Since Saucony launched the Endorphin line in 2020, it has been praised. Especially the two fast models, and , combined comfort, durability, and speed in a new and refreshing way. Left was the somewhat awkward younger sibling Endorphin Shift, intended for everyday training but, aside from using SPEEDROLL technology, didn't offer anything special.
The shoe never got a sequel, but has since given the everyday trainer several attempts. Think Kinvara Pro, a shoe whose plate naturally brought thoughts back to the popular, comfortable, and established Endorphin Speed. This year's attempt is called Endorphin Azura, and I dare say we have a shoe here that lives up to the original Endorphin Speed and Pro.
Azura combines comfort from a max stack shoe with speed and low weight from plated shoes, without actually being either. All in a price range where you typically get neither. In fact, I've often chosen Endorphin Azura over Endorphin Speed for interval sessions.
- Foam: PWRRUN PB
- Drop: 8 mm (40 mm / 32 mm)
- Weight: 241 grams
- The shoe is for those who want a comfortable shoe for interval training without a plate.
Saucony Endorphin Azura's midsole: Almost techless speed
When I write in every article "The shoe is for you...", it's so you, as a buyer, can quickly assess if the shoe is for you. In Azura's case, I could almost stop the sentence there. For I find it hard to see who the shoe wouldn't work for.
If you are a very heavy runner needing stability, you might want to look elsewhere. Otherwise, it's a shoe most runners would love to eat up kilometers in.
The midsole has a clear tendency toward speed, which is why I call it excellent for intervals. But even if you don't run intervals, the roll the midsole promotes provides an exhilarating sensation during jog and slow runs. It's a privilege to finally recommend something feeling like a tempo shoe to almost everyone.
Often, you find technologies like plates in tempo shoes, which you want to avoid in everyday training to train the body more naturally. But with Azura, the only thing creating the sense of speed is the way the foam is shaped.
The midsole consists solely of PWRRUN PB, the same foam you find in Endorphin Speed 5 and Pro 5. Your foot is protected by a solid layer (40 mm in the heel and 32 mm in the forefoot), and a traditional drop of 8 mm doesn't immediately reveal the shoe's aggressive feel at take-off.
The sensation can best be described as a distinct push right when you shift weight over the ball of the foot. The midsole is designed with a noticeable bend here, which tips the weight forward. Compared to the flat platform you land on a moment earlier, it feels like an active push-off.
Saucony calls it SPEEDROLL technology, as they did in 2020, but for me, it's the first time I feel the roll I usually associate with plated shoes in one without.
Precisely the absence of a plate makes Azura particularly appealing in everyday life. It gives me the freedom to use the shoe day after day, something I would consciously avoid if it had a plate. Plates are good in moderation, but overuse can quickly become a crutch.
Azura has thus quickly become one of my safest training choices.
Saucony Endorphin Azura: Basic upper
There is limited to say about Azura's upper. It is what it is – and that's positive.
Saucony has had comfort in mind and uses an engineered mesh upper with plastic reinforcements in exposed areas, especially along the foot's outer side and around the heel.
Despite the shoe's low weight, you'll find relatively soft and ample foam in the heel, combined with a relatively stiff heel cap. This gives a clear sense of being locked in place. Even though the upper is of the simpler type, I experienced no issues with comfort around toes, instep, or heel.
The laces are entirely basic but functional. The tongue is thin and secured to form a stable frame around the foot.
Saucony Endorphin Azura: XT-900 outsole – Do we find speed here?
Saucony has ensured the shoe's longevity with an XT-900 outsole, their most durable rubber. The outsole is divided into three panels: two under the heel and three smaller ones under the forefoot.
The outsole, however, doesn't cover much of the midsole's porous PWRRUN PB, which has already given my pair visible wear. It doesn't affect the foam's function, but the shoe relatively quickly looks used. I miss the rubber extending further toward the edges, where the shoe primarily wears.
On the other hand, the outsole likely also contributes to Azura's aggressive SPEEDROLL feel. The panels under the forefoot follow the midsole's bend, giving the shoe a natural shape it seeks to return to when you bend it. A sensation usually associated with a plate.
It's noticeable if you bend the shoe with your hands: It yields more easily where the outsole is absent than where it is present.
Is Endorphin Azura for you?
Most likely.
The only caution I would point out is if you're a heavy runner needing stability. The shoe is not stable, and I did end up twisting on a jog in the woods. It's not something I usually do, and not something I directly blame the shoe for, but stability isn't its strength.
On the other hand, it delivers on almost everything else: price, weight, comfort, and speed work together in a combination without reservations like plates or blue nails.
If you're looking for a running shoe where you don't need to worry about a better alternative coming soon, then Endorphin Azura is precisely the alternative to many established categories.
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