Discontinued · road · Daily / Recovery / Long run · $130
Earlier generation of the New Balance Ellipse v1 line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for daily, recovery, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is New Balance Fresh Foam X Ellipse.
New Balance tuned this midsole very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 37 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 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. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
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 $0.29 per mile at $130.
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
283 g / 10.0 oz
8 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
37 mm
1 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$130
30 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.
On Cloudeclipse(2024)
275 g / 9.7 oz · 37 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $180
On's double-layer max cushion shoe for long, easy, protected miles.
Brooks Glycerin Flex
277 g / 9.8 oz · 36 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Soft, flexible take on the Glycerin for relaxed, unstructured miles.
Hoka Gaviota 6
283 g / 10.0 oz · 39 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $175
Maximal stability: wide J-Frame base with plush, slow cushioning.
Topo Athletic Atmos 2
281 g / 9.9 oz · 40 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170
Max-cushion, pillowy recovery trainer with a roomy forefoot.