Discontinued · road · Daily / Long run · $125
Earlier generation of the New Balance Fresh Foam 880v12 line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for daily, 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 880 v15.
New Balance tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 35 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 geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. 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 500 miles from the outsole, about $0.25 per mile at $125.
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
289 g / 10.2 oz
14 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
35 mm
1 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$125
35 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~500 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 lower than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Adidas Galaxy 7
319 g / 11.3 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $75
Cushioned entry trainer built on an everyday platform.
Saucony Guide 19
275 g / 9.7 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Center-path stability that feels neutral until you need it.
Saucony Guide 18(2025)
272 g / 9.6 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $145
Center-path stability with a soft, non-intrusive frame.
New Balance Fresh Foam 880 v15(2025)
281 g / 9.9 oz · 40 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $145
The dependable neutral trainer with genuine width options and long outsole life.