You might know New Balance as the preeminent source of dad shoes—those chunky, overlay-clad sneakers ubiquitous among lawn mowing, beer drinking guys of a certain age. Yes, New Balance still makes these kicks (and they’re actually back in style), but that’s just a small sliver of this company’s story.
New Balance is a highly respected brand with a long history: The company was founded in 1906 in Boston and originally sold arch supports. Among runners, New Balance has a reputation for creating reliable training shoes with a strong emphasis on comfort. The Fresh Foam X 880 v15, which earned a 2025 Shoe Award, is a great example: It’s a cushioned, stable trainer that works well for a wide swath of runners.
In recent years, the brand has broadened its lineup beyond trusty workhorse shoes with models like the FuelCell SuperComp Elite, a carbon-plated speed shoe designed for racing. Today, New Balance is on the cutting edge—no lawn mower required.
This guide highlights the top pairs in the New Balance stable. The brand makes something for everyone, and there are well-regarded models here to suit all kinds of runners, including supportive trainers, max-cushion sneakers, racing shoes, and even trail shoes. Read on to learn more about the key tech NB uses in its shoes and dive into our favorite pairs below.
Table of Contents
The Best New Balance Shoes for Runners
Best Overall: New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v15 (Men’s/Women’s)
Best for Soft Cushioning: New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v15 (Men’s/Women’s)
Best Trail Shoe: New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v9 (Men’s/Women’s)
Best for Speed Training: New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 (Men’s/Women’s)
Best for Racing: New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5 (Men’s/Women’s)
Best Stability Shoe: New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v14 (Men’s/Women’s)
How We Selected
To write this guide, I talked with a New Balance brand rep and reviewed the company’s lineup to learn more about its latest models and shoe tech. I also combed through Runner’s World reviews of New Balance shoes and consulted with RW Running Reviews Editor Amanda Furrer, who provided testing data on New Balance models included in the Runner’s World wear-test program.
I chose the shoes you see below, making sure to include models that showcase the best New Balance tech and design approaches as well as shoes for different running disciplines.
Full Reviews
The 880 is one of New Balance’s core training shoes, and the v15 is a real standout: RW testers called it a “one shoe that can do it all,” and it earned a 2025 Shoe Award thanks to its versatility and stable ride.
The 880 is a neutral trainer that features an EVA-based Fresh Foam X midsole. New Balance bumped the stack height to over 40mm for v15, giving this shoe even more cushioning (at the cost of increased weight). But as Runner-in-Chief Jeff Dengate notes in his review, the shoe doesn’t feel pillowy soft. Instead, it’s surprisingly stable: The thick midsole takes the sting out of impacts and feels planted underfoot, and combined with the 880’s snug upper, the shoe serves up a comfortable, predictable ride that’s great for everyday training.
The 880 is classic New Balance: a trusty workhorse that’ll keep your feet happy through neighborhood jogs and long runs alike (one tester even liked it for speed workouts). If reliability and comfort are your top priorities for running shoes, you can’t go wrong with this model.
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The plush 1080 gets a major update in its latest iteration. The team has swapped the EVA-based Fresh Foam midsole for Infinion. Comprised of supercritical TPEE and TPU-based, Infinion is more durable and delivers a bouncier ride. This change gives the 1080v15 a sportier edge. Testers who initially said it was too bulky eventually deemed the shoe as their new daily trainer.
“The Infinion Foam tends to hit that balance I look for in a daily trainer—it has some pop in the cushioning without being too soft,” said tester and Director of Content Operations Brian Dalek. “And it lasts a long time. I could easily go for easy weekly long runs in them, but also turn up my speed a little bit with them without feeling like I had too much of a shoe on.”
Tester Nina Rems, who averages 25 miles a week at 7:45 pace, also commented on the responsive ride and how the 1080v15 doubles as everyday running shoe and designated long run trainer.
“I found these sneakers to be like ’running on air’. The springiness of the Infinion foam gave me a bouncy rebound each step,” she said. “I felt energized! I found these to be fantastic daily trainers, a sneaker I will continue to reach for on my long runs. From out of the box, these sneakers felt great, no hot spots to work through, just continued comfort in a not-so-bulky feeling.”
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Pros
- Vibram outsole generates good grip
- Fresh Foam X midsole creates a really comfortable ride
Cons
- Loose fit caused issues on downhill terrain
Key Specs
| Weight | 10.3 oz (M9.5), 8.3 oz (W7) |
| Drop | 4mm |
A popular and award-winning trail shoe, the Hierro continues with the formula that has won it such a loyal following: a soft Fresh Foam X midsole paired with a rugged and grippy Vibram outsole, now upgraded for v9 with deeper lugs for better grip on challenging terrain. Although it lacks a rock plate, the plush midsole does a good job of soaking up shocks and bumps on the trail.
The Hierro v9 features a dual-density Fresh Foam X midsole: a soft top layer cushions impacts and creates a plush underfoot feel, and a firmer lower layer stabilizes the shoe and keeps sharp debris from poking up into your feet. The mesh upper is designed to breathe well, and overlays keep your feet protected from scrapes against rocks and brush. On the bottom, the Vibram outsole now features enlarged 4.5mm lugs for plenty of bite in the dirt.
