Featherweight on fast trails – Technical magazine of sport Sport Training

Text: Miguel Caselles / Photos: SAUCONY

Innovative trail running shoes from Saucony. Designed to go into action until we say “enough.” Lightness, reactive cushioning and stability at the service of speed, speed up the most runable trail routes by traction and round stride. Dynamic and comfortable at any distance regardless of the size of the rider.

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bold design

In Saucony they affirm that “A good day is when we run. A great day is when we inspire others to do it.” Of course, the Endorphin Rift is pure inspiration. As soon as they see them, they encourage you to rush up the mountain in search of sensations. Packaging and design give them personality right out of the box. They are shoes developed from the effectiveness demonstrated by the Endorphin asphalt collection, which have also oriented other Endorphin trail models (even incorporating a carbon plate). We read in the specifications of the model that a significant part of recycled materials has been used in its manufacture, without integrating any animal derivative. On the scale we have that the men’s Endorphin Rift weigh 244gr and the women’s 207gr. It is the lightest model in Saucony’s trail range. Drop of 6mm. Profiles with a thickness of 33mm in the heel and 27mm in the forefoot. Taqueado of 4.5mm of prominence. They are currently marketed in bright green, both in the girl’s and boy’s models. Let’s keep investigating…

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House brand comfort

Pulling the rear and upper front loops at the same time, the shoes fit instantly. Five textile loops at the beginning of the instep, sewn to the upper, plus four precise-fit double eyelets in the upper area, channel its flat tube laces. Two tensioners start from the upper eyelets that, like a wrap, extend over the back of the upper, covering from midfoot to heel. This ensures the desired fit to the rear chassis of the shoe when jogging in technical sectors. Saucony saves the tongue in the Endorphin Rift, in exchange for closing the upper with an elastic textile that achieves, together with the lacing system, an enveloping effect adaptable to the morphology of the feet. Each shoe fits like a sock to its respective foot. By not using a tongue, the upper part of the instep has a padded slice, in the shape of a triangle, in charge that the upper stringing does not cause a pressure area. By applying minimal tension to the laces, instabilities or wobbles of the foot disappear when moving on unstable ground.

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foot extension

The upper of the Endorphin Rift is so docile that it turns the shoe into a reliable and comfortable extension of the foot. The body of the shoe seeks an ergonomic adaptation that favors the athletic gesture, gaining generous space in the toes. In the middle of the instep we find a transversal elastic band where to lock the loops of the shoelaces, so that they do not get caught on branches or roots. The classic ring that Saucony trail models incorporate to fix gaiters, and prevent the entry of sand or snow, in this model can be replaced by the central textile eyelet for starting stringing. Perhaps it has been discarded because, by removing the tongue, the elastic mouth of the shoe adheres to the perimeter of the upper part of the ankle, making it difficult for chips to slip from the path. If the heat is pressing, and the kilometers are stretching, it is indeed appreciated that the upper breathes enough by evaporating the moisture of the sweat on the go. It is known that dry and fresh feet are a guarantee against the appearance of blisters. The choice of good socks will also help to do this as well as the dance partner of good slippers.

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Protections, the fair ones

The wraparound fabric of the Endorphin Rift is a light and malleable mesh covered with a fine anti-abrasion film on the toecap. The same happens with the area that covers the midfoot to the heel, in this case superimposed as part of the strapping of the shoe. Faced with the inevitable bumps against obstacles on the way, the package of fingers remains protected by a reinforcement, in the shape of a horseshoe, and the extension of the rubber of the sole. For its part, the rear contour of the shoes has a semi-rigid rear wedge that, in addition to providing stability, acts as a bumper. As the hours go by running, your feet remain comfortable inside the Endorphin Rift. The interior of the upper is pleasant to the touch due to the soft fabric and the moderate padding of the ankle collar. The aforementioned semi-rigid wedge is inserted into the formatted heel cup, upholstered with sufficient padding, which settles the vertical of the calcaneus, protecting the Achilles heel and tendon. They are shoes that assume the dilation of the foot in runs of several hours without hot areas arising due to friction or pressure. Those who use corrective insoles only have to change them for the ones inserted by Saucony.

