10K RACE TEST: SAUCONY ENDORPHIN PRO 5 – WORTH THE UPGRADE?
Published: 04/09/2026 | By: Ben Felton
One of our running ambassadors, Ben Felton aka @benisrunning, has spent almost seven years testing and reviewing running shoes – so when he puts a new carbon racer through its paces, we’re paying attention. After previously testing the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4, Ben put the new Pro 5 to the test at the London Saucony 10K. But is it really an upgrade? Read Ben’s full review to find out.
The London Saucony 10K is quickly becoming one of the biggest running events in the London calendar. At this year’s event, I had the privilege of testing the brand-new carbon racing shoe, the Endorphin Pro 5. Having also tested the previous version, the Pro 4, I was also interested to see how the shoes compared.
The race itself was an incredible atmosphere. I’ve been lucky enough to run this event 3 times over the last few years and can’t recommend it enough. Given the course route uses sections of the London Marathon route, I always say it gives runners the chance to experience running past landmarks like Big Ben and The London Eye, without having to run the full 26.2-mile course held in April. The 10K is a much more manageable distance, and this year’s event was my favourite yet, given I was able to experience the event with my 61-year-old Mum and little sister for a great family day out. With the Pro 5 on feet, I ran 32:36, finishing 18th.
Enough about the race, let’s talk about the footwear. For a little more context here, I’m Ben, and having been testing and reviewing running shoes primarily on my YouTube channel, ‘Ben is Running’, for coming up to 7 years. I’m that nerdy guy in your running club who knows more about the latest Nike Pegasus 42 than he does about which team is at the top of the Premier League. In other words, I’ve tested probably more shoes than Harry Kane has goals for England… a fair few.
One thing I really enjoyed about the previous version of the Endorphin Pro 4 was how accommodating it was in terms of providing a stable, comfortable shoe whilst still fast-focused.
The same can be said about this iteration. Is it the fastest running shoe I’ve ever worn? No, but that isn’t where this shoe shines. Carbon running shoes typically feature a very soft and bouncy midsole (the bottom foamy part of the shoe), but in the Pro 5, this midsole is a little firmer and therefore offers the shoe a much less wobbly feeling. For runners who, for example, overpronate, don’t have, let’s say, the ‘perfect running form’, or are simply beginner runners looking for their first carbon shoe, I’d say there are not many better places to start than this one.
On race day, the corners, which sometimes can be an issue if your shoes are a little unstable, were no problem in these. The day of the race was also very warm, and the wet sections of the course, where water was being handed out, became a little slippery, but again, this was no problem for the Endorphin Pro 5s, as another big plus to Saucony shoes is they have great grip, so these areas didn’t cause any issues.
The new version builds on the success of the previous shoe, but a few things I noticed in the new one were; a slightly better ‘over the foot’ fit; more of a rolling geometry, which makes the shoe feel nice and smooth from when you hit the ground to the toe-off; and finally, a smidge faster (I ran 22 seconds faster in the Pro 5 over 10K compared to the Pro 4). These changes, however, are very much fine-tuning to what was an already good shoe. In other words, if Saucony shoes work for you – you’ll likely get on with this one.
To conclude, if you’ve been looking for a carbon-plated shoe for race day, the Pro 5 offers that Goldilocks balance between speed and stability, meaning for runners looking for both qualities, it’s likely to be a very popular pick.
