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Speed Trainers Compared! Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, Puma Deviate Nitro 4, Skechers Aero Razor
Feb 17, 2026
In the video, we compare 3 supercritical foam, non full carbon speed trainers (and even easily more budget racers) with, for 2026 moderate, sub 40mm heel stack heights.
Full multi tester written reviews of all 3 here: https://www.roadtrailrun.com/p/blog-page.html
Samples were provided at no charge for testing purposes with no additional compensation. The opinions herein are entirely the author's
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Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:08
Hi everybody, Sam from Road Trail Run.
0:11
Today we're going to take a look at
0:13
three uh non fullcarbon plated uh
0:17
trainers. The um Puma DV8 Nitro 4, $170.
0:24
The um Sakin Endorphin Speed number
0:27
five. This is in the Tokyo edition,
0:31
$175.
0:33
And finally, the Sketchers
0:36
Arrow Razor,
0:39
$140.
0:41
Uh, our Sakin has an expanded uh, Pebba
0:45
Beads uh, midsole.
0:49
Our um, our Puma has a pebba top layer,
0:53
100% peeba, and a pee blend below. the
0:56
top layer being a bit softer. Uh, and
0:59
the, uh, Sketchers has the super light
1:02
new ATPU foam. Um, so very reactive, a
1:07
bit firmer than the others uh, on its
1:09
narrow platform.
1:12
They're all really quite similar in
1:15
stack height. In other words, in
1:17
cushioning. Um, the Puma comes in at
1:20
3830, 8 mm drop. Um [snorts] the sin is
1:25
3628.
1:28
So uh a little bit lower stack height.
1:31
And finally our our uh Sketchers comes
1:35
in at 3632.
1:38
So the Sketchers has a 4 mm drop and
1:41
ends up having the highest uh 4ft stack
1:45
height. [snorts] There are some huge
1:47
differences in weight.
1:50
uh the Sketchers
1:52
with its kind of equivalent uh stack
1:55
height to the others comes in in this US
1:58
8.5 sample. All the samples are US8.5
2:02
at only 6.7 oz 189 g while the the um
2:09
the Sakin and the Puma are pretty close
2:12
in weight with the um the the Sakin
2:16
coming in at 8.29 29 O 235 gram again US
2:21
8.5 and the Puma a little bit heavier
2:25
857
2:27
ounces or uh 243 g. They all have a
2:33
fairly similar platform widths. Uh but I
2:37
will outline that the um the Sketchers
2:41
is uh by F is the narrowest at 55 mm
2:46
uh through the midfoot. And what this
2:48
leads to even with its um carbon infused
2:53
H plate which is right about here is to
2:57
a flexible you can see the flexibility
3:00
at the midfoot. The the Puma has a
3:05
fulllength carbon composite plate. It is
3:08
the stiffest of the bunch. Let's try to
3:11
show you that you can see, but it still
3:13
has some flex. All these shoes have more
3:16
flexibility than most carbon racers, and
3:19
that's part of the idea. They're all
3:21
kind of speed trainers, a bit more
3:23
mellow. Uh, our endorphin speed, I would
3:26
say, is the most flexible with its nylon
3:29
plate. You can see it's a fulllength
3:32
nylon type plate. Now, let's talk a bit
3:36
about the different midsole foams here.
3:40
Um, there's not much question that the
3:43
$140 Sketchers has the lightest and most
3:48
energetic, if firmst foam. It has ATPU
3:52
foam, which is really the
3:53
state-of-the-art. Pretty incredible for
3:55
140 bucks. Um, so this is the most
3:58
responsive kind of quickest reacting
4:01
shoe. Uh, although I would say the foam
4:04
is pretty much the firmst. Um, this is a
4:07
fast shoe you can do just about anything
4:10
in uh in terms of racing as well. Maybe
4:13
not marathons, but it's it's probably
4:15
the most versatile in terms of uh speed
4:18
work and uh some racing, although the
4:21
others for sure can do the same. Now,
4:25
our Puma has uh a PIBA top layer here,
4:29
the yellowish part, and then a pea blend
4:32
below. Um it I think the foam here is
4:36
kind of the the springiest of the bunch.
4:39
Uh with the um with the Sketchers kind
4:43
of the quickest reacting. Um so this is
4:46
a bit more forgiving ride if stiffer as
4:49
I showed you in terms of its plate.
4:52
Whereas the classic, the really the OG
4:55
in this category, um the uh Sakin
4:58
Endorphin Speed kind of sits in between
5:02
the uh Sketchers and the Puma in terms
5:05
of firmness.
5:08
And it's also the most I would say kind
5:10
of the most flexible through the front
5:12
of the shoe. Um [snorts] you can feel
5:14
the plate here a bit more than in the
5:16
others. At least I do. um because I
5:20
think mainly because of the flexibility.
5:23
Before we go to the uh the uppers cuz
5:25
there are clear differences in fit
5:28
between the three. Let's look at the
5:30
outsoles. Well, um the Puma has the
5:34
famous Puma Grip. This stuff really
5:36
sticks well. You can you can kind of go
5:39
a bit of field here, maybe even a bit of
5:41
trail with this outsole. Light trail
5:44
gravel. You can see there's some nice
5:46
profiling
5:48
and the Sketchers again not far behind.
