Endorphin Speed 6
YOWANA IS A HATER! (jk, but now that I have your attention)
Reviewer profile: 28M, 175 lbs, flat-ish wide-ish feet, mild pronator, loves long walks on the beach
Other shoes: Li Ning RH9U, Dynafish, Azura, Sonicblast 1, SC Rebel, Vomero Plus, Endorphin Trainer, Endo Pro 4, Evo SL
First run thoughts on the Saucony Endorphin Speed 6
Fit: I tend to gravitate toward Saucony as they seem to have the fit dialed for my foot type. This shoe is no different. However, the fit is different than the Azura. This is maybe *slightly* wider than the Azura, but definitely shorter. My issue is usually shoes squeezing the outer knuckle of my midfoot opposed to being too short. The ES6 was the first time I put on a shoe and felt like width was fine, but internal length was on the short side. Itâs definitely shorter than Azura, but Iâm happy with the fit overall.
Upper: The upper to me feels like if the Azura were made out of more spandex type material. Maybe more snug but also more conforming which is nice for a speed oriented shoe. I prefer this over something like the dynafish that is more anatomical, where I feel like my forefoot is sliding around the forefoot of the shoe in corners. Heel lockdown was great here also.
Midsole and feel under foot: I was instantly surprised and pleased with this. Yowana blasted this for being a brick. Thatâs not my experience at all. PBX seemingly delivers what Saucony said. A bouncier PB. Iâm sensitive to impact absorption under the balls of my feet, and I noticed immediately that this had a much more substantial underfoot feel than the stack might suggest. Underfoot, this feels closer to a 6mm drop, while the Azura feels closer to a 10 to me. My most similar feeling shoe in the forefoot was surprisingly the Dynafish. The Dynafish feels slightly spongier and more airy, while the ES6 feels more dense and bouncy. Versus the New Balance SC rebel, this is significantly firmer in the heel, but much more substantial and bouncier in the forefoot. The SC rebel to me feels significantly more than its stated 4MM drop. Overall I would say this is softer and more responsive than the Azura, if the Azura was too firm for you.
Geometry and Stability: I think this is where Saucony shines, and why the Azura has become a cult classic despite its âfirmâ foam. I think the ES6 provides a similar geometry to the Azura, but starts the forefoot rocker later (which I prefer). Shoes with very early forefoot rockers (NB SC rebel) are not my cup of tea. The shoe feels very stable but non-intrusive. Dynafish has been touted as a stable evo sl, and I can see that. But on occasion the Dynafish feels a little sloppy to me as the upper can feel unstructured and, while the medial midsole does have some upper flare to it, doesnât have much foam filled in. This leads me to feeling like I sometimes spill over the shoe inwardly. The ES6 doesnât have as much height on the medial sidewall, but does feel like it has a wider base. The Dynafish feels like Iâm on the shoe, where the ES6 feels more like Iâm in it.
TLDR - itâs nice. Powerrun PBX is a nice upgrade, but itâs not a totally new experience. Itâs substantial feeling in the forefoot if youâre sensitive to that. Slightly shorter fit than the Azura. Upper is nice and locked in.
