Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 Multi Tester Review: The Most Fun to Run Supershoe Gets More Serious! 5 Comparisons

The Endorphin Elite 3 modifies the rear and midfoot geometry with a extra crammed in rear of the shoe, truly softens (to urgent) the froth and will increase the stiffness and angle of the plate with a brand new ridged and forked design. 

The higher strikes from a really open however fairly stiff and tough materials to a extra typical closed but nonetheless gentle mesh. The modifications result in a 13g heavier shoe at 217g / 7.65 oz US8.5 however to this point they have confirmed nicely price it for me, growing the shoe’s practicality whereas not shedding any of its dramatically enjoyable trip.

Execs:

Distinctive: dramatic: energetic, smooth, enjoyable, pleasant and quick trip – Sam, Sally

Snug higher with loads of strong maintain – Sam, Sally

Bouncy and squishy however with extra ahead momentum than V2 – Sally/Sam

A lot improved higher that holds even a slender foot securely – Sally/Sam

Secure at slower paces however increasingly more energetic (and enjoyable) as you choose up the tempo – Sally/Sam

Excessive efficiency race day shoe for mid-packers in addition to elites – Sally/Sam

Attractively daring and vibrant: Retro and trendy trying on the identical time – Sally

Cons:

On the heavy aspect for a high tier supershoe -Sam, Sally

Priced on the higher finish of supershoes – Sam, Sally

Picks up in drive and aggressiveness however loses a number of the bouncy enjoyable: Sam

Stats

Approx. Weight: males’s 7.85 oz / 222g US9 ladies’s 189 g / 6.7 oz US M7

Pattern Weights: 

  males’s  217g / 7.65 oz US8.5  / EU42  (v2: 204g / 7.2 oz US8.5), 235g / 8.29 ozM US 11 EU 45

  ladies’s: 189 g / 6.7 oz US M7 (v2:  182 g /6.5 oz US W8) 

Stack Peak:  39.5 mm heel /  31.5 mm forefoot, 8mm drop (unchanged)

Platform Width:

V3: 90 mm heel /  65 mm midfoot  / 110 mm forefoot  

V2: 90 mm heel /  45 contact (65) mm midfoot  / 110 mm forefoot  

Most comparable sneakers

Hoka Cielo X1 3.0  (Sally)

Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo (Sally)

Nike AlphaFly 3 (Sally) 

Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 (Sally)

First Impressions, Match and Higher

Sam: The higher is a skinny and ethereal mesh with appreciable inbuilt construction from the mesh itself. It differs in being softer and extra uniform than the Elite 2’s higher. 

Elite 2 had a really open considerably tough feeling mesh with many vertical fibers for assist and a and together with a really stout (for a race shoe) toe bumper which led to some bunion pressures early on for me.

The tongue is a really stretchy and perforated knit  with no gusset that extends to an interior collar round a part of the ankle and contains the rear padding .  Lace up is safe if relaxed and even with no tongue padding I’ve had no lace chunk because the laces are smooth and fairly broad.. 

As an alternative of the v2 extension of the knit into an elaborate rear molded heel unit with padding, the v3 extends the higher mesh in a skeletal straps style across the heel (with the interior rear mesh areas smooth) and is stitched to the knit.

A vertical skinny overlay provides to the rear assist.

The achilles space has a high pad with the outer material extending down.

I very a lot seen throughout an A/B take a look at with v2 a safer and secure rear maintain, not solely from the higher however from now greater midsole aspect partitions which assist each the medial and lateral sides very nicely. And the now extra crammed in rear midsole underfoot contributes to the improved rear stability.

The match is true to dimension for my slender to medium foot and beneficiant. 

The toe bumper is now much less in depth and softer and now not reaches extensively excessive the toes.  I had no bunion pressures in first runs as I did in v2.

I might characterize the match as very snug for a marathon shoe and as with the underfoot platform less difficult going than most marathon sneakers

Sally: I completely liked the enjoyable, bouncy trip of the Endorphin Elite 2 however struggled a bit with the match. I’ve a barely slender girl’s foot, and to get a safe maintain within the midfoot I needed to cinch the laces fairly tight; that prompted painful folding of the stiff tongue materials underneath the laces. However what a enjoyable shoe! It was uniquely smooth and bouncy but energetic, very completely different in character from tother supershoes. I’ve been trying ahead to the latest replace from Saucony, hoping that they might refine the higher and maintain the magic of that bouncy midsole. And?

I fell in love straight away with the appears of the EE3 – these colours! Once I first tried it on, I felt reduction: the smooth, squishy, bouncy sensation continues to be there. 

