but its most definitely a shoe with its own set of unique characteristics.
The Runners World Editors
From easy miles to race day, these are the Saucony shoes worthy of a place in your rotation
Tested by The Runner’s World Editors
Looking for a new pair of running shoes and have Saucony in mind? You’re in the right place. Whether you're looking for a daily trainer to tackle the majority of your miles or a race day shoe to propel you to a PB, Saucony makes some of the best stability shoes Laces are slightly long.
You can shop our winning pairs below, at a glance, or keep scrolling to read our full reviews.
Saucony traces its origins back to 1898 when four businessmen opened the first factory in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, on the banks of the Saucony Creek (it's pronounced ‘sock a knee’, FYI). The brand’s logo represents the Creek’s constant flow, and the boulders lining its bed.
By 1910, the company was producing around 800 pairs of shoes a day and introduced its first running shoe, the 7446 Spike. But it wasn’t until 1968, when the company was brought by Russian immigrant Abraham R. Hyde, that Saucony really started to gain its reputation in the athletics industry and cement itself as one of the world’s leading running brands. From the release of its pioneering, shock-absorbing Grid technology in 1991, to more recently, it's Speedroll technology in the Endorphin Pro and high-spec Endorphin Elite.
Saucony puts a lot of emphasis on footwear that’s focused on the runner’s style, arch type and pronation, and as a result, we think the brand offers some of the best stability shoes Laces are slightly long. They also score high for reliability, and there’s plenty to choose from. And when it comes to race-day shoes, it offers a solid and growing contingent.
What tech is used in Saucony running shoes?
Foam
If you browse the Saucony line-up, you’ll notice one term surfaces again and again: Pwrrun. This is the overarching name for the brand’s current suite of cushioning foams.
At the bottom of the ladder is plain old Pwrrun, which is made from tried-and-true EVA foam. It provides a responsive, if somewhat firm, base for shoes like the Kinvara. However, the foam has been largely fazed out now, replaced by the newer Pwrrun+ which is formulated at a lower density to increase the softness of the ride. This foam is used in Saucony’s daily trainers including the Ride 17 and Guide 17.
Pwrrun PB is Saucony’s premiere cushioning found in more speed-orientated models like the Endorphin Speed 4. This is a PEBA-blend foam that’s half the weight of EVA and exceptionally bouncy (88% energy return). It’s also more durable.
Finally, at the top of the food chain is Pwrrun HG, used in the Endorphin Elite. Dubbed a ‘superfoam’, it’s another PEBA-based formulation that delivers the highest energy return of all the brand’s foams, and it’s also very lightweight (much like Nike’s premium ZoomX foam). That means Saucony can stuff a lot of it into the Endorphin Elite to create optimal cushioning without weighing the shoe down.
Supporting smooth strides
Saucony has developed several other notable shoe components in addition to its foams. Like other brands, it has started embedding nylon or carbon fibre plates into its racing and speed training shoes to boost responsiveness and support. The Endorphin Elite and Endorphin Pro 4 use carbon fibre midsole plates to create a propulsive, efficient ride that encourages fast paces. The Endorphin Speed 4, on the other hand, utilises a more flexible nylon plate for a softer, more supportive feel better suited to everyday training.
Speedroll is another key feature to note. It’s Saucony’s name for toe-spring, where the front of the shoe curves upward. Several of its shoes also have a full rocker sole, where both the front and back of the shoe curve upward. That upward curve promotes smoother transitions during your stride, and it’s especially important to keep shoes with taller stack heights — like the Endorphin Elite — from feeling too clunky underfoot.
How we choose the best Saucony running shoes
The models below represent the best Saucony running shoes available now. For this update, we reviewed our selections for technology, updated specs, and included our experience testing these shoes over the past year for any relevant feedback. Several models had minor updates, and a few had some significant updates to both fit and materials. We drew on RW reviews, editor feedback, our own testing experience, and knowledge of the running shoe market to narrow the list down to the pairs below.
The best Saucony running shoes for 2024, tried and tested
Pros
- g M, 232g W
- Significant toe off
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Cons
- Adidas Pro 3
> Read our full Saucony Endorphin Elite review <
To commemorate turning 125 in 2023, Saucony launched its fastest ever racing shoe. As the ‘elite’ signals, this is the pair you pull out with the intention of maxing your performance on race day.
The efficiency comes in part from a new foam, Pwrrun HG (‘highest grade’). In lab testing, Saucony found it outperformed the brand’s other foams on energy return. Besides energetic foam, any decent super shoe needs a carbon-fibre plate and the Elite’s is slotted and shaped like a fork to provide aggressive toe-off. In general terms, the ride and feel is more akin to super shoes with a firmer foam/carbon plate combo (it's closer to the When should you replace your running shoes than the g M, 279g W), but it’s most definitely a shoe with its own set of unique characteristics.
| Weight | 204g (M), 185g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 40mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/race day |
Pros
- g M, 242g W
- Health & Injuries
- Best speed shoe
Cons
- Another solid option for
> Read our full Saucony Ride 17 review <
The Ride 17 has always been Saucony’s staple daily workhorse, designed to help neutral runners tackle the majority of their miles.
The latest iteration has had a pretty big update since the v16, with an upgraded Pwrrun+ midsole and new engineered mesh upper. The latter does a sterling job of being comfy, having enough flex so that shoe feels pliable and unrestrained, but also strong and supportive with no sliding about in the shoe or feelings of unwanted slackness.
