19% of 134 verified Saucony Endorphin Speed 4owners don't recommend it — based on real owner comments from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
For balance: 75% recommend it. This page collects the complaints so you know what you're signing up for — read the full owner report for both sides. How we score
“much faster the ES3 or 4 which didn’t feel as protective or as fast as my speed 2”— @turcottedavid on YouTube
“Picked up the REI version and returned it. Did not feel like the speed to me”— @karls8989 on YouTube
“Speed 4 is by far my least favourite version. I loved version 1-3 but this one just doesn't feel right on my foot.”— @nickskier1 on YouTube
“the outer sole seems to be almost completely gone at the heel. Just after 100 miles.”— @Alvarito35 on YouTube
“Pro 3 and Boston 12 have replaced the Endorphin Pro/Speed combo for me”— @AuDHDRunner on YouTube
“The speed 3 is better… its crazy cause this shoe let me down.”— @Borjaa24 on YouTube
“too much hype for nothing special”— @Aron-t6m on YouTube
“I am getting hot spots in my 4's on the pads of my feet.”— @copperdan7667 on YouTube
“I just don’t see any reason to get the speeds over the pros”— @jackwright3098 on YouTube
“Speed 3 was a No for me.”— @sneakpick129 on YouTube
“It is the only shoe to give me foot/knee pain consistently out of many I've tested.”— @andreasschwarz4908 on YouTube
“Saucony Endorphin Speed 4- you need to go quite fast to make these work, if you are too slow, these will feel very stiff and unenergetic”— WoodpeckerHuman28 on Reddit
Not complaints — practical notes from owners that didn't affect the score.
“Went to try on the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4, Rincon 4s and Rebel V4. Only one had the nostalgic feel of an earlier line and came home.”— jebredek on Reddit
“Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 - very light, speedy, high drop, nylon plate, but maybe not quite stable enough”— TickleJoey on Reddit
“They're good for races and training but are less stable than any of the others I've mentioned.”— rollem on Reddit
“The EVO definitely pushes me on a tiny bit too much for a daily. More than the Saucony Speed4”— Weak-Product6810 on Reddit
“My ES4 has similar wear at 300mi as well and I definitely midfoot to forefoot striker depending on speed. It's just exposed foam that's painted and gets scraped up really easy.”— Parsnip13 on r/RunningShoeGeeks
“I get a bit of numbness in my ES4s as well, but nothing that is overly noticeable nor hurts time. It’s mainly around my pinky toe area and sometimes fades if I adjust cadence.”— gfish on r/RunningShoeGeeks
“I find my pace with the ES4 very similar to the triumph 22 (around 6:30 per mile) while with the ES3 i ran much faster compared to the triumphs.”— Agile_Cicada_1523 on r/RunningShoeGeeks
“I'd say my speed 3 and the 4 feel about the same on the toes, despite the 4 definitely having a more tapered shape.”— Significant_Spare495 on r/RunningShoeGeeks