomfortableness or hot spots around the ankle joint.

The insole is glued in and not removable. Something to be aware of if you rely on custom orthotics or inserts.

Final Thoughts

The Endorphin Pro 4 is a near perfect race day shoe. I would absolutely buy these again, especially considering how much I train in them already.

Again though, if you’re looking for a more casual running shoe, these aren’t going to be the answer for you. Between the retail price of $240 and the carbon fiber insert that’s geared towards speed work, these are best suited for race days and track work.

If that’s what you’re looking for though, a shoe that’s race ready and wants to go fast, definitely check these out.

In the meantime, I’ll be waiting for the Endorphin Pro 5 to come out and to compare how it stacks up against the Pro 4.