Asics Megablast vs Saucony Endorphin Speed 5:
Which to Choose

September 18, 2026

Verdict

It depends on how fast you actually run and what you want doing the work. Take the Megablast if you want maximum cushioning, a lighter tall-stack ride, and foam-driven comfort for long miles at moderate uptempo paces; take the Endorphin Speed 5 if you want a lower, plate-driven, more propulsive shoe that thrives at genuine tempo and race pace. Both are versatile do-it-all trainers with the same drop and distance range — the Megablast leans toward cushioned comfort, the Speed 5 toward snappy speed.

Asics Megablast

225.00 USD

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5

129.95 USD

Pace

4 of 6

Cushioning

6 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

Pace

5 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

3 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

Composite

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

Asics MegablastSaucony Endorphin Speed 5

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

Asics Megablast

Choose the Megablast if your priority is cushioned comfort and long-run protection, and you want maximum foam bounce without a plate dictating your stride. It's the better pick for the runner logging high mileage who values a soft, forgiving, rockered ride at moderate uptempo paces (think 4:45–5:30 min/km) more than all-out speed — and it's the surprising choice if you want that much stack for the lightest possible feel underfoot.

Choose

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5

Choose the Endorphin Speed 5 if you spend real time at tempo and marathon-race pace and want a plate's propulsion and a lower, more connected ride. It suits the intermediate-to-experienced runner who wants one shoe that can genuinely toe a start line, feels most alive when you drop into the 3:45–4:15 min/km range, and prefers a springy, guided toe-off over a tall pillow of foam.

Head-to-Head

These shoes chase the same goal from opposite directions. The Megablast rides on a maximal 45mm/35mm stack of FF Turbo² A-TPU superfoam with no plate at all — the bounce comes purely from the foam, and despite all that height it's the lighter of the two at roughly 218g in a men's US9. The Endorphin Speed 5 sits noticeably lower at 37mm/27mm and weighs about 241g, but adds a full-length semi-rigid winged nylon plate (not carbon) to its PWRRUN PB PEBA midsole, so propulsion is guided and directed rather than coming from the foam alone. That structural difference shapes everything else: the Megablast feels soft, tall, and rolls you along on a big rockered platform, while the Speed 5 feels more connected and eager to turn over. Their tuned pace windows tell the same story — the Megablast is happiest around 4:45–5:30 min/km and rewards brisk-but-comfortable running, whereas the Speed 5 comes alive faster, in the 4:00–4:45 min/km tempo-and-race zone. Cushioning tips slightly to the Megablast (it's a true max-stack ride and more protective on long, slow miles), while the Speed 5 is protective without feeling mushy and stays crisper when you press the pace. On stability, neither is a support shoe, but they wobble differently: the Speed 5's plate lends a touch of guidance, while the Megablast's very tall stack can feel a little tippy at slow, tired paces even though its broad base helps once you're moving.