New Balance 1540v2

Editor rating: 7.5 / 10

User's rating: based on 17 user ratings

1 star

2 star

3 star

11%

4 star

17%

5 star

70%

Add your Rating

By Stephanie Potter

All New Balance Shoes

New Balance 1540v2 Review Facts

See more facts

The New Balance 1540v2 is a motion control road running shoe. Manufactured in the United States, it was designed to help stabilize severe over-pronation and support flat feet so that runners can focus on moving forward. The seamless upper uses breathable mesh for ventilation, overlays for support and structure, and a dual-density collar for a comfortable fit that also supports the foot and adds structure to the shoe. It has NDurance rubber and blown rubber in the outsole for maximum durability, traction, and cushioning. The TPU Rollbar between the outsole and midsole extends from the inside to the outside of the shoe and stabilizes the back of the foot to prevent inward or outward rolling. ABZORB cushioning helps reduce the feeling of impact to protect joints, and ACTEVA LITE foam softens landings without adding too much to the overall weight of the shoe. ENCAP is a soft EVA foam with a tougher outside edge for durability and support. If you are an over-pronator looking for an everyday or daily running shoe, read on to see if the 1540v2 is right for you.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Great ventilation/breathability
Good support
Outsole has great durability
Toe box has lots of room
Many runners with flat feet or severe over-pronation were able to run without joint pain while wearing this shoe
Normal, wide, and extra wide sizes are available

Cons

Slightly expensive
Heavier than most shoes
Several testers experienced some stiffness in the shoe
Some reviewers thought the shoe looked bulky

Outsole

The 1540v2's outsole uses blown rubber for soft landings and traction and NDurance rubber to increase durability. The soft blown rubber is placed in an oval-shaped area in the center of the forefoot and in a rectangular area in the heel. The durable NDurance rubber covers the rest of the shoe to help keep the treads from wearing down. The tread pattern is diamond-shaped on the blown rubber part and more of a jagged or zigzag pattern where the NDurance rubber is. The treads work together to grip roads and hard surfaces and the grooves in between the treads add a small amount of flexibility for gripping while going on hills. The outsole is very stable to prevent sliding or rolling and has only a small amount of responsiveness and flexibility.

Midsole

The midsole uses excellent foams and technologies in order to both soften landings and control pronation. At the bottom next to the outsole is the TPU Rollbar that extends across the back of the foot. The sides are stiff in order to prevent the ankle from rolling inward or outward, and it works well enough for both severe over-pronators and over-pronation in heavier runners. Next is the ABZORB cushioning in the heel that protects joints by absorbing shock, as its name suggests. ENCAP supports the bottom of the foot and adds durability to the midsole. The top layer is ACTEVA LITE which is a soft and lightweight foam that cushions landings. Because of the extra stability features in the heel, there is a 10 mm heel-to-toe drop. The midsole has a small amount of flexibility and responsiveness, and offers a high level of arch support that is good enough for flat feet.

Upper

The upper was designed to be both supportive and breathable. It uses a no-sew design to reduce irritation. The mesh allows the foot to be properly ventilated and the overlays provide structure to the shoe and support to the foot. Also in the upper is a dual-density collar that makes it soft, supportive, and durable. The tongue is heavily padded for support and comfort and the laces help give a comfortable and snug fit. The roomy toe box is protected by the toe cap.

Weight

At 14.7 ounces for men and 11.4 ounces for women, the New Balance 1540v2 is heavier than most running shoes. It can be worn as an everyday shoe or on daily runs, but it much too heavy to be a racing shoe. The reason for the high weight is the amount of stability features offered: it has a stack height of 20mm to 30mm, and has two kinds of rubber, three different foams, a TPU rollbar, a dual density collar, and lots of overlays and padding for stability and support in the upper. The mesh and the ACTEVA LITE foams are lightweight by themselves, but not enough to keep the overall weight low.

Read also about memory foam trainers.

Breathability

The 1540v2 has great breathability for such a supportive shoe. Testers reported that their feet were well ventilated while wearing the shoe. The upper has lots of mesh around the foot and the no-sew design helps with airflow and reduces the risk for blisters and hot spots. The overlays and heavy padding did not seem to take away from the shoe's breathability.

Comfort

Reviewers found that the 1540v2 was comfortable but stiff. The toe box is roomy, but the fit is about a half size small in its length. There are regular, wide and extra wide sizes available, which makes this a great shoe for wide-footed over-pronators. It is heavier and stiffer than other shoes because it was designed to slow severe over-pronation, which can be slightly uncomfortable at times. The outsole's blown rubber helps create soft landings. There is lots of cushioning in the midsole with its three layers of foam, and the ACTEVA LITE on top is especially comfortable. The upper has lots of padding around the foot, particularly in the dual density collar, and the laces give a snug fit. Several testers who previously had knee or leg pain were able to run in this shoe without experiencing any pain.

Style

The 1540v2 looks like a classic running shoe, but with a thick sole unit. While some people thought the shoe looked too bulky, most people were happy with the design. There are three color options for men (black with Silver, Silver with Blue, and Navy with Light Grey) and three for women (Silver with Mint Green, White with Blue Bell, and Basin with UV Blue). A few people thought that the color options were too limited, but with many sizes and widths offered, not every size is always available in every color.

