Saucony Endorphin Edge vs Endorphin Trail

It seems like there are three stand out differences in the stats above (four if you’re vegan), the price, the weight, and that carbon fibre plate, but to understand how these differences will affect the shoes, it’s important to take a look at some of the similarities.

Firstly, they both use a similar amount of Sauconys top of the range PWRRUN PB midsole foam. Made from Peba polymers like those found in Nikes ZoomX top end race day shoes, Saucony has found a way to form multiple small beads into a midsole, for an explosively energetic feel with incredible lightness that still maintains durability.

They also feature SPEEDROLL technology, a shaping of the underfoot that drives you forward step by step, offering a smooth transition from foot strike to toe off and helping to propel you forward.

In the outsole, PWRTRAC technology provides all the traction you need, with only 0.5mm of difference in lug hight, the Endorphin Trail has a slightly deeper tread, making it better for loose earth and mud, but less versatile over hard surfaces.

The seemingly small difference in offset may give us a clue to the way Saucony see these shoes being used, with the Edge having a larger drop of 6mm, which has the effect of putting you more onto your toes, for a faster feel. Their top end road speedster, the Endorphin Pro has an 8mm offset, making the Edge closer to this seems an indication that it is expected to be a faster shoe than the Trail.

This is off course backed up by both the lower weight, and the carbon plate. The weight must have been incredibly carefully reduced, given all the similarities, although the higher offset does mean the Edge has slightly less foam under the forefoot which would help. The new, moisture wicking upper is another area that weight has been saved.

That Carbitex™ AFX carbon-fibre plate is going to make a big difference to how the shoe feels. Purpose built for trail running, the snappy, energy giving nature of carbon plates are well known, but they also help to guide your foot through the stride, offering support and an even smoother transition. This plate is designed to give you improved speed and efficiency, without sacrificing ground feel or stability. Instead of the more common, full-length plate, Saucony have chosen to go with a three-quarter plate, which allows for a more adaptable heel strike over uneven terrain.