Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 vs Brooks Hyperion Max 4:
Which to Choose

September 20, 2026

Verdict

It depends on how you'll run them. If you want the more versatile, lighter, faster-feeling shoe that handles everything from 10K to the marathon and rewards picking up the pace, the Endorphin Speed 5 is the pick. If your priorities are cushioned, protected long-run and tempo comfort with a smooth rocker at moderate paces, the newer Hyperion Max 4 earns its place — just know you're carrying more shoe and more stack for that comfort. For most runners wanting one plated trainer that can also race, the lighter, more adaptable Speed 5 is the easier recommendation; opt for the Max 4 specifically when maximum cushioning for long goal-pace efforts matters more than speed and low weight.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5

129.95 USD

Brooks Hyperion Max 4

200.00 USD

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

Pace

4 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

3 of 6

Drop

10 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

Composite

Distances

HalfMarathon

At a Glance

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5Brooks Hyperion Max 4

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5

Choose the Endorphin Speed 5 if you want one shoe to genuinely span your training — from 10K sharpening and tempo intervals to marathon long runs and race day — and you value a light, springy, propulsive ride that comes alive when you accelerate. Its lower 37/27mm stack and 241g weight make it the better pick for runners who dislike feeling perched high off the ground, who do faster workouts in the 3:45–4:15 min/km range, and who want quicker turnover. It's ideal for the intermediate-to-experienced runner replacing a versatile plated trainer who prioritizes speed and flexibility over maximum plush.

Choose

Brooks Hyperion Max 4

Choose the Hyperion Max 4 if your bread-and-butter is long tempo efforts and half or full marathons finished around goal pace, and you'd rather have extra cushioning and a smooth rocker than the lightest possible shoe. Its taller 45/35mm dual-density platform and 10mm drop offer more underfoot protection and a bit more relief for the calves and Achilles over long miles, best on straight, even ground. It's the stronger option for runners who want a plush-but-purposeful super-trainer for goal-pace work and don't need to dip much below 4:15 min/km, accepting the heavier 292g weight as the cost of that comfort.

Head-to-Head

These shoes share a lot on paper — full-PEBA-driven bounce, a semi-rigid winged/forked nylon plate, moderate neutral stability, and a top-end cushioning rating — but they diverge sharply in mass and geometry. The Endorphin Speed 5 weighs 241g in a men's US9 against the Hyperion Max 4's 292g, a real 51g gap that you feel every stride, especially when you slow down. The Brooks is also a considerably taller platform: 45mm heel / 35mm forefoot versus the Saucony's 37mm / 27mm, so the Max 4 delivers more stack and a longer, gentler rocker, while the Speed 5 sits lower and feels more nimble and connected to the ground. Drop is close — 8mm on the Speed 5 (it measures a touch higher in practice) and 10mm on the Max 4 — with the Brooks's slightly bigger heel bias easing calf and Achilles load. Construction differs too: the Speed 5 runs a full beaded PWRRUN PB (PEBA) midsole for a soft-yet-lively, springy pop that rewards accelerating, whereas the Max 4 layers plush PEBA DNA Gold over a firmer DNA Flash v2 EVA base, giving a cushioned-but-purposeful ride that firms up rather than bounces as the pace climbs. That tuning shows in where each thrives: the Speed 5 is happiest and most connected at roughly 3:45–4:15 min/km and stretches its usefulness down to the 10K, while the Max 4 is dialed for long tempo efforts around 4:15–4:45 min/km and leans toward the half and full marathon, asking for a lighter racer once you push faster. In short, the Speed 5 is the more versatile, faster-feeling shoe across a wider pace range; the Max 4 trades some speed and lightness for more cushioning and a smoother, more protective long-run ride.