What replaced the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1?
Updated July 31, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Endorphin Speed 2 replaced the original Endorphin Speed in June 2021 at the same $160. The midsole, nylon plate, and geometry carried over unchanged; the update was the upper, a new mono-mesh with a reinforced heel collar and a gusseted tongue.
At a glance
- Weight is unchanged
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Endorphin Speed 1 vs 2.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Refined, same shoeAn upper-only update, and a good one. The mono-mesh and reinforced collar fixed the original's lockdown complaints without touching the midsole, plate, or price. Doctors of Running graded it A-/B+ and called the subtle changes big improvements; Road Trail Run's A/B test against the original found little else had moved, which was the point.
Stick with the Endorphin Speed 1 if
- Your Speed 1's upper fits you fine; the sole is identical
- Leftover pairs of the original are cheap when they surface
Old stock is gone; see alternatives below.
Move to the Endorphin Speed 2 if
- The original's heel collar let your heel slip
- You want the gusseted tongue and tighter lockdown
Where the Saucony Endorphin Speed is now
Four generations separate the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1 from the Endorphin Speed 6 (2026), so the gap is wider than any single update suggests:
- Weight is unchanged
- 3.5 mm more heel stack
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $15
What loyalists said about the update
Received as the same great shoe with a better upper. In hindsight, the 1 and 2 together are the pairing the old guard mourns; once the 3 arrived, 'the 1 and 2 had more pop' became a standard refrain in the community.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Endorphin Speed 1 stock
Old stock goneAmazon's stock of the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1is gone in both men's and women's sizes, and discontinued stock does not come back. The best current match is the Saucony Kinvara 16.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Endorphin Speed 2, these come closest to what the Endorphin Speed 1 did.
- 7 oz
- 4 mm drop
- 29 mm heel
- $130 list
The Kinvara is the shoe the Endorphin Speed pushed out of many rotations: Saucony's other light, fast trainer, with no plate, far less stack, and a 4 mm drop. Pick it for ground feel over bounce, and to spend about $45 less at list.
Against your Saucony Endorphin Speed 1: 0.8 oz lighter, 6.5 mm less heel stack, 4 mm less drop, $30 less at list.
- 8.9 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 38 mm heel
- $145 list
The Ride is the easy-day partner rather than a substitute: similar weight, no plate, calmer foam, same 8 mm drop. Runners who find the Speed too much shoe for recovery miles usually land here.
Against your Saucony Endorphin Speed 1: 1.1 oz heavier, 2.5 mm more heel stack, the same drop, $15 less at list.
- 10.1 oz
- 10 mm drop
- 37 mm heel
- $145 list
The Pegasus is the traditional trainer this shoe out-bounces: cheaper, no plate, firmer foam, 10 mm drop. Cross-shop it if the Speed's $175 list stings and hard workouts are occasional.
Against your Saucony Endorphin Speed 1: 2.3 oz heavier, 1.5 mm more heel stack, 2 mm more drop, $15 less at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1 still available?
- No. Amazon's stock of the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1 is gone in both men's and women's sizes, and old-model stock does not come back. Your move is the successor or a close alternative.
- Is the Endorphin Speed 2 a downgrade from the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1?
- No. Most runners rate the Endorphin Speed 2 as the same shoe done slightly better. The changes are real but none of them alter what the shoe is.
- Is the Saucony Endorphin Speed still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 6, released in 2026, 5 versions on from the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Saucony Endorphin Speed 1?
- The Saucony Kinvara 16. The Kinvara is the shoe the Endorphin Speed pushed out of many rotations: Saucony's other light, fast trainer, with no plate, far less stack, and a 4 mm drop. Pick it for ground feel over bounce, and to spend about $45 less at list.