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Active cushioning and stability at the service of speed

Clearly the Endorphin Rift is built from a mattress of protagonist middling. Wide and tending to protrude outwards so that tilting on unstable ground is an almost impossible mission. More noticeable is that protrusion at the rear end of the cushioning platform, whose objective is to ensure better reception of critical strides when heeling into technical terrain. This generous platform of PWRRUN PB reactive foam, our brand, adds agility to the running gesture. It absorbs the impact of the stride by compression and accelerates the return of the energy received, achieving a rounded stride on trails that allow high and sustained rhythms. Both for materials and for geometries, Saucony implements its SPEEDROLL technology, always driving the stride forward so that progression is as profitable as possible. Cushioning also guaranteed in unpredictable landings, very grateful for joints and back.

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anti-roll drive

This PWRRUN PB super foam does not deform or sag to the sides so ankle stability is not compromised. Tested in other Saucony trail models, its durability far exceeds the fatigue of the rest of the materials that make up the shoes. The commented outward oblique drop perimeter profile, plus the outer studs located at the perpendicular limit of the midsole, achieve an effective anti-roll response. In addition, the upper contour of the midsole forms a pronounced raised ridge that surrounds and accommodates the foot in the EVA foam bed, providing more stability without reducing flexibility or the momentum generated by the return of energy after the impact of the stride. To the interaction between reactive cushioning and stability we must add the notorious front rocker of the shoes, upward curved elevation of the sole and midsole with respect to the horizontal, which favors a round and super dynamic stride cycle.

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Precise touching the ground

Lightness, reactive cushioning and stability, in efficient association with the seasoned PWRTRAC sole, give wings to the Endorphin Rift. This rubber, typical of Saucony, has great grip on rock, even in the wet, and is highly durable against biting stones and accumulating kilometers. A studied distribution of the studs and a prominence of 4.5mm ensure full traction of the shoes on soft and broken ground. Its stud spacing largely prevents annoying clogs from forming when jogging on muddy paths. We have 27 studs in the forefoot and 13 in the heel, alternating characteristic arrowhead shapes, also used by other Saucony trail models. Thanks to this reliable traction, you don’t lose momentum in your stride or lose power on the steepest embankments. In the same way, skidding on steep descents is largely avoided and braking is strengthened.

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anti-puncture plate

Running in the mountains, no matter how simple the trail may be, it is easy to step on an angular stone or a stinging root that will surely cause pain in the sole of the foot. In addition to destabilizing the stride when the runner perceives a potentially insecure support. For this reason, Saucony’s trail models include an anti-puncture sheet, made of braided polymer, in charge of protecting the soles of the feet. Several openings in the mapping of the forefoot studs allow us to appreciate how this sheet is inserted between the sole and the suspension plate. The heel area does not require protection against the pricks of the ground due to the greater thickness of the midsole. Additionally, when walking on technical terrain, this anti-puncture plate also has the objective of preserving the consistency of the foam itself in the midsole of the forefoot, where it is less thick, since the base of the sole is extra-thin in order to gain lightness.

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High rhythms on running tracks

Whether training or competing, the Endorphin Rift transmit speed. Lightness, subtle upper, enveloping body, reactive cushioning, stability, adherence and traction, are its virtues. No matter how long the runs, or intensive use over time, the shoes show no signs of deformation on contact with the ground. Although, as has been mentioned, the forefoot of the upper has reduced anti-abrasion protection, so its durability will be compromised if we regularly walk between quarries. Our impression has been to put on some high-flying shoes reinforced by extra active suspension and reliable stability… which perform agilely on ultratrail routes where the locomotive gesture prevails over technicality. After all, when facing long distances, it is convenient to save fatigue and delay overloads, guaranteeing greater performance in the final calculation of the activity. If we add that the shoes print high rhythms due to the reactive and dynamic impulse of the cushioning, runners and runners will go further with less effort. The Saucony Endorphin Rift fulfill these tasks in luxury.

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More information:

www.saucony.com

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2023-09-05 06:04:26
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