Endorphin Speed 6 lands October 15 at $175
Three reviews in a day, and they do not all agree.
Saucony's Endorphin Speed 6 arrives October 15 at $175, and kofuzi has the numbers. It is 38mm of stack in the heel with an 8mm drop, 226 grams in a US men's 9, built on a new PWRRun PBX foam and a full-length semi-rigid plastic plate that he says starts high in the heel and swoops down under the arch.
His verdict is that the Speed has moved. At threshold pace (the hard but sustainable effort most marathon workouts live at) he calls the foam lovely and says it gives back an exciting amount of bounce. At easy daily paces it feels a little bit firm and structured to him, thanks to the density on the medial side and that aggressive plate. He lines it up as a workout shoe first, and points out the Endorphin Speed 5 is $130 right now and softer and more flexible for everyday miles.
He also wants it cheaper.
Tracksmith's first real shoe hit
The Run Testers reviewed the Tracksmith Eliot Ryder and called it the best Tracksmith shoe yet. It is a max-cushion daily trainer, 45mm in the heel and 37 to 38mm up front for roughly a 7mm drop, 295 grams in a US 9, with a 25mm supercritical ATPU foam drop-in that nests into the shoe. The reviewer says it handles pace up to around marathon pace and feels peppier than it looks, with grip that can go a little slick on pavement carrying just a sheen of water.
The catch is $220. The Run Testers say that is priced above the market standard even in the already expensive max-cushion category, and name the Nike Vomero Plus, Hoka Clifton Pro and Saucony Triumph 24 as cheaper alternatives.
The 361 Kairos 4 gets a D
Believe in the Run's Sam Sheldon gave the 361 Degrees Kairos 4 a C for performance, a C for value and a D for design. It is $140, 292 grams in a men's 9, 35mm heel and 28mm forefoot for a 7mm drop. He liked the stability approach, a platform nestled inside raised sidewalls that guides the foot rather than shoving it, and he liked the jacquard mesh upper. But he did not like running in it, calling the N-TPU Engage foam flat and firm once you pick up the pace, and the green colorway cost it the design grade too.
What it actually means
The Eliot Ryder is a good shoe with a bad price. The Kairos 4 is a different problem, Sheldon says the stability platform works but the ride itself falls flat. The Speed 6 is the one road racers should track, because kofuzi's read is that the line has drifted from do-everything daily trainer toward workout tool.
I'd love to see it a little bit cheaper, like 160 would be an excellent price for this shoe
This shoe is slow and unexciting.
I really like this shoe. I like how it looks. I like how it performs. I like the versatility of it.
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