And the match has improved! The higher is now softer and stretchier and extra breathable, and the general match within the midfoot by some means extra comfortable (however nonetheless not wherever close to a number of the different race day efficiency matches). Once I cinch down the laces for my slender foot, there is no such thing as a extra lace chunk: the refined tongue is now product of a smooth and stretchy materials that isn’t noticeable when/if it overlaps underneath the laces. And talking of laces, there may be now an elasticized loop that I presume is a lace storage to tuck your further laces into. 

I sometimes put on a ladies’s dimension 8, and Saucony is extremely in line with their true to dimension sizing. I do recall the W8 in V2 felt quick on the toes, because of a really stout toe bumper. 

My pattern dimension of V3 was at first a males’s dimension 6.5, which match method too quick; I swapped with one other tester and am now carrying the boys’s dimension 7, which supplies my toes loads of room in entrance. Do males’s sizes run wider? Regardless, it matches my foot nicely with loads of wiggle room widthwise within the toe field. I believe V3 is extra versatile in sizing than V2, which match extensive toes nicely however was limiting for slender toes.

I do know some runners had achilles points with the ribbed versatile heel of V2; V3 likewise has a versatile heel however has eradicated the ribbing and added some delicate padding inside. I discover the heel maintain snug and safe, without having for runners knots or any tweaking for me. 

Midsole & Platform

Sam: The midsole options Saucony’s smooth and really energetic TPEE IncrediRun foam (the softest and bounciest of any supershoe midsole I’ve examined) as within the V2  and with a really completely different really feel than the notably agency v1. Urgent the v3 foam is barely softer than v2’s.

The platform stays at 39.5 mm heel /  31.5 mm forefoot stack peak and with the identical broad 90mm heel width and reasonably slender (for tremendous sneakers) 110mm forefoot width.

The large modifications are on the floor on the midfoot and in direction of the heel  when it comes to the midsole geometry and within the design of the carbon plate.

The midfoot now not has the deep lateral lower extending in direction of the medial aspect. The heel groove is now virtually utterly crammed  in.  

The midsole aspect partitions rise greater to extra deeply seat the foot contributing to the clearly felt improved stability in v3.

The  midsole sidewalls primarily acts as a part of the higher’s assist system and as now greater than earlier than are but simpler and cut back the necessity for overlays or a gusset tongue.  The shoe feels extra secure on the rear and likewise a contact much less explosively bouncy, and for positive extra secure.

The carbon plate continues to be a forked design however now ridged to extend stiffness, ahead SpeedRoll and stabilize the heel. Saucony explains the plate modifications within the video right here

The modifications to the platform are clearly felt! The Elite 3 is extra secure, extra aggressive in roll to toe off and a bit much less wild in really feel, Whereas earlier than, the Elite was an excellent enjoyable and quick supershoe and a bit (too) wild unstable when drained persona, the Elite 3 platform is extra “severe” and secure and a is severe contender for marathoners in search of a smooth and really energetic trip that stays in higher underneath management for the complete distance. 

That stated, I do assume the brand new extra inflexible plate is a bit overdone. Whereas there is no such thing as a midfoot plate hump at slower paces and the brand new plate together with no lateral midfoot cutout,  I do assume it might have a bit extra give there to higher provoke what’s now a extra dynamic but roll to toe off from the forked design. 

The extra stability from extra foam width underneath foot and no midfoot cutout doubtless add some weight. I believe the 13g weight achieve is nicely price it right here.  

Sally: The magic continues to be on this midsole; thank goodness Saucony didn’t tame it an excessive amount of! They’ve saved the tremendous bouncy tremendous enjoyable trip that I really like and refined it to make the whole run expertise higher, a minimum of for me. Sure, they did away with the huge cutout within the midsole, which could have resulted in a weight achieve however which provides a lot to the general stability of the trip. We nonetheless have a excessive stack of the fantastic extremely smooth IncrediRUN foam, however add in a tweaked geometry and refined carbon plate design and the result’s a smoother ahead rolling propulsion and fewer upward spring.

 V2 was wild and loopy smooth underfoot and generally a problem to regulate, whereas V3 retains the bouncy enjoyable but is extra secure and smoother and rolls by means of transitions higher. I really feel as if the forefoot rocker and toe-off are firmer and extra decisive. It is a midsole and a shoe that responds positively to tempo: the sooner you go, the firmer it feels and the extra responsive it’s. The vitality return is unbelievable at tempo! And but I really feel snug operating at gradual paces as nicely, which is uncommon in a race day shoe.

Outsole

Sam: The outsole sees vital modifications with a extra skeletal design which results in much less entrance protection. 

I discovered the Elite 2 outsole slippery in moist circumstances. Preliminary moist street run factors to higher grip for the Elite 3.

I notice an indentation of the outsole and midsole crossing the only real on the metatarsals. I believe its objective it to ship some on the floor flex to provoke the ultimate toe off.

 

Sturdiness stays to be decided however to this point so no put on is obvious.

