SAUCONY Endorphin Pro 3 vs. ASICS MetaSpeed Sky +: a battle of two SUPER shoes!

[@DevRunner]

Boom! Epic battle in the house! You know I'm siding with the Pro 3! Keep pushing Matt!

[@its_Matt_B_]

I’m with you! The Pro 3 is the shoe to beat! 💪🏽

[@romrome]

Great review Matt! Hows to toe space on the Pro3 compared to the Sky+? I ask only because I have flat feet and my RC Elite 2 is somehow accommodating for a super shoe

[@its_Matt_B_]

Cheers, Ronnie! The toe box on both shoes are very similar. I haven’t experienced any hotspots from them being too narrow.

[@nyashamunjoma2022]

I was planning to run my next marathon in the Alphaflys but after trying the Pro 3s I had to switch. The Zoom X foam on the Nike shoes is fantastic but the Alphaflys are a bit clunky and feel a bit more unstable in the later stages of a long run. I think Saucony has finally made a shoe that is soft enough but still responsive for the marathon distance.

[@its_Matt_B_]

I think you're right! The Endo Pro 3 will be a lot more forgiving later in a race!

[@i.p2088]

I am a heel striker and a slow runner and Pro 3 works at recovery to max effort. Thought for me on daily basis I take the Speed 3 when running base but I am beginning to get addicted to the Vaporfly.. Took me some 25 miles to find the right sock combination plus I added a small sponge on the tongue for better lock down but boy are they fun at any speed.. I feel like the ZoomX in the Vaporfly is a step above the power run PB in the Pro3. ZoomX in the Invincible is just a piece of tarpaulin with no direction forward..

[@its_Matt_B_]

I’m with you on the Pro 3 working for all speeds! I’m comparing the Next% 2 to the Pro 3 next Friday!

[@RunnersCorner2024]

nice battle Matt, Saucony really has some fantastic shoes this year !

[@its_Matt_B_]

Agreed! Saucony sure seems to be on the ball with their shoes!

[@yesroh]

I've tried both back to back and there's no comparison in comfort--the Sky + is on a whole other level. I always have things rubbing, the material isn't comfortable against the foot on the EP 3 but the Sky+ is like a glove. I don't understand why some think the EP 3 has a nicer upper. I loved the EP 1 but after running in the original Sky, the EP 1 feels abusive. The new EP isn't much better.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Great comment! I don’t find the EP3 rubs anywhere so my experience isn’t the same as you, but your description will be spot on for a lot of people.

[@Greg-me8le]

Hey Matt. I will put you on the spot. Do either of these shoes replace your Nike Next% in an upcoming Marathon?

[@its_Matt_B_]

It's funny you say this, Greg! I just filmed next Friday's video: Next% 2 vs. Pro 3, and the very satisfying answer is,....maybe. The Pro 3 is the closest replacement i've found so far, but I'll know more after I do some long tempo runs in them. I'm hopeful.

[@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics]

Great detailed comparison 👍 I have 2 pairs of the Pro 3 and also the Sky+ and original version of the Metaspeed Sky (which I hold both Marathon and Half PB's in from earlier this year). Majority of my training for Warsaw Marathon in 10 days time has been in the Pro 3 (pink colourway that I have approx 245 miles on). I was intending to race in the Sky+ but due to training so well in the Pro 3 and my legs not feeling ao beat up after lonher runs in them I think that I am favouring it for this autumns Marathon shoe. Just think that the 8mm drop is more protective for me when I am struggling for form at 20+ miles on tired legs. I do think that the Sky+ is the slightly quicker shoe though and better in the wet (so would probably go for that if we get heavy rain). I did buy the Night Lite coloirway of the Pro 3 a few weeks back and only have approx 34 miles on them, as opposed to 80 on the Sky+ The Night Lite colourway of the Pro 3 have awful round laces on them which come undone easily (even through my double knot) so will have to swap them laces out for the pink onea from my other pair of Pro 3 if I decide to race in them.

[@its_Matt_B_]

I had no idea the laces were different in the Night Lite colorway! I agree that the Sky+ has the potential to be the faster shoe for the right runner, but if the Pro 3 allows you to run more comfortably towards the end of the race, perhaps it means the Pro 3 is faster…🤔 Good luck running Warsaw! What time are you going for?

[@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics]

@@its_Matt_B_ I have a few aims. Hopefully all will mean a big PB for me. My coach wants me to aim for 7:05 to 7:10 mi/mi pace. I have just been looking back over my training and fancy making a slightly wider window of 7:03 to 7:17 pace. Goals are GFA Boston Qualifier for 2024 and hopeful of a GFA London 2023 Qualifier and a Diamond Standard time for my age (48) too. Will save the Sky+ for my 10k in October and go with the Pro 3 in Warsaw if it's dry I think.

