In production · road · Daily / Long run · $165
Stability daily trainer using a guidance film instead of a hard post.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
New Balance tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 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. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. 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
303 g / 10.7 oz
28 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
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 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.
On Cloudstratus 3
296 g / 10.4 oz · 37 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $170
Double-layer Cloud pods for long, supported miles.
Topo Athletic Aura 2
301 g / 10.6 oz · 38 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $175
Max-cushion stability trainer using Topo's Y-Frame guidance.
Hoka Constant
285 g / 10.1 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Accessible support trainer with a broad, planted platform.
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v16(2026)
280 g / 9.9 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Dependable neutral trainer with genuine width options.