Sally: I had the pleasure of testing this shoe in an absolute downpour (virtually sleet) and the grip was decently strong on the very moist pavement, a lot better than V2’s.  The rubber could be quiet, however the squishy squeak of the froth could be heard loud and clear.

 

I’ve a factor about loud sneakers (sufficient already with the Alphafly 3!) however this squishy sound has change into uniquely endearing. I’ve 20 + miles within the shoe now and there are not any indicators of damage.

Journey, Conclusions and Suggestions

Sally: I simply might have discovered my new race day shoe! The Endorphin Elite 3 retains that extremely bouncy and extremely enjoyable trip that I liked a lot within the EE 2 and packages it in a a lot improved and higher becoming higher, provides a brand new slotted carbon fiber plate and tweaks the midsole geometry and VOILA! Here’s a shoe that runners are going to like! 

Saucony saved all the great components in regards to the earlier model (most significantly the uniquely bouncy IncrediRUN foam) and glued all the shortcomings (such because the stiff higher and match points) to present us this extremely enjoyable and exquisite shoe. 

The IncrediRUN foam comes alive underfoot not like some other midsole. It appears to work nicely at a wide range of paces, which means this shoe will not be restricted to the elites solely however somewhat ought to reply nicely to middle-of-the-pack runners and their slower paces. I’m a midfoot striker and it feels nice; how wouldn’t it be for a heel striker? The heel is exceptionally smooth underfoot. I’m additionally a somewhat petite light-weight runner; how will this foam reply to a heavier runner?

The EE 3 shall be a well-liked shoe for me in my rotation, particularly for uptempo runs and races. Nevertheless it feels so good on my toes that I might be tempted to put on it on a regular basis – and it brings me such pleasure to run on this enjoyable energetic but managed shoe!

Sally’s rating: 9.76 / 10

Journey (50%): 10.0    Match (30%): 9.7   Worth (15%): 9.0    Fashion (5%): 10.0

😊😊😊😊😊  for sure, most smile rating! 

Sam: Saucony daring, smooth and enjoyable Endorphin Elite will get extra severe with extra stability and trip consistency. V1 was an excellent agency and aggressive elite shoe, v2 went very smooth, bouncy and enjoyable. Right here, whereas not firming down the excessive vitality return IncrediRun foam, the rear platform is extra planted, the plate extra inflexible and  the trip extra controllable and constant on the worth of some extra however not unreasonable weight. 

As a heel striker, particularly when drained, the rear modifications are simply what I believed was wanted to good Elite 2, my favourite 2025 racer, however solely  if the race course was flatter. Whereas much less rear bouncy, the V2 is clearly extra secure. 

I’m a bit much less positive in regards to the extra inflexible and aggressive plate which might have a bit extra give for my tastes. The v2’s carbon was not as inflexible and the midfoot hole (now crammed in) gave some early roll ahead. I choose a racer with some “flex” to roll ahead simply off my fast heel strike landings, to not like Sally, my lower than dynamic knee raise and drive.   

Right here the compromise of a extra inflexible and secure platform works nicely however loses a number of the wild bouncy excessive vitality really feel from the froth of v2 and makes the Elite on the heavier finish of tremendous shoe weights.

A few of the wild bouncy enjoyable is tamed down in favor of a extra directed and secure trip, and one I’m now will take for longer and hillier races than v2 the place I struggled when drained. Throughout my testing, the Elite appeared to carry out greatest for me at round 7:40 per mile to eight:50 per mile my 10K  to marathon paces with slower paces nonetheless fantastic however not as straightforward as earlier than. 

I used to be shocked throughout a take a look at run on drained legs with seasonal allergic reactions within the combine that I ran my second quickest instances ever (many dozens of makes an attempt over time) on two roughly one mile Strava segments. 

The froth appeared to “tighten up” and return extra rapidly and with much less noticeable smooth bounce the sooner I went, seemingly returning vitality extra rapidly than when slower the place the trip is softer in really feel. Even at sooner paces, the Elite is the softest and bounciest  of tremendous sneakers.

As Sally says, the brand new higher is much extra refined and cozy than the very ethereal but fairly tough on the foot upfront v2’s. Beneficiant sufficient in match, and safe, it stands out as a high marathon shoe kind higher, with a bit extra room and luxury than most. 

Whereas it positive aspects a bit in weight, and at $290 is on the higher finish of supershoe pricing and weight, it’s nonetheless a strong worth for its distinctive trip, versatility and luxury.  

Nicely executed Saucony! Taming its wildly enjoyable and energetic IncrediRun foam simply sufficient with new geometry and plate design transforms the Elite right into a extra “severe” using and I anticipate additionally greater performing racer. But it’s an choice that’s uniquely enjoyable to run, and fairly completely different from most others within the supershoe class fora s huge smiles issue, forgiving quick and enjoyable trip that’s uniquely accessible to everybody from elites to the pack.  

