Swedish company Craft Sportswear has been upgrading everything about its shoes in recent years. The outsoles were always very good but the cushion and uppers have needed improvement. Craft has slowly been adapting new technology to address those weaknesses. The Craft Endurance 2 delivers the final piece to the puzzle, a lacing system that works together with the upper to provide solid lockdown and a better, more customizable fit.
That improvement alone makes the Craft Endurance 2 Craft’s best road shoe to date and removes some of the frustration we’ve experienced in previous reviews.
Craft Endurance 2
I’ve formally reviewed four other Craft footwear models but tried somewhere in the neighborhood of eight of the company’s shoes. The lockdown problems made me pass on writing reviews for some of them. The others still had lockdown issues but the fit and lockdown was just good enough where I could see certain people really enjoying the shoes. It was bound to be a small group of people whose foot fit into the shoes perfectly but I was confident that somewhere out there a group of runners was enjoying them (Editor’s Note: Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight…).
But now, the right-priced Craft Endurance 2 changes the equation by being a shoe whose last (the mold on which the shoe’s upper is built) stays true to the roomy Craft fit while the new lacing system is so much better than what Craft used before. Even narrower footers will be able to find a secure fit which was is a sentence no one has said about Craft to this point.
Does Craft still have room to improve in terms of lacing and lockdown? Yes. The lacing system doesn’t extend far enough down into the forefoot. That will be a necessity when they port this over to trail shoes. However, it’s good enough for road shoes with a good stable base (like we have here).
Pros
- Px Foam midsole is just soft enough to offer some plushness
- Px Foam midsole provides a nice bounce
- Breathable, comfortable, yet fairly minimal upper
- Grippy contact road rubber outsole works in all non wintry conditions
- Great shoe for heel strikers
- Lacing system locks the heel down into the shoe for maximum security (FINALLY!)
Cons
- Slippage in frosty or icy conditions which isn’t typical for Craft
- Laces that are too long which is typical for Craft
Is the Craft Endurance 2 wide foot friendly?
Yes, like all Craft Sportswear shoes, the Endurance 2 is wide foot friendly. Though the Endurance 2 is not anatomically shaped, the shoe widens nicely in the forefoot which allows toe splay and room for even wide feet to expand on longer runs.
Is the Craft Endurance 2 worth $145?
The Craft Endurance 2 is accurately priced at $145. Given the value proposition of a midsole made of TPE beads, the comfort, and the intended use case, it stacks up well against the competition in the $140 to $160 price band.
Craft Endurance 2 Summary
The Craft Endurance 2 is my personal favorite Craft shoe to this point. The midsole isn’t too plush but still bouncy and the upper, fit, and lockdown are SO MUCH BETTER than previous Craft models. As I mentioned above, Craft still has some room to improve in the lacing area but the company is making strides and that’s a positive sign. The Endurance 2 won’t make our best running shoes list but Craft is inching ever closer to breaking onto the rarified air of that illustrious list.
How does the Author Run?
Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.
Disclosure
While Craft did provide a pair of the Craft Endurance 2 to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and have not attempted to influence it.
