Discontinued · road · Recovery / Long run · $150
Max-stack cruiser — the softest easy-day shoe NB had made.
Built for recovery, long run, at a target pace of 9:30–12:30 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6.
New Balance tuned this midsole very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. At 44 mm of heel stack this sits in max-cushion territory; legs stay fresher on long efforts, but the platform is tall. 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 low 4 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. 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
295 g / 10.4 oz
20 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
44 mm
8 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower 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.
New Balance Fresh Foam More v5(2024)
303 g / 10.7 oz · 43 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $165
Max-stack, wide-platform cruiser for the softest possible easy miles.
Hoka Bondi 9(2024)
297 g / 10.5 oz · 43 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170
Maximum foam under everything. Recovery-day armchair with a wide platform.
Hoka Bondi 10(2026)
305 g / 10.8 oz · 43 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $175
Maximum cushion, maximum forgiveness — the recovery-day default.
New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6
306 g / 10.8 oz · 44 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $165
Maximal Fresh Foam slab for the softest easy days.