Durability

This shoe has great durability, especially in the outsole. Testers commented that they were able to run 200-300 miles before experiencing wear on the outsole. The NDurance rubber on the outside edges really helps protect the bottom of the shoe from wearing out, even against rough surfaces or objects in the road, and the blown rubber also has a decent amount of durability for being the part that the foot lands on. The midsole's durability received mixed reviews: although the bottom two layers of foam, ABZORB and ENCAP, are very durable, a few testers experienced the softer ACTEVA LITE cushioning wearing down after a few months. The upper is also durable with its overlays and high amount of padding. The mesh is closely woven together to reduce the risk of getting holes in it over time as the foot takes off and lands.

Protection

The 1540v2 offers protection at every level. The high stack height of the outsole and midsole protect the foot from feeling anything that might be on the ground through the shoe. The ABZORB cushioning absorbs the shock as the foot lands in order to protect the joints in the feet as well as the knees. The other layers of foam also help cushion landings. The TPU Rollbar and high level of arch support protect the ankle against inward and outward rolling. The solid upper protects the foot against rain and wind, and the mesh protects against heat by allowing air to flow around the foot. The rubber over the toe cap protects the foot from accidental stubbing.

Responsiveness

As a motion control shoe, the 1540v2 has a low level of responsiveness and is not a good racing shoe. The thick sole unit makes it so that the amount of ground feel is low, although the blown rubber, three layers of foam, and 10 mm drop do provide a small amount of bounce to the wearer's step. It is too heavy to pick up a lot of speed, is fairly stiff and not very flexible. The toe box is roomy enough to splay in, but the shoe itself does not allow too much free movement.

Support

The 1540v2 is very supportive, with many testers stating that they liked how supportive this shoe is. The sole unit has two kinds of rubber and three layers of foam to pick the foot up off the ground and support it from below. The ENCAP EVA foam is especially supportive. There is also a motion control level of arch support, which can help correct flat feet or severe over-pronation. The upper has a lot of padding around the foot and in the tongue, and a dual density collar for extra support around the top of the ankles.

Terrain

This is a road running shoe. It works best on gravel, tracks or dirt roads, paved roads, and indoor settings like gym floors. It is stable enough to go over hills and on light trails, but it does not have the proper grip to go over technical or slippery terrain, so it should not be worn on heavy trails, snow or ice.

Price

The New Balance 1540v2 is about one-and-a-half times the average cost of a running shoe. Although it's slightly expensive, its stability features make it worth the price for people who have flat feet, severely overpronate, or are on the heavy side and have problems with pronation or supination. For qualified people with a prescription, Medicare may reimburse the cost of the shoe because it helps correct landings in order to prevent injury. Retailers are currently selling the 1540v2 for anywhere from 68% off to $5 more than the original cost of the shoe.

Read also about best shoes for heavy runners.

Traction

The 1540v2 gets great traction on roads and other hard surfaces, making it an ideal shoe for all-day use or daily runs. The blown rubber parts of the outsole get especially good traction, although the NDurance rubber gets good grip as well. The treads' diamond pattern grips hard surfaces well and the zigzag pattern on the outside adds durability and helps with going up and down hills. The 1540v2 gets good enough traction to go on light trails, but the treads are not deep enough to grip soft surfaces, heavy trails, snow, or ice.

Flexibility

This shoe is not very flexible. Several testers commented that it was a bit stiff when they tried to run or pick up speed. The outsole has some grooves for light flexibility but it's mostly for going on hills or uneven surfaces. The TPU Rollbar makes the heel stiff to prevent over-pronation. ABZORB helps stabilize landings, and ENCAP adds support, so those two layers are not very flexible, but the ACTEVA LITE is soft for better landings and is flexible enough to form to the shape of the foot as it lands. The upper is also not very flexible, as the padding and overlays are designed to lock the foot in to help prevent over-pronation, not to allow enough movement to pick up speed.

Stability

As a motion control shoe, the New Balance 1540v2 is extremely stable. It was designed to correct flat feet, stop severe over-pronation, and is even stable enough to correct over-pronation in heavier runners. The TPU Rollbar goes across the heel and adds extra stability on either side of the foot to prevent over or under-pronation. The ENCAP foam also helps stabilize the foot, and the high level of arch support also keeps the foot from rolling inwards. Finally, the overlays and padding in the upper work to lock down the foot and keep it from rolling.

Drop

The heel height is 30 mm and the forefoot height is 20 mm, giving the 1540v2 a standard-range drop of 10 mm. This drop is ideal because it means extra stability technologies in the rearfoot, a slight forward momentum, and less strain on the Achilles tendon, which make the shoe easier to break in and less likely to cause muscle strain.

Key Features

TPU Rollbar improves rearfoot stability and prevents overpronation even in heavy overpronators

Breathable mesh upper with seamless synthetic overlays for structure and support

Outsole uses NDurance rubber for durability and blown rubber for traction and cushioning

Dual density collar adds support, structure and comfort

ABZORB cushions landings and protects the heel from impact

ACTEVA LITE from softens landings throughout the midsole

ENCAP soft EVA foam is both supportive and durable

10 mm drop

Manufactured in the United States

Medicare may reimburse the cost of the shoe for qualified individuals

Bottom Line

The New Balance 1540v2 is a great shoe for severe over-pronators to use on their daily runs, or those with pronation problems while walking to wear as an everyday shoe. It is very supportive and stable, which will help prevent injury in those types of runners. The shoe is also breathable, fairly comfortable to wear, and even comes in wide and extra wide sizes so it can be worn by any foot type. The main issues with the shoe are the weight, stiffness, and high price tag, which make it not a good option for people who want to race and non-over-pronators. This shoe is really good at helping runners move forward without having to worry about arch problems or rolling their ankles.