5:52
It has Goodyear rubber. Uh two kinds of
5:55
rubber actually. It has kind of a
5:58
stickier rubber in the front and that's
6:00
really felt on the road. Uh and a kind
6:03
of more durable the red at the back. The
6:06
Sakccin I would say has the most kind of
6:10
uh flattest profile. Still decent
6:12
traction, but not quite at the level of
6:15
the others. Now, let's talk about fit
6:18
here. And I put them pretty much in
6:20
order. No question, the Sakin has the
6:24
the widest fit and kind of the most kind
6:27
of unstructured upper. This has the most
6:30
volume of all the shoes. No question
6:32
about it. It has a nice rigid heel
6:35
counter, lightly padded tongue, gusset.
6:39
Um, this is the most kind of comfort
6:42
focused of these speed traders, but
6:44
trainers, but I have a fairly narrow to
6:46
medium foot and I kind of prefer the
6:49
other twos fit a bit more. The Puma sits
6:54
uh with a little bit less volume, but
6:56
you can see this is a very soft friendly
6:59
mesh. So, I think even moderately wide
7:02
feet will be happy here. It has kind of
7:04
a leatherrett tongue and gusset. Um,
7:08
very nice, very easy to to tie on. Uh,
7:12
very solid heel counter again. Uh, lots
7:15
of support, a little bit less volume
7:17
than the Sccy.
7:20
Now, as we said, uh, the Sketchers is
7:23
kind of your race more race focused, if
7:26
you will, uh, shoe of the bunch, the
7:28
lightest. uh you know, it has the
7:31
narrowest, lowest volume upper, but I
7:34
would say uh because this this mesh is
7:37
soft and supportive, um I think uh if
7:40
you're going to use it for real fast
7:42
stuff, um this will this will
7:44
accommodate even relatively uh broad
7:47
feet. Again, a a very solid heel
7:51
counter. Maybe not quite as stiff as the
7:52
others, uh but they're all relatively
7:55
stable. terms of stability, probably um
7:58
if your foot is broader and the upper
8:00
works for you, uh the Sakin is the most
8:03
stable of the bunch. Um [snorts]
8:05
followed by the the Puma. Uh there's
8:08
nothing wrong with the stability here,
8:11
but you have that really narrow midfoot
8:13
platform may get in the way of folks who
8:16
um you know need some stability needs,
8:19
but this is the speed focus one. So, uh
8:22
let's conclude here.
8:25
for the uh broader more comfort oriented
8:28
fit. A shoe that I've seen many many
8:30
people run Boston in the endorphin speed
8:34
uh a little bit more flexibility, a
8:36
little bit more easygoing than the
8:38
others. Um, in terms of weight, it sits
8:41
right in the, you know, it sits a little
8:43
bit um, below the Puma with its 38 uh,
8:48
the Puma has 3830 and the um, the Sakin
8:53
has 3628.
8:55
So, a bit less stack height, but still a
8:58
very comfortable, easy kind of more
9:01
easygoing
9:02
speed type shoe with that flex. The Puma
9:06
um is is uh uh kind of the springiest,
9:11
not particularly soft. None of them are
9:13
super soft, bouncy shoes. These are more
9:15
speedoriented shoes. It has the most
9:17
rigid plate, the fulllength carbon
9:20
composite plate. Outstanding grip. Uh
9:24
this is kind of your steady long run uh
9:27
focus performer. Uh, and then finally,
9:31
and it's uh the the Puma is 170, the
9:35
Sakin and is uh 175.
9:39
And finally, we have our Sketchers. A
9:41
real surprise. One of my favorite shoes
9:44
of the year so far. Maybe it won't go
9:47
quite as long kind of uh focus as the
9:50
Puma or even the um the Endorphin Speed
9:55
because it's foam. uh while super
9:57
reactive is a little bit firmer. It's
10:00
mid-foot platform a little narrower. Uh
10:03
it's fit a little more kind of
10:05
raceoriented. But if you want a kind of
10:08
speed shoe for speed work, shorter
10:10
races, this would be my pick uh over the
10:14
others. for more general training.
10:17
Overall, the the um the Puma if you can
10:21
if if you want a rigid more rigid kind
10:24
of uh profile. And finally, the classic,
10:28
the Endorphin Speed Five for um the the
10:33
broadest fit, kind of the most mellow
10:36
ride uh of the bunch, but still high
10:40
performing.
10:42
We have uh multitester reviews of all of
10:45
them over at roadtraun
10:47
uh.com.
10:49
And thank you very much for watching. A
10:52
big storm's coming here to Park City.
10:54
It's windy, but it's still beautiful
10:56
weather, but the weather has finally
10:58
turned uh chillier. It's been t-shirt
11:01
weather for several weeks here, so it's
11:03
about time we get some snow. Thank you
11:06
very much for watching. Have a great
11:08
runs.
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