5 Best New Balance Shoes for Running

In a Hurry? Editors choice:
Fresh Foam Vongo v5
Test Winner: Fresh Foam Vongo v5
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New Balance has been in the shoe business since 1906, but these aren't your great grandpa's running shoes. To help you get started with this great brand, or to find your new favorite pair, we evaluated the shoes and brought you the best they have to offer.

Nowadays the best New Balance running shoes use state of the art design, fabrics, and manufacturing technologies to offer you some of the highest levels of comfort, support, and performance in the industry. Their shoes are known for being extremely durable and for offering the buyer tremendous value.

The company takes pride in putting their customers first and taking their feedback into consideration--and we took a ton of reviews into account when we were choosing the best New Balance shoes to feature on our list of reviews below.

Take a look at what we found!

Standout Picks

Priced in the mid-range, the Vongo v5 was a treat to test run. This shoe's performance zone seems to be somewhere between daily training and half marathon racing.
If you like the cushioning and support offered in NB sneakers but aren’t a huge fan of the style, the Hierro V5 may be the perfect design for you! At first glance, this doesn’t exactly look like a classic NB trainer, but small details in the design reveal its true identity. Besides the slick and modern styling, this trainer is packed with features that provide added stability and support while out on the trails.
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What we loved most about the 880 V10 is that it boasts a modern design and it is super lightweight. If you like to go fast and want to shave a few seconds off of your time, this is your solution. It may cost a little bit more than some of the other options in the NB line, but we feel that this modern interpretation of a classic is worth every penny.
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The Fresh Foam 1080 v11 running shoes are another highly rated running shoe from New Balance. An extremely breathable upper mesh keeps your feet nice and cool even on longer runs. The OrthoLite sock liner and padded tongue and collar were very comfortable according to testers.
What we liked most about the 860 V11 is that it is the perfect marriage between stability and minimalism. It boasts a minimalistic frame that allows for a full range of motion that allows you to reach top speeds without heavy materials weighing you down. Plus, it comes in quite a few unique color options that are sure to match your personal style.
Amazon Link

Criteria Used for Evaluation

Comfort

No pair of shoes is worth buying and wearing if they are uncomfortable and if they make your feet sore. We made sure that all the best New Balance shoes featured on our list are very comfortable and feel good on your feet no matter how long your run may be.

New Balances patented N-energy cushioning technology goes into every single pair of running shoes they make. We made sure to include options that have top tier shock absorption to reduce the impact on the runner’s body and to minimize the stress placed on the foot. This is why most long-distance runners gave New Balance high marks on lasting and consistent comfort.

Many shoes from other brands seem to lose cushioning ability much sooner than New Balance shoes do, so they're an especially good choice for runners who consistently log heavy mileage and go through running shoes like a bull in a china shop. There are some of the best New Balance shoes that are better than others for runners with over-pronation.

If you have this problem, or what is referred to as fallen arches, then make a selection with higher motion control properties and higher stability to counteract a flatter heal. If you have high-arched shaped feet, you’re going to look out for the New Balance runners that have more cushioning.

Stability

Another key factor that sets good shoes apart from the poor ones is how stable they are when you run. Stability is important so you keep your balance and maintain proper form as you run. All the best New Balance shoes on our list are highly rated for stability.

We are aware that runners with over-pronation or flatter arches have a strong need for reliable, multi-layered support to compensate for the lack of natural support from the foot. When looking at each model, we took note of feedback from runners that tended to have more inward rolling when they run to determine which running shoe can be the best match for over-pronators.

The longer the distance, the higher the discomfort inward rolling can give you, so we made sure to take the guesswork out of the selections by doing the research for you. Each shoe on our list offers the runner slightly different levels of support and stability. Not everyone is an under or over-pronator.

Nowadays lots of people are getting into minimalist running, which focuses on simple shoe design with less support than ever before. The idea behind this is that by giving the foot minimal support, it's forced to adapt and become stronger and move and flex more naturally over time. These types of runners will want to be sure to check out the shoes on our list that score lower in the stability.

Read also about thin running shoes.

Durability

If you are willing to invest money in a good pair of running shoes, you naturally want them to last a good long time. We know this is important and is one of the key factors we used during our selection process to find the best New Balance shoes.

