Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 Review Analysis (2022)

Last update: October 2023
The Saucony Endorphin Pro is an elite shoe with a carbon plate. It offers a very responsive ride and firm cushioning ideal for the half marathon.
The Consensus
Discover the latest version: Saucony Endorphin Pro 3!
Foot lockdown (upper)
Let’s start with the upper that concentrates most of the changes. There’s a thin, soft engineered mesh with little stretch for a precise foot lockdown at high speed. The shoe is better ventilated with more perforations to let the air circulate. One of the weak points of the first version was its heel that could let the foot slip. The Endorphin Pro 2 has a more padded and better fitting collar to effectively correct the problem. On the other hand, the upper is more spacious but still a bit narrow around the forefoot. Unfortunately, this depends more on the shape of your foot than its width. So we suggest you try it on in store if possible. Finally, the half-bellow tongue is flexible and wraps the top of the foot well. In short, more safety and comfort!
Cushioning
So, what does the midsole and its carbon fiber plate have in store for us? We find the same PWRRUN PB technology, a Peba-based foam. Simply put, this is a type of low-density elastomer that offers an impressive energy return. It’s a material that is increasingly replacing EVA foam. On the Endorphin Pro 2, it provides firm (some say even “hard”) cushioning with an impressive bounce to go with it. Combined with the Speedroll technology and aggressive rocker design, the result is an explosive ride to go fast. The comfort may not be on par with Nike’s Vaporfly Next or Adidas’ Adios Pro, but it will appeal to athletes who prefer a firm underfoot feel. The Endorphin Pro 2 delivers a constant forward motion, but you need to go fast enough for it to kick in. Thus, testers noted an impressive ride at fast paces but a somewhat clunky feel at slow paces.
Overall, based on our analysis of the various tests, we recommend the SEP2 for running up to the half marathon. Marathon running is of course possible, but only if you can tolerate firm cushioning over longer distances.
Grip and durability
There are also very few changes on the outsole’s side. The shoe still offers good traction even when the road is slippery. The thick carbon rubber zones provide superior durability for a carbon model. The testers speak of a minimum of 300 miles easy, not bad!
Conclusion
The Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 is the brand’s elite shoe. Built for competition, this second version is pretty much identical to the first, except for the upper. It was redesigned to correct the negative points and to be suitable for more runners. If the Endorphin Pro was too narrow for you, then try the 2! For the rest, the ride is ultra-bouncy but with a firm feel. Finally, as it’s the case with the vast majority of carbon-plated shoes, the price is steep at $220. The value remains reasonable thanks to the good durability.
- Great comfort
- Improved upper: slightly more spacious with better heel lockdown
- Very responsive ride’s responsiveness
- Good durability for this type of shoe
- Shoe profile remains classic in terms of configuration
- Firm cushioning that may not be suitable for everyone
- The upper is still a bit narrow
Technologies

Outsole

Carbon rubber: a very robust type of rubber that allows the shoe to better resist abrasion on the road. It thus allows the life of the shoe. The area under the heel is particularly prone to rapid damage as this is where most athletes strike the ground.
Midsole

The midsole features PWRRUN PB: thousands of granules of PEBA (or Pebax), a flexible, naturally responsive, low-density elastomer that is bonded together and wraps around the sole’s carbon plate propulsion. According to Saucony, this configuration is 20% lighter than conventional TPU materials.
SpeedRoll: A slim design that aims to make the midsole’s foam and carbon plate work efficiently to achieve fast propulsion with their smooth transition from heel to forefoot. One result of this configuration is a firm forefoot and a thick sole to facilitate the rocker effect.
Carbon plate is a technology that has been successful since 2020. It aims to make the ride more responsive and stable to go as fast as possible.
Upper

The engineered mesh upper provides an efficient foot lockdown while allowing good air circulation inside the shoe.

Formfit: an overlay system that aims to improve foot lockdown for better stability. Designed to replace ISOFIT, FORMFIT offers a firmer and more fitted foot lockdown. This system also has the advantage of improving the durability of the upper by giving it a better structure.
Facts
Technical Specs
Terrain | Road |
Pronation type | Neutral |
Drop | 8 mm |
Heel stack height | 36 mm |
Forefoot stack height | 28 mm |
Weight (men) | 213 g/7.5 oz |
Weight (women) | 179 g/6.3 oz |
Features | Rocker, Carbon plate, Vegan |
Athletes | Molly Seidel |
Release year | 2021 |
Cushioning
Softness (1-5) | 2 – Firm |
Bounce (1-5) | 5 – Very bouncy |
Technologies
Outsole | Carbon rubber |
Midsole | Carbon plate, PWRRUN PB, SPEEDROLL |
Upper | FORMFIT, Engineered Mesh |
Use
Speed | Moderate, fast |
Distance | Short, mid, 5k, 10k, half marathon |
Workout | Competition |
Reference: Saucony’s official website
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Comparisons – Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 vs.:
Saucony Endorphin Pro (2020)
The Endorphin Pro 2 changes little compared to the first version. The upper is a little bit more spacious and the lockdown in the heel is better. For the rest, the sole and the ride feel are almost identical.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 2
Coming soon!
Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2
See the side-by-side comparison with our comments.
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro
See the side-by-side comparison with our comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This shoe runs true to size according to the reviews we have seen so far. So you can go with your normal size for road shoes. That said, the forefoot is a bit narrow and not suitable for all runners. So it’s best to try it on to be sure.
Yes, this model is a neutral running shoe (also called universal). Thus, it is intended for all athletes independently from your pronation. It does not have a specific correction to avoid overpronation. However, its fairly firm cushioning makes it fairly stable so it may be suitable even if you are an overpronator (check for yourself).
Yes, this model should be suitable for all weights with its thick sole (36 mm heel stack height) and its firm platform that does not sag under the weight of the runner.
This running shoe is primarily intended for fast sessions and medium distances because of its firm cushioning. It is possible to use it for a marathon (that’s what Saucony athletes like Molly Seidel do) but it’s better to test it on a few long runs first to be sure.