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics Solid goals, and I like your plan of going for Boston and London! I think the Sky+ would be perfect for a 10k because it's so short! The strength of the Pro 3 will really come out in longer events!

[@isidrotormogarcia4879]

Great video. When you describes the ride feeling with Sky+ reminds me the ride with Next% but for your words seems that Sky+ is even more comfy and bouncy than Next%. 😊

[@its_Matt_B_]

Yes. The feeling of being propelled is similar on the Sky+ and Next% 2. There is a difference that I put down to the difference in drop.

[@aa-vy7cw]

This morning I saw some guy running past me at exactly 6:00am. He was quite fast. Seeing him running made me pick up my pace, lol. I like Saucony shoes. I wear Asic shoes also, but I don't really think things in my head while running about my Asics. I'm happy with Asics, but when I run in any of my Saucony shoes I think in my head how great they feel. I like Saucony and Brook's a lot. I haven't ever tried Hoka shoes yet, but I think I will because they are great for long runs. $200+ is high for running shoes, though. Especially that they don't last that long.

[@its_Matt_B_]

A little encouragement from another runner goes a long way, even if it’s just seeing another runner! I think Saucony is really doing well with their shoes recently, and I agree about the $200 price point being a bit high, but unfortunately that’s the direction we’re heading. 😞

[@aa-vy7cw]

@@its_Matt_B_ The early morning fast runner guy passed by me today while I was doing my floor workout and said hi to me. Twice! Running at such great speed and he still somehow managed to notice me. lol

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@aa-vy7cw It shouldn’t be surprising. I wish all runners would say hello!

[@mebrave7386]

What's the drop for both?

[@its_Matt_B_]

Asics MetaSpeed Sky+: 5mm Saucony Endorphin Pro 3: 8mm

[@mebrave7386]

@@its_Matt_B_ thanks

[@alanshrimpton6787]

I'm still an RC Elite fan myself but I've had the Pro1 and got the Speed 3 and because I've had calf issues in the past I would go the Pro 3.

[@its_Matt_B_]

I really want to try the RC Elite, but at this point I should probably wait for a new version so I can review it. How are you liking the Speed 3? What do you use them for? I still haven’t received my pair yet.

[@alanshrimpton6787]

@@its_Matt_B_ I've done one 18km run and going to do today a 35km run but I'm then going to use them on my long runs with marathon pace work and the speed 2 I have for long runs with no marathon pace work in them.

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@alanshrimpton6787 Sounds like a good shoe plan!

[@alanshrimpton6787]

@@its_Matt_B_ and the 35km at 4'54"/km went really well. Defineately will at some point try the Pro 3

[@LuisRamos-qw1gj]

Hello! It's possible to Run on the metaspeed sky+ being a heel striker?

[@its_Matt_B_]

Yes, but it’s not ideal. It works a lot better when you run faster than you normally do and naturally land further forward on your foot.

[@haon2205]

I think either will do well for me.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Nice! LMK which you choose and how you like it! 👊🏽

[@haon2205]

@@its_Matt_B_ I don't have either of them but I do own a supercomp trainer. I might choose EP3 for it's value.

[@robhughes645]

These are two very different shoes, very different. The Sky+ is a speed monster and has no interest in anything but forefoot acceleration - you'd need to be very experienced (with top form) to race this anything above half marathon, but at 10k this thing bounces you forward and the more you smash it, the faster it gets. The Pro 3 is a midfoot monster and the roll technology doesn't come into it's own on forefoot alone, it rolls forward and flicks you off the ground - can be good for high cadence at 10k but the Sky+ is still the ripper at this distance, whereas the Pro3 is a real mile muncher that just gets better the further you go. These are my two race options and I love both these shoes but I never train in the Sky+ (except for very fast sessions and only occasionally - it's my primo option when not using the Takumi Sen 9 for speed sessions), I would run everywhere all the time in the Pro 3 and have an old PB at 10k in them but they are good everywhere, really good at HM and over though, really good -)

[@its_Matt_B_]

Solid description and articulation of the differences! Thanks, Rob!

[@robertarmero6320]

I’d say the pro 3 is the middle ground between the metaspeed sky/edge.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Interesting take. I haven’t run in the Edge +, but I thought it would be a closer comparison to the Pro 3, simply because of the drop being the same.

[@robertarmero6320]

@@its_Matt_B_ i never ran in the sky+ but running in the pro it seems to do what you want it to (stride or cadence). When I had this thought I saw some reviews saying this exact thing.

[@nehallavey-khan7209]

🌱 💪🏾

[@its_Matt_B_]

Thanks for watching!

[@JuanGarcia-hx3uv]

@mattbrunning toe box room?

[@its_Matt_B_]

I have plenty of room in the toe box of both these shoes! I wouldn't call them narrow for anyone!