Best For

The SPEED rides again in 2022! Whether rolling through a tempo day or trying to find a more affordable ½ or full marathon racing shoe, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 will certainly get the job done. This is a neutral road running shoe with a nylon plate sandwiched inside a generous, fluffy bed of midsole. No doubt your stride will thank you with effortless miles on your favorite running loops around the world. 

Upper

Considering how advanced the midsole ride is in the Speed 3, the upper on this shoe is actually pretty simple. The tongue has a semi-gusset to help wrap the top of your foot in comfort; I would not be surprised to see a full gusset in future iterations. The tongue and collar is not plush but gets the job done. No issues at all with hot spots or blisters through the 50 miles of testing. And the breathability is still on point in this iteration, maybe not as high as the Speed 2, but will do well in the hot summer temperatures. Check out the comfort score to see where this neutral road running shoe ranks for the upper against other neutral road running shoes.

Midsole

PWRRUN PB coming in hot! The midsole volume (girth) of the Endorphin Speed 3 went up in 2022, some will love it, others may find it a bit bulky understep. If you pick this shoe up you will notice an increased energy return through your footstrike compared to the 1 or 2. Think Novablast bounce when it comes to the PWRRUN PB material, but Saucony did not stop there. The S-Curve nylon plate is a nice change up from the more common carbon fiber plates from the past 5 years. The rigidity of the nylon plate is spot on for a training/racing road shoe “tweener” option. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a CFP on race day as much as the next runner, but that nylon flex is the ideal one-two punch for training/racing. One last midsole point, the speedroll technology is still rocking in the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 thanks to their unique geometric midsole shape.

Outsole

rounding the Speed line up to the road is strategically placed XT-900 Rubber that provides just the right amount of grip, without sacrificing a lighter underfoot feel. The outsole rubber is spot on, not too much, not too little. With the minimalist outsole rubber approach I would absolutely take this shoe out for a half marathon or full marathon race; maybe not a peak race, but a race nonetheless. In fact, the YouTube full review has “affordable marathon racing shoe” in the title for that midsole ride and strategic outsole rubber. Also, the width of the outsole increased, creating a more stable ride for your running adventures.

Would I Buy This Shoe Again?

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 is definitely another buy for me in 2022. However, if you need to pinch some pennies right now, don’t hesitate to seek out your Speed 2 size from 2021. Runners around the world are picking up that shoe for 50% off! Whichever Saucony Endorphin Speed you buy this year, just remember it might be time to register for that next half marathon and chase down some new PRs or PBs  in road running races around the world.