Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 review: the tempo G.O.A.T. gets more snap

I called the Endorphin Speed 5 the tempo G.O.A.T. after living in that ride, and I meant it. It was the plated trainer I trusted for every kind of speed day, and Saucony's refusal to mess with the formula was exactly why.

So here's the surprise; the Speed 6 does shuffle up the formula, but I still love it.

This is a bigger midsole step than the Speed 4 to 5 update. New PWRRUN PBX foam, 2mm more stack (now 38mm/30mm), and a redesigned full-length semi-rigid nylon plate that sharpens the SpeedRoll geometry (and oddly gives it a sense of having a slightly higher drop).

On paper it's a real upgrade, and in my testing for the past month, it feels like one too.

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 lands in the US in mid-October, and I've been running my pair through uptempo sessions ahead of that. Here's my take, including the one change in personality that Speed 5 loyalists should know about.

Key specifications

• Price: $175 at Saucony.com
• Weight: 8.0 oz (227 g) in my tested men's US 9, down from 8.6 oz on my Speed 5
• Drop: 8mm | Stack height: 38mm heel / 30mm forefoot (2mm more foam than the Speed 5)
• Upper: Lightweight, breathable engineered mesh built to lock the foot in at speed
• Midsole: New PWRRUN PBX foam in two layers sandwiching a redesigned full-length semi-rigid nylon plate, with SpeedRoll geometry
• Outsole: High-abrasion rubber underfoot at the forefoot and heel, although limited at the heel

Sizing and fit

I'm in my usual US 9 and true to size is the right call, as it was on the Speed 5.

The lightweight mesh upper does its job: it holds the foot securely when the pace climbs without adding bulk or heat, and the fit carries the refined, secure-but-not-restrictive feel that made the Speed 5 so easy to live in.

If you've worn the Speed 5, go with the same size. If this is your first Endorphin Speed, your regular running shoe size is the place to start.

I appreciate the longer tongue too! No more slipping down...

Performance review

The Speed 5 sticks with what worked. The Speed 6 keeps the magic and then adds to it, and this section is about what that addition feels like on the run.

PWRRUN PBX: the same magic, now springier and deeper

The headline change is the foam.

PWRRUN PBX replaces PWRRUN PB, and it's the reason the Speed 6 feels like a genuine step up rather than a tune-up.

Underfoot it's springier and more responsive than the Speed 5 straight away, with a livelier rebound that makes intervals and tempo work feel more effortless.

Combine that with the extra 2mm of stack and there's noticeably more cushion depth too, so the shoe now has a little more to give on longer moderate efforts.

You get all that and the shoe is also lighter, thanks to the new composition of the PWRRUN PBX foam.

That signature Speed-series bounce is still here. It's just been turned up.

The new plate rolls you onto your forefoot faster

The redesigned semi-rigid nylon plate is the other half of the story.

Paired with SpeedRoll, it moves you through the gait cycle quicker and pushes you onto the forefoot faster than the Speed 5 did, and that gives a sensation of a slightly higher drop; this will change as more miles get into the shoe but out the box, that's the sensation I'm getting.

The effect is a shoe that wants to move even more urgently than before.

Transitions are fast and smooth, toe-off has real snap, and at tempo pace and quicker it feels like the shoe is doing some of the work for you.

Nylon is still the right call here; It's less rigid than a carbon plate, and that keeps the Speed 6 in speed trainer territory rather than turning it into a race-day-only tool, for which the Endorphin Elite 3 is the better tool.

Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 Review: Smoother, More Planted, So Much Fun

Is the Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 the super shoe that finally fixes its only real flaws? Here’s my honest take on Saucony’s fastest, most refined carbon racer yet.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Lighter where it counts

My Speed 5 weighed 8.6 oz in a US 9. My Speed 6 weighs 8.0 oz. That's a meaningful cut, and you feel it on the foot.

Getting 2mm more foam and a lighter shoe at the same time is the kind of upgrade that's hard to argue with, and it makes the quicker, more propulsive ride feel even more natural.

Breathability is still a strength

Breathability was already fantastic on the Speed 5, and the Speed 6 keeps that standard.

The new mesh lets heat escape efficiently when the pace picks up or the temperature climbs, which matters in my Florida summer testing. This is continuity rather than a new headline, and that's exactly what I wanted.

The trade-off: A little less grounded than the Speed 5

Here's the part Speed 5 fans need to hear before they buy.

One of the things I valued most about the Speed 5 was that it never felt awkward when I backed off the pace. The flexible nylon plate kept it grounded and usable during warm-ups, cool-downs, and mixed-effort sessions.

The Speed 6 leans a little the other way; the higher stack, the more energetic foam, and the quicker roll onto the forefoot make it feel less planted than the version I loved, and it's more insistent about being run fast.

It's different, not a deal-breaker, and if you ever found the Speed 5 a touch muted, you'll welcome the change.

But if you loved the Speed 5 precisely because it was a versatile all-rounder, know that the Speed 6 has a sharper personality.

I'll also keep an eye on outsole durability as the miles stack up, and update this review once I have a longer-term verdict because there's not much rubber compound at the heel and I see this being a weak link, which is a real shame.

That said, traction has been great so far!

Is the Speed 6 better than the Speed 5?

Yes, and it's a bigger jump than the last one.

The Speed 4 to 5 update was refinement: a tidier upper, better heel lock, a bit more durability, same ride. The Speed 5 to 6 update changes the ride itself: new foam, more stack, a redesigned plate, and a real weight cut.

The result is a springier, deeper, faster-rolling shoe that's still unmistakably an Endorphin Speed. The only thing it gives up is a little of the Speed 5's grounded, easy-pace manners.

My verdict

The Endorphin Speed 6 is a joy to run in, and I'm as enthusiastic about it as I was about the Speed 5 back in April 2025.

It keeps everything that made the Endorphin Speed the tempo G.O.A.T. and adds the thing the Speed 5 only hinted at: more responsive foam, more cushion depth, and a faster, snappier roll onto the forefoot, all in a lighter package. My uptempo work is moving into this pair.

The personality has shifted toward speed and away from the Speed 5's ability to also take on easy-pace calm, so buy it as a speed-day shoe first and an all-rounder second.

At $175 it's still excellent value for a shoe this fast and this versatile, and for intervals, tempo runs, and quality long efforts it's an easy yes.

Want a carbon plate for race day instead? The Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 is the bouncier, faster sibling. Cross-shopping the Hoka Mach? My Hoka Mach vs Saucony Endorphin Speed comparison covers which one fits your training week.

Hoka Mach vs Saucony Endorphin Speed: which to buy?

Hoka Mach vs Saucony Endorphin Speed compared after thoroughly testing both. Performance comparison, plate difference, and which one fits your training.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

And it remains the shoe I recommend every time Hyrox athletes ask, as explained in my best shoes for Hyrox guide.

For my complete rankings across every category, see my guide to the best running shoes right now.

Best Running Shoes 2026: 10 Picks I Actually Train In

The 10 best running shoes of 2026, every one tested over real miles by me. Daily trainers, race-day picks, stability, and trail shoes that earn it.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

If you haven't already, signup for my free newsletter, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel for all the latest running shoe reviews. 👉🏼 And for an inside look at what comes into my studio with unboxings, lace up reels, and short form reviews, follow me on Instagram, and TikTok. -Alastair

Written by

Share

Copied