In production · road · Recovery / Long run / Daily · $165
Plush, wide-fitting flagship cushion shoe with a smooth rockered heel.
Built for recovery, long run, daily, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
The midsole is Fresh Foam, tuned very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 38 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.37 per mile at $165.
For the foams and plates New Balance uses across its line, read the New Balance brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
298 g / 10.5 oz
23 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
38 mm
2 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$165
5 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the New Balance line it is heavier than the brand's median (278 g / 9.8 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Brooks Glycerin 23(2025)
303 g / 10.7 oz · 38 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $165
Nitrogen-infused plush max cushion for luxurious easy miles.
On Cloudsurfer Max
292 g / 10.3 oz · 37 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $170
The plushest Cloudsurfer yet — big stack, silky transitions.
Mizuno Wave Sky 9
295 g / 10.4 oz · 44 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $175
Mizuno's plush max-cushion cruiser.
Saucony Triumph 24
280 g / 9.9 oz · 42 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $170
PWRRUN PB plush max cushion with surprising liveliness.