Discontinued · trail · Trail / Long run · $150
The Hierro's plush trail cruiser before the Vibram era.
Built for trail, long run, at a target pace of 9:30–13:00 /mi on trail.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v10.
New Balance tuned this midsole very soft (5/5 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 calm at 2/5 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 8 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 $0.33 per mile at $150.
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
300 g / 10.6 oz
25 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
38 mm
2 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$150
10 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 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.
Brooks Caldera 8
309 g / 10.9 oz · 39 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Max-cushion ultra trail shoe with a roomy fit for swollen late-race feet.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide 2
302 g / 10.7 oz · 41 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $250
Max-stack ultra racer with a pressure-diffusing relieveSPHERE outsole.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra Dust
315 g / 11.1 oz · 41 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $280
Ultra Glide platform with an integrated gaiter for desert stage races.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Garoe
300 g / 10.6 oz · 36 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $130
Comfortable mid-price trail trainer with a roomy fit.