Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 : a must-have for every runner!

As a runner, if you could pick just one pair of running shoes for all types of runs—easy runs, speed workouts, and races—look no further than the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3. They are a beast of an all-purpose shoes, period. I say this on the back of using atleast 3 pairs of Speed 3, and on the back of high praises from atleast four members of my running group with similar usage pattern.

So, what is so awesome about the Speed 3? The single-word answer is—EVERYTHING.

Let’s get into more details. Like I do in my reviews, I will stay light on technical details to focus more on the experience and feel of the shoes. Technical details are plastered everywhere on the web, anyway!

First Impressions

The first look at the shoes and two things hit immediately. They look big and bulky. But when you hold them in your hand, they feel unbelievably lightweight. At 230 grams, they are indeed lightweight and would instantly win the hearts of light-shoe lovers.

Magic happens when you actually put them on. The Speed 3s sit lightly on the feet and are insanely stable with a firm grip. The cushioning is springy and soft. Somehow, they just fit ‘right’ on the feet.

On the Run

Easy Runs & Long Runs

The ride is extremely smooth and springy. There is ample cushioning to help you canter through easy runs. There is a nylon plate in the shoe, but it doesn’t punish the slower pace like other plated shoes. This is one of the key differentiators of the Speed 3. Saucony has made them so forgiving that you can hardly feel the stiffness of the plate at slow paces.

Coming to the long runs, Speed 3s perform equally well. I used them for my 12 hours stadium run in 2023, and clocked around 94ks. Need I say more?

Speed Workouts/Intervals

The Speed 3s (the Endorphin Speed series) is primarily built for speed workouts. While you hardly feel the nylon plate in slower runs, as you amp up your pace for intervals and tempo runs, you will feel solid energy returns. You will find a perceptible forward push at high speeds akin to those carbon-plated super shoes.

The amazing part about the Speed 3 is that they feel extremely stable at high speeds. The outsole offer plenty of traction, and I have had no problems running on damp roads. I don’t remember slipping while running in the Speed 3s. I am prone to ankle turnover, but I have never had this issue with Speed 3s.

Races

I have done plenty of races in the Speed 3—ranging from fast 10Ks to full marathons. I use these shoes for most of my B races to save some miles on my race shoes (Saucony Endorphin Pro 2/3 and Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2 are my go-to racers). Truth be told, I never felt the need for carbon shoes in those races. The energy returns during the race are right up there, similar to carbon-plated shoes. I have also used the Adidas Boston series featuring a similar nylon plate, and I must say the Speed 3s are head and shoulders above them in races.

One other aspect of these shoes that I love the most is their finely designed upper. It is breathable but at the same time also shuns off water spillage like a pro, not allowing it to permeate to the socks.

What’s Awesome About These Shoes

Like I mentioned earlier, almost everything is awesome about these shoes. While Saucony has already launched their successor—the Speed 4—folks in my running group (including myself) keep hunting for the stock of Speed 3! A few members in our running group go to the extent of stocking up on 2-3 pairs whenever they find them in stock!

One thing I missed mentioning earlier was the fact that Speed 3s are built to last long. Some of us have taken them beyond the mileage of 900km, and they performed just as good as new. This is quite a mileage to cover, and therefore it makes the shoes extremely value-for-money. With the launch of its successor – Speed 4, these shoes are now available with siginficant discounts, thereby making them even better value-buys.

What’s Not Going for These Shoes

As you would have guessed by now, there isn’t much NOT going for these shoes. But if I still have to nit-pick, here are a few things:

1. The stock laces are not so great. The round laces do not hold on long runs, so you are forced to tie double knots. I have seen this issue with the Pro 2 and Pro 3 as well. Saucony, are you listening?
2. The colorway is quite simple except for that yellow base color variant. I would have loved to see Saucony get a little more adventurous with the color scheme. They can surely take some inspiration from Puma.
3. For the first time users of Speed 3, it takes time getting used to its high arch design. This isn’t something bad; just that it takes time to adjust to the stack.

Report Card

Parameter	Rating (1 – lowest to 5 – highest)
Cushioning	4
Durability	5
Performance	5
Stability	4.5
Fit	4
Affordability	4
Versatility	5
Propulsion/Energy Returns	3.5

Verdict

With the Speed 3, Saucony has cracked the right balance between energy return, comfort, stability, and traction. This is a hard-to-crack equation. Take a bow, Saucony.

The Speed 3s are one of the best all-purpose shoes in the market. If you find them in stock, grab them, and grab a plenty of them.

I have tried the Speed 4 too, but truth be told, they are no match for the Speed 3. Saucony—can you please continue to make the Speed 3 perpetually!

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This is not a paid post (I do wish I get paid for this, though). Like all other notes of mine, I do this purely out of my passion for the wonderful sport of running. There is some personal bias here for sure. If you have read this far, thank you so much. Andy, if you found this article useful then please be a good runner and share it within your network so that others can also benefit from this.