New Balance shoes usually use a combination of synthetic materials, suede, and mesh to increase durability and breathability. Running shoes should allow for some level of airflow to help keep the feet relatively dry while running. Warm, damp environments are a great breeding place for things like athlete’s foot, which you obviously don't want.

And excess levels of moisture can also contribute to causing hot spots and blisters that can severely hamper your ability to run. The best New Balance shoes that made the cut for our review list are made out of both durable and comfortable materials, something New Balance has been known for since they started making shoes.

In fact, New Balance aficionados take great pride in their well-worn but still functional shoes, and see the wear and tear, especially on any suede part of the shoe as a badge of honor, kind of like a black belt in karate that started off white and is now black after years of hard, sweaty training.

Value

The best New Balance shoes are known for their quality design and affordable pricing. This combination has helped make them one of the most popular shoes among runners and is also what makes them a great value for runners of all experience levels.

Price is a factor we often look at when putting together our lists. But price alone doesn't determine the value of a product. To tell a product's true value one has to look beyond the mirage of the dollar sign attached to something and instead focus on several factors to determine the intrinsic value of something.

We've been trained to worship the almighty dollar, but if you can look beyond that for a moment you'll find that the best things, running shoes included, transcend the field of mere financial considerations to a place where your overall health and well-being take precedence over mere material considerations.

All of us have different budgets and we need to make sure we are buying the features that we specifically need. If you're a minimalist runner, for example, it would be silly to pay for extra materials and features that will only hamper what you're trying to accomplish as you move towards a more and more minimalist style over time.

We hope this example will encourage you to think about your true wants and needs before you choose a pair of the best New Balance shoes from our list, and only spend what you need to be satisfied with your purchase. To help you reach that end we looked at the price of the best New Balance shoes and compared it to the overall value the product offers the user and assigned it a score based on that equation.

Size

To get the most out of your best New Balance shoes you need to have a good fit and that is one of the reasons this brand is so popular. We made sure to get the very best shoes available for our list and found the ones that have the easiest sizing and fitting.

Novice runners commonly make the mistake of only considering the length of their footwear. Width is a crucial factor in selecting a pair of running shoes that will enhance your natural strengths and support any weaknesses in stride. If you have wider feet or have experienced issues with the narrowness of your shoes in the past,

New Balance can help you select the right pair for you by offering width size options as well. Don’t forget that feet tend to swell at the end of the day, or after long hours of working and standing so be sure to measure your feet after a long run and then make a size determination from there. If you have a specialty running store near you it might be a good idea to pay them a visit.

Even if you don't end up buying a pair of shoes there, they should be happy to help you get an accurate size measurement as well as evaluate your foot shape and movement tendencies so that you know what you're looking for in a pair of running shoes before you buy. For example, you might be an under-pronator and not even know it, and just by visiting some experts they can easily point this out to you.

New Balance Running Shoes Reviews

1. Fresh Foam Vongo v5

Fresh Foam Vongo v5
Fresh Foam Vongo v5
Fresh Foam Vongo v5
Fresh Foam Vongo v5
Fresh Foam Vongo v5
Amazon Link

Priced in the mid-range, the Vongo v5 was a treat to test run. This shoe's performance zone seems to be somewhere between daily training and half marathon racing.

Read more

For starters, it's a good-looking shoe. The support, responsiveness, fit and secure lockdown is right where it should be for distance running. The overall construction of the Vongo v5 seems to be well put together, signaling decent durability after you get some miles under them.

As adaptive as NB's Fresh Foam cushioning is, we felt like the limit was right around half marathon distance. Not to take anything away from the shoe, as the Vongo performed super nice, and we would recommend it to runners of various levels of training.

The one thing we did notice is that this shoe is probably more suitable for narrow feet, based on the overall fit. So if your feet are a little wider, you might want to try these on and walk around before ordering in possible. In all, we really like this one.

2. Hierro V5

Where to buy
Amazon Link
New Balance Women's Fresh Foam Hierro V5
Amazon Link

If you like the cushioning and support offered in NB sneakers but aren’t a huge fan of the style, the Hierro V5 may be the perfect design for you! At first glance, this doesn’t exactly look like a classic NB trainer, but small details in the design reveal its true identity. Besides the slick and modern styling, this trainer is packed with features that provide added stability and support while out on the trails.