RW testers gave the Hierro high marks overall, and they especially loved its cushy Fresh Foam X midsole: “For comfort over distance, it’s one of the best I’ve tried,” one tester said.
But a few testers did note a sloppy fit that caused their feet to slide around in the shoe on technical terrain and downhills. That means the Hierro isn’t the best choice for super gnarly trails, but for everyday trail running on light to moderate terrain, its cushioned ride is top-notch.
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Pros
- Even more cushioning than previous version
- Flexible, rocker-shaped sole for smooth strides
Cons
- Not quite as propulsive as a shoe with a carbon-fiber plate
Key Specs
| Weight | 7.5 oz (M9.5), 6.3 oz (W7) |
| Drop | 6mm |
| Heel Stack | 35mm |
New Balance has been steadily tweaking the Rebel over the past couple iterations, and the latest edition offers significantly increased cushioning while still maintaining a feathery weight. This is a great shoe for speed training, although it serves up a comfy overall feel that works well at slower speeds, too.
Like the v4, the Rebel v5 features a blend of PEBA and EVA foams in its FuelCell midsole. The main difference? There’s more of it: The shoe’s stack height grew from 30mm in the v4 up to 35mm in the v5. The sole has a pronounced rocker shape, and despite the relatively tall wedge of cushioning, our testers said the shoe felt firm—but comfy.
“[The Rebel v5] is just a little firmer than other New Balance shoes I’ve run in, but it gets the job done,” said tester Sean O’Connor, who previously tested the cushier FuelCell SuperComp Trainer. Despite the shoe’s firmer platform, O’Connor described the ride as “super comfortable the entire run.”
The Rebel lacks the carbon-fiber plate found in its race-oriented sibling, the SuperComp Elite, so it can’t quite achieve super shoe levels of bounciness from its midsole. Even so, runners say it feels peppy, and its more streamlined sole design makes it very comfortable at a wide range of paces.
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When a brand puts “Elite” in a shoe’s name, you know you’re looking at a speedy pair of sneakers. The FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5 (say that five times fast) is the big kahuna in the NB lineup, and it’s built to power you to a PR on race day. After a major overhaul with the v4, this super shoe showcases additional refinements for v5 that make it even more speed-focused.
First off, the SC Elite went on a diet, shedding over an ounce compared to its predecessor, and the drop doubled. It retains the all-PEBA FuelCell midsole, giving it a well-cushioned underfoot feel, and it now comes with a stiffer carbon-fiber plate to stabilize your foot and help you wring maximum energy return from the foam.
Tester Eileen Cody, who previously tested the Asics Metaspeed and Adidas Adizero Adios Pro shoes, felt the New Balance shoe was more supportively cushioned for half and full marathons compared to the other carbon-plated trainers. She described how the miles felt “effortless” on long runs.
“I honestly forgot it was on my foot,” she said. “I also had no residual aches in my feet after the longer miles which sometimes happens in a carbon-plated shoe.”
The upper features a gusseted tongue for a close wrap around your foot (RW testers said the v4’s ungusseted tongue tended to move around too much) and generous padding at the heel for a comfy fit.
Another tester found the SC Elite to be a capable performer. Although she noted it’s not quite as springy as the Cielo X1, Hoka’s super shoe, she loved the SC Elite’s comfy feel and surprisingly stable ride. Bottom line: When race day comes around, this shoe will help you perform at your best.
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Now on its 14th iteration, the 860 is a trusted workhorse trainer that offers a supportive feel and good cushioning for routine training miles. The latest version was built around a new last and features a revised rocker shape for smooth strides; it also includes a Stability Plane, a thin, stiff EVA-based midsole plate that supports the foot.
The 860 is built with a relatively wide full-contact sole, which gives it some inherent stability. The midsole features two flavors of Fresh Foam X plus the embedded Stability Plane. There’s a denser, harder layer of foam at the bottom, and it works in concert with the rigid Stability Plane to resist overpronation and support the foot. The top layer of the midsole is a softer version of Fresh Foam X that absorbs impact forces for a plush feel.
The result is a planted, predictable ride with good cushioning, and RW testers offered universal praise for it: One tester said the 860’s midsole “makes for near effortless running.” The upper was another highlight for the testing squad. It’s generously padded around the ankle and on the tongue, creating a snug, glove-like fit that keeps the foot secure while running.
With its somewhat heavy build and comfort-oriented midsole design, the 860 isn’t the smartest choice for tempo runs, but testers loved it for general training, and it’s a great pick for those who need some extra support under their feet. As one reviewer put it: “Sometimes, there’s nothing like a shoe design that has stood the test of time.”
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What to Consider
Midsole foams are the main technology that differentiates New Balance shoes. Like other shoe brands, New Balance has entered the foam wars by engineering its own proprietary cushioning foams. There are two key ones to know: Fresh Foam and FuelCell.
New Balance Running Shoes Q&A
Michael is a freelance writer with years of experience covering gear and the outdoors for Runner’s World and other publications; when he’s not writing, he’s usually biking, hiking, and running in the mountains around Los Angeles, where he lives.
Amanda Furrer, Editor, Running Reviews, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.
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