Saucony Endorphin Trainer vs Saucony Endorphin Speed 5:
Which to Choose

Start with the shared DNA: both ride on PWRRUN PB, both list an 8mm heel-to-toe drop, and both score 5/6 for cushioning and responsiveness in our metrics, so neither is a firm or dead-feeling shoe. Where they split is weight and stack. The Speed 5 comes in around 241g in a men's US 9 on a 37mm heel / 27mm forefoot platform, while the Trainer is a noticeably burlier build at roughly 286g on a taller stack — about 39mm heel and 32mm forefoot — so it sits higher underfoot, especially at the front of the shoe, and carries meaningfully more weight. That extra foam and mass is the point of the Trainer: it grades 4/6 for stability with a wide, winged, stable-neutral base that makes landings secure and forgiving at a relaxed cadence, and its foam is voiced for soft, pillowy comfort rather than snap. The Speed 5 trades a little of that planted feel (3/6 stability, fully neutral) for a semi-rigid winged nylon plate that guides transitions and drives a springier, more directed toe-off. You feel that in the pace windows: the Trainer scores 3/6 for pace and comes alive in a comfortable 5:15–6:00 min/km daily-mileage zone, getting vague and slappy when you genuinely push, whereas the Speed 5 scores 5/6 and only truly clicks when you drop into a 4:00–4:45 min/km tempo-and-marathon rhythm, feeling a touch busy and tall when jogging slowly. In short: same foam and drop, opposite personalities — the Trainer is a cushioned, stable cruiser; the Speed 5 is a plated, pace-hungry all-rounder that can also handle long miles and race day.