Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.
This on-the-cheap trainer borrows tech from the Endorphin racing series.
The RW Takeaway: The breakout sophomore Axon surprised our editors and testers alike with its smooth ride, plush hugs-your-foot upper, and incredible low price.
Price: $100 Type: Road Weight: 9.6 oz (M), 8.5 oz (W) Drop: 4 mm
Buy Men’s Buy Women’s More Images
We test hundreds of shoes every year but can’t possibly get to every single model. One that didn’t make it through our lab last year was the debut Axon. So I was both delighted and puzzled to test the second version. This bargain buy—truly, how is this shoe only $100?—looks and feels maximally cushioned, but it’s shockingly lightweight and compels you to stride for race pace.
The Axon’s thick Pwrrun midsole has plenty of bounce, while a slightly curved profile (think Saucony’s cambered Speedroll design, minus the carbon-fiber plate) smooths transitions onto the forefoot during turnover. That combination explains why the shoe’s low 4mm offset goes unnoticed midrun.
“While there is not a ‘perfect’ shoe, the Axon 2 comes darn close for me,” said a tester who also ran in New Balance’s $100 FuelCell Propel v3 and found the midsole a bit too firm for concrete sidewalks. “The Axon had the perfect amount of bounce and cushioning on a variety of surfaces.” He ran along Florida’s soft, sandy coastline—“like running in thick baby powder”—to test the shoe’s stability. The Axon passed this test with aplomb.
Best of all: This budget shoe has proven remarkably durable in our testing. “Its durability reminds me of Asics’s GT series,” said one tester who wears a women’s size 11. “I’ve run over 200 miles and there is barely any wear on them.”
Giancarlo A. | Tester since 2020 Arch: Medium | Gait: Neutral | Footstrike: Midfoot
“This is a great shoe for the average runner! It checks all the boxes. Depending on the online retailer, the price point is $80 to $100, which puts it at a comfortable price for many. I enjoyed the ultra-padded midsole and heel. It provided a super comfortable ride! The upper mesh and toebox felt a bit cramped and I think I would’ve benefited from sizing up. My runs were all on pavement and most recently I put a few miles on a treadmill. I tried to pace myself at 5:30 per mile with short sprints thrown in for a bit of interval training—I’m a soccer player.”
Holly M. | Tester since 2021 Arch: Medium | Gait: Neutral | Footstrike: Midfoot
“This was my first experience with a ‘rocker’ style sole. After trying this shoe out, my biggest disappointment was that I’ve avoided this shoe type for so long. I felt like the Axon provided an easy propulsion forward—almost like the shoe version of those conveyor pathways found at the airport. I’ve never loved running on sidewalks so much; this shoe brought extra energy to a usually boring terrain. I mainly ran at a pace of 8:30 to 9:00 per mile with this shoe. However, I did run less on trails and slanted road shoulders after noticing that I seemed at high risk of rolling an ankle when on uneven terrain. This was my first experience with Saucony running shoes and I will certainly be looking at the brand further in the future after such an enjoyable first experience. Although the shoe wasn’t ideal for all terrains, this is one of the first shoes in which I thoroughly enjoyed running on hard surfaces.”