In production · road · Long run / Daily / Tempo · $180
Enormous plated trainer that turns easy long runs into a bouncy ride.
Built for long run, daily, tempo, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is FuelCell, tuned very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. At 41 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 snappy at 4/5 responsiveness.
A full-length carbon plate stiffens the forefoot and works with the foam as a lever: it smooths the transition off the toes and cuts the effort of holding fast paces. It also asks for speed — at easy paces a carbon plate feels stiff and does little for you, and it is the main reason super-shoes wear out sooner than trainers.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. 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 standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.45 per mile at $180.
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
278 g / 9.8 oz
3 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
41 mm
5 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$180
20 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the New Balance line it is lighter 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.
Hoka Bondi X 2
290 g / 10.2 oz · 44 mm · 5 mm drop · Carbon · $225
Carbon-plated max cushion — a rolling, protective long-run cruiser.
Hoka Skyward X 2
281 g / 9.9 oz · 44 mm · 5 mm drop · Carbon · $230
Hoka Skyward X 2: 44 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 286 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Saucony Endorphin Trainer
286 g / 10.1 oz · 42 mm · 8 mm drop · Carbon · $220
Saucony Endorphin Trainer: 42 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 285 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Saucony Kinvara Pro
269 g / 9.5 oz · 42 mm · 8 mm drop · Carbon · $180
A tall, plated long-run shoe carrying the Kinvara name into the super-trainer era.