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SAUCONY ENDORPHIN EDGE: RUNNING ON THE EDGE. TEST +150 KM HÉCTOR RUBIO
SAUCONY ENDORPHIN EDGE: RUNNING ON THE EDGE. TEST +150 KM HÉCTOR RUBIO. Our TRAIL RUNNING bring us today a deeper technical analysis and test of this Saucony Endorphin Edge
A trail running competition shoe which are responsive and stable which most likely will increase efficiency thanks to the Carbitex carbon plated inserted. This Endorphin Edge came with a price of 230€, have a 6 mm drop and a weight of 250 grams in size 8.5 US. Lets start with the technical analysis video and then, let’s go with the tester review.
SAUCONY ENDORPHIN EDGE:
RUNNING ON THE EDGE.
+150 KM TEST BY HÉCTOR RUBIO
The Endorphin Edge, has been built on a proven formula for speed, translating the carbon fiber geometric of Saucony to a trailrunning shoe.
One of the first thing you feel when wearing them for the first time is the amount of space that you have in the toe-box in conjunction with the reactivity of the mid-sole in combination with the a specialized carbon-fiber plate for incredible ground feel.
I was really excited to be able to test them and compare with the Hoka Tecton X that i have also been using for the first part of the summer.
SAUCONY ENDORPHIN EDGE: DATA SHEET
- Price: 230€
- Weight: 250g (Men’s 8,5 US)
- Stack Height: 36 mm heel / 30 mm forefoot
- Drop: 6mm
- Lug depth: 4mm
- Midsole: PWRRUN PB
- Carbitex: flexible carbon fiber technologies AFX (asymmetrically flexing) plate.
- Outsole: Grippy PWRTRAC rubber
SAUCONY TENDORPHIN EDGE: 150 KM TEST BY HÉCTOR RUBIO.
As mentioned above, this is not an everyday trail- training shoe, so it is not ideal for those who like seek comfort above any other feature but, reactivity and sped to help us beat the watch in any type of trail. Do not get it wrong, the shoes are super comfortable, even in long runs.
During these 150 kms, I have been running with them, mainly in the Alps, on any kind of terrain, from ski slopes, to technical and wet single trails, competitions, and some speed training.
All in all, it is a great shoe which some parts, according to me, that need to be re-developed as the simple translation of carbon fiber plate in a asphalt running-shoe-chassis might have some disadvantaged in real mountain trails. So, if you use them in easy trails, with not big elevation gains and fast trail-single-track descents can be the TOP1 shoe, however when pushing them into real mountain terrain the big space in the toe box, together with the big reactivity of the midsole might generate some difficulties of fast downhill running.
Sierre-Zinal 2022. Photo: Mayayo
MIDSOLE AND CUSHIONING: The ergonomic PWRRUN midsole ensures high wearing comfort and targeted relief of the muscles during longer runs such as a marathon. A special contour in the midfoot area ensures a brisk pace. It is true that they are comfortable even wearing them for long runs and long days in the mountains, with a midsole that after 150 kms has not lost many of its properties.
However, as you can see in the below picture, it has been a little bit damaged by stones, rocks and the terrain where I have run with them., but still in a really good shape for at least another 500 kms if the outsole allows it.
CARBITEX CARBON PLATE: Its was faithful love the combination of softness and responsiveness, which combined with the Carbitex technology, flexible carbon fiber technologies AFX (asymmetrically flexing) plate, made out of them a extra responsive competition trail shoes, however the mounted plate in combination with the big space in the toe-box made them a little bit difficult in the downhills as the feet where sliding to the sides.
COMFORT AND FIT: Recycled fabric is used in the area of the upper material. Both higher absorption and faster evaporation, the lightweight mesh on the Endorphin Edge actively pulls moisture away from the foot, keeping cool and dry. It provides sufficient space to the foot, to run and run, as an ultra asphalt shoe, however as mentioned above in technical terrain or curves at high speed, the same space that provides comfort, can make the foot move a little and in combination with the carbon fiber plate, makes the feet move a lot, even to the sides, being in my case a little bit discouraging to wear them for technical days.
In this regards, it does not mean that the shoe fits me big, because it is my correct number, 43, but that the upper for my foot offers too much space.That is, my foot in the front is too small for so much space and the foot dances inside the box, although, for people with a weight bigger than mine (70 kg) can be a great advantage when swelling the foot.
SAUCONY PWRTRAC SOLE: PWRTRAC, the Saucony outsole technology, has proben to be tacky and a durable rubber providing exceptional traction and abrasion resistance, however these 150 km in Alpine terrain have made them suffer as you can see in the second and fourth pictures. They have had a great behaivour except in wet surfaces, mainly wet rocks where soles such as the Vibram Contragrip or even the Continental from Adidas have performed better.
SAUCONY ENDORPHIN EDGE: CONCLUSION
These Saucony Endorphin Edge arrive as the natural evolution of the range that we already presented for 2022, with a super light weight of 250 grams, but at the same time the robustness offered by the 36 mm height to the sole, making them clear competitors of the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro, Hoka Tecton X .
It is a competition shoe, with a high price ( 230€) that is based on the technologies it mounts and that for this reason and the weight may not have been designed for the whole group of runners, but for those who want to really to perform to the maximum in not very technical races.
In addition, they can also be adapted to some runner, a priori, not so fast, since the 6 mm drop makes them more “bearable” than others with more aggressive drops, when used in compacted trails with not huge elevations gains.
I really like them when I know the day is not going to bring me to technical and difficult areas, when, for example in comparison with the Hoka Tecton X, the toe box offers a better fit for my feet and allow me to move more safe.
Easy to wear, not super stiff even with the carbon plate and durable (except for the outsole, but maybe i put them really out of their comfort zone) which are according to me worth the investment when you want to perform in mountain races where the technicality allows you to run fast for many kilometers, like for example the mozart 100
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