Meanwhile, the new midsole foam offers versatility in abundance. During testing, it's been used for long ultra-training miles, commutes with a bag, speed work and everything in between. It feels bouncier and softer than the Ride 16 (despite the shoe weighing slightly more), and successfully treads the ground between offering enough cushioning for those slower, easy runs, while still retaining a liveliness that lends itself well to some faster running.
| Weight | 282g (M), 238g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 35mm (heel), 27mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/road |
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4
Pros
- Wider and more accommodating than previous versions
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- Great traction
Cons
- Laces are slightly long
- best stability shoes
> Read our full Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 review <
The Speed 4 is intended to fit into Saucony’s Endorphin line up as a training companion to the race-day Pro 4 or Elite models. It fulfils that role with aplomb, but it’s a little more aggressive than the Speed v3, which makes it something a lot of people would also happily turn to for their fastest sessions and chasing PBs.
The midsole combines full-length PWRRUN PB PEBA foam with a nylon winged plate to serve up that bouncy PEBA feel, but it doesn’t ride as harsh or aggressive as all-out racing super shoes. Transition is beautifully smooth through the mid- and forefoot, with updated geometry making it feel a touch more stable. The upper is light and extremely breathable, fitting fairly snug for good lock-down.
There’s a surprising dash of plushness from the rather thin looking tongue and an almost bucket shaped heel adds comfort, stability and hold. The same grippy lattice outsole as the Endorphin Pro 4 offers great traction, too. It all adds up to a really versatile shoe which easily shifts between paces. A perfect partner on multi-paced sessions and for those not in a rush to invest in an additional race shoe, it’ll serve you well on your big day over a wide range of distances.
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| Weight | 233g (M), 204g (W) |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Performance/daily training/neutral/road |
> Read our full Saucony Kinvara Pro review <
It's been a long time since we tried a shoe that feels like a genuine all-rounder – something you can run fast or run slow in and get the same lovely pep out of both. That's where the Kinvara Pro really shine.
They are something of a chameleon shoe. The 3/4 plate and gentle rock towards toe-off that the curved midsole shape brings make them feel good during a track speed session, yet also have a lovely bouncy kind-on-tired-legs feel during the next day's long run. They might feel a bit heavy for some during intervals sessions or for up-tempo running, though.
What all of our testers agreed on, however, is the level of comfort, which is fantastic. With a big wodge of PWRRUN midsole underfoot, this is a plush ride, but it’s not pillowy soft – there’s a responsiveness from that foam.
| Weight | 269g (M) |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/road |
Pros
- New stability tech is less intrusive than previous
- best beginner-friendly running shoes
- Plushy interior
Cons
- Lacks 'pop' for speed/race day
> Read our full Saucony Guide 17 review <
Best stability shoe for daily training overpronators Not built for speed/race day.
The Guide’s stability tech has involved over the years, and in the latest version Saucony has introduced new Center Path Technology. The idea is that it rejects the old 'treadmill gait analysis' that the industry used to study runners’ ankle and foot rolls. Instead, the brand’s team focused on pressures underfoot, observing how this impact is distributed. The team dialled in the support on those high-impact zones with the new tech, which provides more cushioning across a broader base for a stabler platform.
Soft underfoot feel while retaining a good level of liveliness, the ride feels small and effortless, and there's plenty of structure alongside the plushy interior, too. A shoe you're sure to reach for when you want a trusty stability shoe for the bulk of your miles.
| Weight | 269g (M), 232g (W) |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 6mm |
| Type | Stability/road |
Pros
- Good looking
- Fantastic lockdown
- best stability shoes
- Bouncy and moderately responsive
Cons
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- Ride delivers a real sense of energy
The Hurricane ran for 23 iterations before Saucony announced that it would be discontinuing it two years ago. But now it’s made a comeback, with Saucony claiming that it’s been 'transformed from the ground up'.
It features a new dual density midsole foam, combining the soft and bouncy PWRUN PB underfoot with the firmer and more responsive PRWRUN below that. The result is plush, fairly responsive cushioning that feels soft underfoot without being too squishy.
Stability now comes in the form of Saucony’s CenterPath Technology, which ditches traditional medial posts in favour of a broader platform, higher sidewalls, an asymmetric profile and a rocker shape that guides the stride from impact to toe-off. It's subtle but effective.
At £165, it's definitely positioned as a premium stability shoe. However, its comfort, performance and durability help to justify the cost. And while it might not be your go-to for speed sessions, it excels as a stacked daily trainer, offering a reliable, comfortable experience for many miles.
| Weight | 302g (M), 279g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 38mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 6mm |
The latest iteration of a model that always delivers is another great trail shoe: light without being minimalist and comfortable while still being responsive, albeit not at falcon-diving pace. The EVA-based Pwrrun midsole remains, delivering solid energy return, so you aren’t trading pep in your step for grip off-road. Our testers found the v14 builds on the Peregrine’s versatility for longer distances without sacrificing agility or responsiveness.
The latest model also has a redesigned mesh upper that adds more padding at the tongue and around the heel collar, which helps with a snug fit and long-miles comfort. Saucony’s Powertrack outsole impressed our testers on both ascents and descents, and on a wide variety of trail terrain. The well-designed 5mm lugs make it versatile enough to handle some short road sections, too.
Overall, this is a great off-road all-rounder, capable of performing well over a wide variety of distances and terrains, including road-to-trail sections, and the handful of technical updates and weight reduction make it better than ever.
| Weight | 267g (M), 242g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 28mm (forefoot), 24mm (heel) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 4mm |
| Type | Neutral/trail |
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