What replaced the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4?
Updated July 31, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Endorphin Speed 5 replaced the Speed 4 in May 2025 at $175, $5 more. It tuned the foam softer and bouncier, cut the plate's wings down to a single medial wing, and added a wide fit for the first time. Reviewers called it the best Speed yet.
At a glance
- The Endorphin Speed 5 is 0.2 oz heavier
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- List price up $5
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Endorphin Speed 4 vs 5.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Refined, same shoeThe correction. Saucony tuned the foam softer, cut the plate down to a single medial wing, and put the shoe back on the path the 3 started. Doctors of Running wrote that it corrects the 4 while staying true to the line, two Road Trail Run testers called it their favorite Speed yet, and RunRepeat's lab scored it 94. The consistent knock was price.
Stick with the Endorphin Speed 4 if
- The 4's firmer ride is what you want for short, fast reps
- Clearance 4s are heavily discounted
- Your arch never noticed the wings anyway
Move to the Endorphin Speed 5 if
- The 4 beat your legs up on longer efforts
- You felt the plate wings under your arch
- You need a wide; the 5 is the first Speed sold in 2E
Where the Saucony Endorphin Speed is now
Two updates on, the Endorphin Speed 6 (2026) is what sits on shelves today. Against the shoe you own rather than the one that directly replaced it:
- The Endorphin Speed 6 is 0.4 oz lighter
- 3 mm more heel stack
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $5
What loyalists said about the update
Restored the line's reputation almost overnight, and became the consensus pick of the plated-trainer category again. The recurring asides: $175 for unchanged foam, a scale weight that keeps creeping up, and an official 8 mm drop that RunRepeat's lab measured closer to 10.6 mm.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Endorphin Speed 4 stock
Stocked at AmazonAvailability last checked Jul 31, 2026.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Endorphin Speed 5, these come closest to what the Endorphin Speed 4 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 4: 1.2 oz lighter, 7 mm less heel stack, 4 mm less drop, $40 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 4: 0.7 oz heavier, 2 mm more heel stack, the same drop, $25 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 4: 1.9 oz heavier, 1 mm more heel stack, 2 mm more drop, $25 less at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 still available?
- Yes. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 is still widely stocked on Amazon in both men's and women's sizes, often below its original list price now that a newer version exists.
- Is the Endorphin Speed 5 a downgrade from the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4?
- No. Most runners rate the Endorphin Speed 5 as the same shoe done slightly better. The changes are real but none of them alter what the shoe is.
- How much heavier is the Endorphin Speed 5?
- 0.2 oz heavier in a men's US 9: 8.4 oz against the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4's 8.2 oz.
- Is the Saucony Endorphin Speed still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 6, released in 2026, 2 versions on from the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4?
- 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.