Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 vs Speed 5: Will the New Speed Break My Heart?
Written by Andy Hood · Ultra runner, cancer survivor and Runna ambassador
Published 11 Oct 2026
Saucony could be about to break my heart.
There is a potential break-up on the horizon, and if my recent history with Asics is anything to go by, the separation is inevitable.
Saucony are about to release the Endorphin Speed 6, the direct replacement for the Speed 5. If you've been on my Instagram you'll know the Speed 5 is a shoe I am absolutely in love with. And if you've not been on my Insta, why not? Get following now at @runningwestwardho!
The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 is my favourite shoe in the current rotation. I'm on my second pair and a third is being shipped right now. It's light, it's responsive, and it works across a whole range of efforts, from tempo runs and intervals to easier long runs.
When you find a shoe that works, you do everything you can to manage the relationship carefully. The Speed 5 is that shoe for me.
So why am I nervous about the Speed 6?
It's all Asics' fault.
I ran over 1,200km in the Asics Superblast 2, including multiple marathon and ultra distance training runs. Lacing them up made my heart pound and my feet just want to move. But after 1,200km they had to be replaced. The outsole was beyond sticky taping.
In came the Superblast 3. I wanted to love it, I really did. But I hated it.
I gave the shoe a full 400 miles to win me over, but something was deeply wrong, and my Achilles confirmed it. So I had to file for divorce.
The Speed 5 is currently my shoe for the 2027 London Marathon. I may have to order yet another pair, stow them away until March, put a few miles on them and then treat them to a day out in London on April 25th.
So what do we know about the Speed 6?
What we know about the Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 - release date, price and specs
The Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 release date is 15 October 2026 in the US, where retailers including Running Warehouse list it at $180. That's ten dollars more than the Speed 5. Saucony have not confirmed a UK release date or price yet, and I'll update this post when they do.
On paper it is more shoe for less weight. The Speed 6 adds 2mm of foam under the foot, keeps the 8mm drop and comes in about 4g lighter than the Speed 5.
Here is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 vs Speed 5 on the numbers.
Spec | Endorphin Speed 5 | Endorphin Speed 6 |
Midsole foam | PWRRUN PB | PWRRUN PBX |
Plate | Nylon | Redesigned nylon |
Stack height, heel / forefoot | 36mm / 28mm | 38mm / 30mm |
Drop | 8mm | 8mm |
Weight, men's | 237g | 233g |
US price | $170 | $180 |
The big change is the foam. Out goes PWRRUN PB, in comes PWRRUN PBX, and this is where I start to get twitchy.
So what is the difference between PWRRUN PB and PWRRUN PBX? PWRRUN PB is the PEBA-based foam that has been in every Endorphin Speed since the original, made from small beads fused together. It's light, it's bouncy and it's a big part of why I love the Speed 5. PWRRUN PBX is a new formulation of that same PEBA foam, and Saucony say it is lighter, softer and bouncier. Lighter I can believe, as the Speed 6 has more foam under the foot and still weighs less. Softer? The early reviews aren't so sure.
One word keeps coming up in the early reviews: firmer. Doctors of Running call it the stiffest Speed they have tested, faster and snappier than the 5, but a bit odd at easy paces. Supwell went further and called the ride "fairly clunky". The testers at Running Lab loved it, and found it locked down better than the 5.
Firmer and snappier sounds great for intervals. It sounds less great for the easier long runs I also use the Speed 5 for, and that range is exactly why I fell for the 5 in the first place.
And then there's the stack. That extra 2mm could be the argument that makes me pack my bags and leave for a local hotel.
I've found that bigger stack heights hurt my Achilles. 2mm may not sound much, but the heel is now up to 38mm.
Why are we so obsessed with more stack?
One crumb of comfort for my Achilles. The Doctors of Running tester reported no trouble there at all.
In the meantime the Speed 5 is on sale. SportsShoes have it from around £108, and with a discount code I found, that third pair of mine came to £92.
Which makes stowing away another look rather sensible.
Which just leaves the question. Will I swipe left or right on the Speed 6?
Only time will tell.
Over to you. Do you run in the Speed 5? What are your thoughts? And will you be reaching for your credit card the moment the Speed 6 lands?
Let me know in the comments, or over on Instagram at @runningwestwardho.
About the Author
Andy Hood is an ultra and endurance runner, testicular cancer survivor and unapologetic advocate for men's health. After a diagnosis in 2021 tried to take his running shoes off, he laced them back up, and now designs bold charity ultras that have raised over £28,000 for cancer and mental health charities. He is the founder of Check Ya Balls, menswear that saves lives.
Andy is also a Runna ambassador. Claim a two-week free trial here, or use promo code ANDY2 in the app. This is an affiliate link, which supports the blog and his cancer charity work.
Sources: Saucony UK for the Speed 5 figures. Running Warehouse, Doctors of Running, Supwell and Running Lab for the Speed 6. Checked 11 October 2026.
Comments