Sam’s Rating: 9.43 / 10

Journey (50%): 9.5 Match (30%): 9.5 Worth (15%): 9.1  Fashion (5%): 9.2 

😊😊😊😊 1/2

5 Comparisons

Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 (RTR Assessment) 

Sam: Lined intimately within the assessment. Whereas the Elite 3 positive aspects 13g, the elevated stability and consistency delivered by the extra rear and midfoot foam is nicely price it. We get a extra snug and higher becoming shoe from the brand new higher. I do choose the extra mellow plate association of v2. In comparison with the very agency and aggressive geometry v1, the Elite 2 needs to be a much more sensible and pleasant racer for many.

Sally: I liked the excessive vitality bouncy midsole of V2 however had match challenges with the higher: once I cinch the laces sufficient to get a safe maintain on my slender foot, I get painful buckling of the stiffer tongue material on high of my foot. The a lot improved higher of the V3 solves this concern and ends in a unbelievable energetic and enjoyable trip, so V3 for the general win.

Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo (RTR Assessment)

Sally: The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo has been my race day shoe of alternative for my previous 4 marathons (Berlin, New York, Tokyo, and Boston) with glorious outcomes. Powerful to knock a popular race shoe off its perch!  I’m clearly a stride runner who prefers a shoe that permits me to stride longer to select up my tempo, and the Sky Tokyo’s energetic bounce does simply that. The EE3 has a softer bounce and extra of a ahead roll, however the firmer and extra explosive Sky Tokyo works greatest for my operating mechanics for maximizing my velocity over lengthy miles. The Sky Tokyo can also be a lot lighter in weight. That stated, I do love operating within the EE3 and might see utilizing it rather a lot for uptempo runs, however the lighter and firmer and stride lengthening Sky Tokyo nonetheless sits on high for me as a race choose.

Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 (RTR Assessment)

Sam: The Deviate is significantly lighter at  5.96 oz / 169g US 8.5 EU 41 on the identical stack peak.  It’s each stiffer and firmer with a extra reactive versus bouncy trip. For many the Endorphin Elite shall be a greater marathon shoe with the Puma extra targeted on shorter distances. 

New Steadiness SC Elite v5 (RTR Assessment)

Sam: The SC Elite is a extra severe using shoe with considerably firmer foam and excellent stability on the identical stack peak because the Endorphin however is 17g lighter. Its higher is extra exact in match. It’s is a really dependable any distance racer however lacks a number of the enjoyable vitality of the Saucony. 

Salomon S/Lab Illusion 3 (RTR Assessment)

Sam: One other shoe with “smooth” foam however within the Salomon the very smooth is as an uncommon decrease layer concentrated on the heel with above considerably firmer PEBA. I believe it could be a greater shoe the opposite method round. The Saucony shall be extra forgiving and efficient general for slower runners with the Illusion having a spotlight constant mid to forefoot hanging and a light-weight bounce off the tremendous smooth heel. The Salomon is significantly lighter at 6.27 oz / 177g US9 with its very snug if onerous to lace aero higher and slender platform making for a lot fof the distinction in weight. The Salomon higher is far lighter with it aero high material doubtlessly having them on the nice and cozy aspect.

Index to all RTR evaluations: HERE

Newest Opinions-Chronological Order HERE

The Endorphin Elite 3 will launch June 1st, 2026

SAUCONY

Tester Profiles

Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Highway Path Run. Hex is in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 54th yr of operating roads and trails. He has a a long time previous 2:28 marathon PR. Today he runs halves within the simply sub 1:43 vary.  if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week largely at average paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Park Metropolis, Utah be it on the run, mountain climbing or on nordic skis. Sam is 5’9” /175cm  and 160 lbs/ 73kg  if he isn’t having fun with too many fantastic New England IPA’s.

Sally is a lifelong runner and mom of 5 who towards her higher judgement ran her first marathon—Boston 2014—at age 54. She has since accomplished 20 marathons, together with twelve consecutive Bostons, 4 New Yorks, two Chicagos, London, and Berlin, and can earn her Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal in Tokyo in March 2026. She has raced in a number of Abbott WMM Age Group World Championships, operating her marathon PR of three:24:02 in London in 2022 (age 63, sixth place), lately inserting third on the 2025 AG World Championships on the NYC Marathon with a time of three:31 at age 66  in addition to 3d in her AG on the 2026 Tokyo Marathon. Sally additionally competes in USATF occasions for the Higher Lowell Highway Runners. She provides which means to operating Boston yearly by operating with Group Eye and Ear and has to this point raised greater than $360,000 for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital. She stands tall at 5’2” and 105 kilos and lives in Marblehead, MA the place she trains year-round open air. She blames her love of snowboarding out West for any Boston Marathon coaching challenges.

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