New Balance Fresh Foam Crush

Editor rating: 8.7 / 10

User's rating: based on 1 user ratings

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By Suzanne Griffin

All New Balance Shoes

New Balance Fresh Foam Crush Review Facts

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New Balance used data collected from their sports research lab to design and engineer this shoe specifically for female athletes to wear during high-intensity workouts. The Fresh Foam midsole is extremely responsive and delivers lots of comfort and a very springy workout experience. The foam-molded upper is very unique in design and combines comfort with support, resulting in an adaptable and comfortable upper. Although the molded foam may seem like it would make your feet hot, the shoe is equipped with a great number of perforations to aid in ventilation. These sneakers are lightweight, comfortable, and designed to withstand a number of HIIT workouts by women. They may lack some support and stability features if you are looking to do a lot of lateral movements, for example in a dance aerobics class, but if you are doing calisthenics or other HIIT workouts, they will provide excellent cushion and comfort as well as response.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Affordable for almost any budget
Fresh Foam midsole is responsive, lightweight, and comfortable
Full-length rubber outsole is durable
Foam-Molded upper adapts to any foot shape
Lightweight and comfortable

Cons

Lacks lateral support
No ankle and heel collar padding

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What are buyers saying?

We have spent 4 hours analyzing a total of 150 reviews.

These reviews are then categoried into "Positive" and "Negative" feedback.

Below you will read a summary of them:

Positive

I use these for my HIit and Zumba classes. I am sold! These are the first NB I have owned and I will be buying more. They are so light and comfortable and look great. Best of all, they are affordable.
These are very stable and light. They lack cushion in the heel because of the design, which makes them a bit awkward at first. They are perfect for high intensity type training.
These are not as narrow as I was expecting, which I have a hard time finding super narrow shoes anyway. However, the shoe itself is great I looked up some remedies for my heel slip and I am so happy with them. They are light and perfect for all my Zumba and intensity training.
These breathe great and are light. They are especially comfy and do not create any type of soreness. I work on my feet all day and I am so happy about the way these feel. I also love that NB seems to have the same size across the board, I always know they will fit.
These re the perfect all day shoes. They cause no pin and are super comfortable. They are stable and make me feel light.They have nice colors and designs as well. Totally happy with these.
The shoe is really light and perfect to size. They work well for my high instep. I am glad that they have different colors so i can buy more
Great walking shoe so comfortable and light, n fatigue in the ankles and calves. I like that they have an original look too them and they look great.
They come up high on the foot so was expecting them to rub but nope. They are light and feel great on the foot. They have great colors. I would highly recommend purchasing them.
The style and design is what drew me to them but the weight and comfort is what made me pull out my wallet. These are the best shes ever and that foam is a dream. I would say A+ from NB.
These work great for my crossfit. The foam goes he whole foot and feels amazing. The heel is nice and cushy as well and they are super light. These are near perfect shoes.
These are a bit too stable for running in, I feel, but perfect for what they are made for. My feet do get hot in them as well. I would say if you are looking for a runner, no. If you need a great gym shoe and intensity training stable shoe, yes.
These are made from synthetic foam from the top to the bottom and it is killer. I love the way they feel on my feet. They are so light ad have great arch support. They have a bit of a tighter toe box than I am used to. I did end up getting a half size up.
They are breathable n the top and super padded on the bottom. This equals super comfy. They look good and are made with good quality material while still being affordable. The foam feels extra nice on the heel.
I put these on and first thing I noticed was how light the are. I did some planks in these though and I am not good at it and it made everything heavier. The shoes worked great for all my crossfit classes and sin. I would say they are a great shoe and would recommend them.
Do not change these! I have to say I have never loved a shoe so much. They are the best HIIT shoe and great for my lifting. They are super stable and feel amazing on the foot when just walking. They are a perfect fit as well.
This fits snug to the foot and works great with laterals. They do not let your feet slide around. I ended up going down a half a size from my running shoes.
It breathes well and the rubbery sole is just great. The color was super bright but I got used to it. The toe box is a bit snug. I really do love NB no though, this shoe is great.
These are the perfect shoe for me. They fit like they are supposed to, they are so freaking comfortable and light. I ordered a half up for my inserts but I tried on the regular size too and perfect.
These are very interesting looking shoes and threw me off a bit when I first opened the box. Thy are rubbery looking. However, I put them on and was in heaven, walking on little rubbery clouds. They are so comfortable and Great for my city walks. I would suggest ordering half size up, that was my only problem with them.

