After putting over 200 miles on the Craft Endurance 2 road running shoes (men’s and women’s) over the past few months, there’s been plenty of time to test them in various conditions. Here’s what stands out.
Craft Endurance 2 Cushioning and Ride Feel
Craft markets these as a medium cushion shoe, and that’s exactly where they land. The PX foam midsole has really grown on me. It’s not super soft and squishy like a Hoka, but rather pleasantly firm. The best part is the solid energy return and support without feeling every crack in the pavement. There’s a nice springiness to them that makes road running feel efficient.
As a forefoot striker, the ride feels natural, but the heel-to-toe transition is notably smooth, especially on downhills where form naturally shifts more toward heel striking. If you’re a dedicated heel striker, these should work well for you.
Fit and Upper Construction
The Endurance 2 features a one-piece upper that’s genuinely comfortable. There haven’t been any hot spots or chafing issues, and while testing in extreme heat hasn’t happened yet, the material seems breathable enough that there’s little concern.
Here’s where things get relative: the fit feels like it was designed for someone with a higher volume foot than mine. When cinching down the laces, there’s noticeably extra material bunching up near the front. Fit is always subjective, of course, but it’s worth noting if you have a narrow or low-volume foot.
The Craft Endurance 2 Lacing System (And Its Minor Quirks)
Once you get these laced up, your foot isn’t going anywhere, the lockdown is excellent, with zero heel slippage. However, the lacing system has a small frustration: because of where Craft positioned the lace keeper, you can loosen the upper laces, but the lower section stays locked tight. If you want to fully loosen the shoe, you’ll need to pull on each individual eyelet. It’s a minor annoyance, but something that’s not common with most other shoes.
The Yellow Tongue Situation
Fair warning: the yellow material on the tongue transferred color to my white socks during the first couple of runs, leaving them stained. This has never happened with any other shoe. My advice? Wear older socks or bright-colored ones for your first few outings, or just embrace the neon green aesthetic when your socks inevitably match the tongue.
Durability and Outsole
At 200+ miles, only one spot of wear has appeared where the rubber got chewed up, possibly from catching a curb. It hasn’t affected performance at all, and honestly, some wear at this mileage is totally expected.
The outsole is relatively minimal with foam cutouts (following the current trend of weight reduction), but don’t let that worry you. Grip and durability have both been solid, with no traction issues running in rain or snow.
Bottom Line
The Craft Endurance 2 (men’s and women’s) has really proven itself as a solid daily trainer. These medium-cushion, medium-energy-return shoes have stayed comfortable on runs up to 12 miles, and they strike a nice balance between protection and responsiveness. Despite the roomy fit and the sock-staining tongue incident, they’re definitely worth recommending to anyone looking for a reliable daily road shoe.
