In production · road · Tempo / Long run / Daily · $180
The most versatile plated trainer made — workouts, long runs, race day.
Built for tempo, long run, daily, at a target pace of 6:30–8:45 /mi on road.
The midsole is PWRRUN PB, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). The foam is highly resilient — it gives energy back rather than swallowing it, which is what makes the shoe feel eager when you push. 36 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as explosive at 5/5 responsiveness.
A nylon (or PEBA-blend) plate adds structure without the harsh stiffness of carbon. You get a firmer, more propulsive toe-off that still flexes at slower paces, which is why nylon-plated shoes double as workout and long-run shoes rather than race-day-only tools.
A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.45 per mile at $180.
For the foams and plates Saucony uses across its line, read the Saucony brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
238 g / 8.4 oz
37 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
36 mm
Level with the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$180
20 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
5 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
5 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Saucony line it is lighter than the brand's median (269 g / 9.5 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4(2024)
235 g / 8.3 oz · 38 mm · 8 mm drop · Nylon · $170
Nylon plate rolls you forward without the harshness of carbon.
Under Armour Velociti Pro 2
252 g / 8.9 oz · 37 mm · 8 mm drop · Nylon · $160
Beaded HTPU speed trainer with a plated snap at a friendly price.
Asics Sonicblast 2(2026)
239 g / 8.4 oz · 46 mm · 8 mm drop · Nylon · $190
Dual-foam super trainer with a forked Astroplate — 14 g lighter than the first.
Salomon Aero Volt 2
235 g / 8.3 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $180
Plated road tempo shoe with a light, energetic Energy Foam midsole.