Negative

These were so off on the sizing. Even after ordering up. I have narrow feet and these are still too narrow. It is pretty ridiculous.
The tongue was strangely long. I have foot levelers as well and they did not work at all inside. The heel bumps were also awkward and uncomfortable.
These felt cheap and uncomfortable. I liked the color, that was about it.
The inside of the shoe works, the outside, that is less to be desired. They are so hot and made my feet sweat. They have perforations but I guess they are for show.
These were almost a half size too short. They also were not as comfortable as I was expecting.
The problem with these is the size and the toe box. They run small s in short and they cut into the toes. This is the first time I have been disappointed by NB.
The outer material on these is really rigid and stiff. They have an odd texture to the fabric as well. Very snake like.
HOT, HOT, HOT. I cannot even dream about wearing ocks it these laytex heat bxes. I live in a warm climate and these are just not going to cut it. The shoe itself feels great though.
Something with the tongue and the top of the shoe digs into the foot They are not padded enough. I blame this on NB cutting corners and the material quality. It is really poor.

8.7

Outsole

The outsole of the New Balance Fresh Foam Crush is made of a durable rubber material that runs the entire length of the shoe. This rubber compound found on the bottom of the shoe is made to be durable, flexible, and to deliver traction. The rubber is in a honeycomb-like pattern and grips the ground with ease. At the lateral heel and ball of the foot, the rubber is a little more grippy in order to help you pivot and change direction easily. The outsole does not feature large lugs but it does deliver lightweight and grippy performance. However, the outsole can sometimes sound a little sticky on harder surfaces while walking.

Midsole

The name of the sneaker, the Fresh Foam Crush, gives away what is most impressive about this shoe: the Fresh Foam cushioning platform. This material makes up the midsole of this shoe and is made to be flexible, lightweight, and durable. Fresh Foam is also engineered to be highly responsive. The material compresses when weight is applied to it and then bounces back to its original shape right away, resulting in a bouncy and responsive experience. Fresh Foam is also designed to absorb shock which will help protect your feet and joints from impact. The inner footbed of this shoe is made of a fabric-lined foam for additional comfort. This shoe is specifically designed for women only and offers neutral arch support.

Upper

This shoe features a very unique upper. The New Balance Fresh Foam Crush not only has foam found at the midsole, but the upper also boasts a different kind of foam. The foam-molded upper of his shoe is lightweight and flexible. There are a number of specifically-placed perforations on the upper in order to aid in ventilation. The material that makes up the shoes; upper is very soft and flexible so New Balance added an internal support cage into the upper to help with lateral support and to give the shoe some structure. The heel counter is not stiff, rather it is also very soft and flexible. However, you will find foam on each side of the inner part of the heel that is placed to keep your heel in place. Another unique feature of this upper is the fact that the heel and tongue are not padded, rather they are the same material as the rest of the upper. The front of the forefoot includes a synthetic overlay for added protection and durability. This foam-molded upper allows the shoe to be able to be worn with or without socks and is comfortable either way.

Weight

These sneakers are made up of lightweight materials which makes them light on the feet. As stated earlier, they are designed specifically for women so there is only a women's’ shoe option. These shoes weigh in at a mere 6.1 ounces.

Breathability

While the upper of this shoe features a molded foam material that is not that breathable by nature, New Balance tried to offset that fact with the perforations placed all over the upper. These perforations do not go all the way through the molded foam, rather, they go through to the soft fabric lining that lines the inside. This helps give the shoe some added breathability. They aren’t the most breathable sneakers out there and some users have complained that they are sweat-inducing. However, other users have said they are perfectly breathable and can be worn without socks for even more airflow.

Comfort

These shoes are definitely engineered to be comfortable. The Fresh Foam midsole is shock absorbent and responsive. When you walk or perform an exercise in these shoes, you will notice the comfort of the midsole. The upper is also comfortable because it flexes and adapts to your foot shape easily with the molded-foam. There is no extra padding on the heel, ankle collar, or tongue, so that does not give the upper high marks for comfort there, but they aren’t necessarily uncomfortable, they just don’t have a lot of padding. Many consumers have sung the praises of the Fresh Foam Crush’s high level of comfort whether they are exercising or just wearing them as casual sneakers.

Style

The New Balance Fresh Foam Crush has a unique style. It has a low-profile design and a sleek silhouette. They are attractive looking sneakers with their molded-foam upper and don’t have a lot of unnecessary bulk added to them. The almost-flush outsole gives these shoes a casual-sneaker-look combined with a running shoe appeal They come in a variety of colorways which are all aesthetically pleasing.

Durability

The internal support cage that New Balance added to the structure of this shoe helps the sneaker to maintain its shape and to withstand the abuse of high-intensity workouts. They molded foam upper holds up to a variety of movements and exercises and will last through hundreds of workouts. The full-length rubber outsole is also durable and protects the Fresh Foam midsole from wearing down quickly.