Read more

While the Hierro V5 is technically classified as a trail runner, it is also a great option to take along with you to the gym or when out running on roads. The treads on the rubber outsole are deep enough to grip uneven trails, but not so deep that you cannot wear them off of the trails as well.

Runners love that the midsole is composed of Fresh Foam, which offers a flexible and cushioned landing surface that takes a lot of pressure off of your knees, back, and joints. A durable Vibram MegaGrip outsole has a slightly tacky finish, which makes it ideal for gripping slick surfaces such as rain-soaked sidewalks or trails with wet leaves.

If you are in the market for something that boasts a slick and modern style that is offered in a wide variety of color options, the Hierro V5 is a great choice. We love that it hosts a Vibram MegaGrip that is perfect for less than ideal running conditions to help you keep your footing without weighing you down.

Amazon Link

3. Fresh Foam 880v10

Where to buy
Amazon Link
New Balance Men's 880v10
Amazon Link

What we loved most about the 880 V10 is that it boasts a modern design and it is super lightweight. If you like to go fast and want to shave a few seconds off of your time, this is your solution. It may cost a little bit more than some of the other options in the NB line, but we feel that this modern interpretation of a classic is worth every penny.

Read more

The first thing that we noticed about this design is that it boasts a full mesh upper with minimal seam lines. The mesh design helps to lift hot air up and away from your foot to keep your foot cool and dry. Flat laces help to promote lockdown which means that you can take tight corners without losing stability.

Another thing that we love about this design is that it has a blown rubber outsole at the forefoot to help rebound when engaging in HIIT or cross-training when you need to be quick and light on your feet. It also has a molded footbed to help support your foot in all stages of your gait.

If you are in the market for something that is made to move quickly, the 880 V10 is a great option. Key features in the midsole and outsole help to control movement when taking tight corners and the lightweight mesh upper helps to keep your foot cool and dry.

Amazon Link

4. Fresh Foam 1080 v11

Where to buy
Fresh Foam 1080 v11
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v10
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v10
Amazon Link

The Fresh Foam 1080 v11 running shoes are another highly rated running shoe from New Balance. An extremely breathable upper mesh keeps your feet nice and cool even on longer runs. The OrthoLite sock liner and padded tongue and collar were very comfortable according to testers.

Read more

The mesh upper allows good breathability. There are even some customer reviews that say these worked well for plantar fasciitis. The New Balance shoe sport an IMEVA foam midsole, Abzorb shock-absorbing heel, dual comfort insert, and a rubber wrap for medical stability.

While the overall comfort, stability, and support rate very high for these, the durability tends to be a little lacking. Several customer complaints mention holes developing in the mesh upper early after use. However, it may depend on the type of activities for which these New Balance shoes are used.

These come at a heftier price than others on this list, but they are well worth the investment. From what we saw, we found that these New Balance running shoes do run true to size. However, if you are ordering online or if you have never had shoes from this brand we do encourage you to try them on before you buy.

5. Fresh Foam 860v11

Where to buy
Amazon Link
New Balance Men's Fresh Foam 860v11
Amazon Link

What we liked most about the 860 V11 is that it is the perfect marriage between stability and minimalism. It boasts a minimalistic frame that allows for a full range of motion that allows you to reach top speeds without heavy materials weighing you down. Plus, it comes in quite a few unique color options that are sure to match your personal style.

Read more

The engineered mesh upper is made to contour to the shape of your foot. This allows you to move freely when engaging in a workout such as HIIT, cross-training, or weight lifting. What makes this design unique is that it has an Asymmetric Ultra Heel design that really helps to hug your foot.

This simple design also provides a lot of extra cushioning and support. It boasts a Medial post that helps to naturally guide your foot to strike the ground evenly. The cushioning and additional support in the midsole and outsole makes this a great option for newbies or for those that overpronate.

If you want something that boasts a lightweight and easy frame that is designed for a myriad of workouts, the 860 V11 is a great choice. We love that it has a sleek upper that contours to the shape of your foot to reduce the risk of blisters and hot spots. Plus, it comes in at a price point that won’t break the bank.

Amazon Link

Sources

  1. Peter Larson, Run Blogger, Running Blog
  2. Editorial TEam, New Balance, New Balance Blog
  3. Editorial Team, Runner’s World, Running Magazine

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