Protection

The New Balance Fresh Foam Crush will protect your feet from underfoot debris through the full-length rubber outsole and will keep you stable as you move through your workout. The heel counter is flexible so there is not a lot of heel protection but because the molded foam of the upper adapts to your foot, it protects your feet from movement within the foot chamber. The Fresh Foam midsole will protect your joints from shock because it is engineered to absorb impact and bounce right back to its original shape.

Responsiveness

The Fresh Foam that makes up this shoes’ midsole is the most responsive part of the shoe. The honeycomb pattern found on the rubber of the outsole is mirrored on the midsole foam material. This molded foam compresses on impact and then returns the energy right away, resulting in a responsive and springy underfoot experience. The full-length rubber outsole works in conjunction with the midsole to deliver a responsive and comfortable ride.

Support

Because this shoe is built to hug your foot with its molded foam upper, you will feel supported and comfortable simply due to this feature. The removable comfort-lined insole and adaptable upper takes away any negative space within the sneaker so you should feel snug and secure. The internal support cage that New Balance added to the structure of this shoe also aids in supporting you as you move through your workout. However, it should be noted that there is not a lot of lateral support in these sneakers because of the soft moldable upper. The ankle collar does not offer much support at all and does not support your ankle during side to side movements.

Terrain

These shoes are ideally-suited for working out on solid terrains whether that be asphalt, concrete, rubber flooring, wood floors, or aerobic flooring. The waffle-like pattern of the full-length rubber outsole is designed to grip such surfaces but not designed to be worn on the trails. These sneakers are designed to be cross-training sneakers for women to participate in a variety of exercises whether inside or out.

Price

Originally, these sneakers were priced around $100 but you can now purchase them at a discounted price for around $40. That is an extremely good deal especially for a pair of training shoes that boast the New Balance name. Even if they don’t work out for you in the exercise world, at this price, they are certainly comfortable enough to wear around casually.

Traction

The Fresh Foam Crush delivers a great amount of traction for what they are designed for. If you are looking for a shoe that will carry you over rough terrains, then this is not the sneaker for you. However, if you are looking for a women's cross-trainer that will grip a variety of surfaces with ease, then these are a great option. The full-length rubber outsole is designed to deliver traction throughout various exercise routines.

Flexibility

Due to the full-length rubber featured on the outsole of the New Balance Foam Crush, they are not the most flexible sneakers out there, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t flexible. The lightweight Foam Crush midsole and molded foam upper are both very lightweight and allow for the shoe to move and flex with your foot, especially in the forefoot area. The molded foam of the upper also flexes around your foot and adapts to almost any foot shape.

Stability

The New Balance Fresh Foam Crush is not marketed to be a “stability sneaker”. It does not boast a ton of stability features in its makeup. With that said, it does offer some stability thanks to the Fresh Foam midsole. This midsole allows your foot to be stabilized throughout your gait because the responsive foam cradles your foot and protects it from shock. The molded foam upper adapts to your foot shape and keeps the midsole hugged close to your body so you will feel more like you are one with your sneaker, allowing for the shoe to be more stabilized on your foot. However, as stated earlier, because the shoe is made up of such soft materials, it does not offer much support or stabilization when it comes to lateral movements.

Drop

The Fresh Foam Crush features a neutral drop of 6mm. Many cross-training shoes may feature a similar drop while some offer even less of a drop because they are more designed for weightlifting. However, the Fresh Foam midsole evident in this sneaker give these shoes a little more of a drop which allows for more comfort and underfoot support through your workout.

Key Features

- Fresh Foam midsole is lightweight and responsive as well as shock absorbent
- Full length durable textured rubber outsole
- Foam-molded upper adapts to your foot with ease and is durable, flexible, and comfortable
- Internal support cage for added support
- Perforations in the molded foam upper deliver ventilation into the foot chamber

Bottom Line

Overall, the New Balance Fresh Foam Crush is a highly versatile and comfortable cross-training sneaker that is designed specifically for women. It is ideal for the neutral foot so if you have foot issues or high arches, you may need to look elsewhere or put in your own orthotics. The lightweight nature of the shoes’ makeup gives this shoe an edge over the competition as far as cross training shoes go. They are responsive and durable and can even be worn without socks. Countless consumers have commented on how incredibly comfortable these shoes are and they feel like these shoes carry them through HIIT workouts comfortably and effectively. They are great to look at and can even go from night to day easily. There are some support concerns when it comes to lateral movements due to the lack of heel and ankle padding and support so if you have some ankle concerns and are going to be using them for lateral movements then these might not be your best option. In the end, they are affordable, lightweight, comfortable, and responsive and you really can’t go wrong giving them a try.