Overview
I’m James, a knee, foot, and ankle specialist. Today, we’re going to discuss the New Balance 1080 v13, New Balance’s latest version of the 1080 model. I’ll explain some of the mistakes they made and what the shoe will actually be helpful for.
So, first up, as you can see, it’s got New Balances Fresh Foam X cushioning. It has 38mm at the rearfoot and 32mm at the forefoot, giving you a 6mm drop, so there is a 6mm difference from the back to the front of the shoe. It’s about 262g for a men’s size 9 US and about 206g for a woman’s US 8.
Then, if we begin with the upper, it’s a true-to-size fit, so it fits quite well. I would say it’s a little bit low in the toe box, so it’s not as much height as you might normally find in a New Balance shoe, and you might find it’s a little bit snug as a result.
Otherwise, it has New Balances’ relatively wide toe box, and we found it nice and comfortable.
It has a plush knit on top that gives it a sock-like feel when you slip it on. It’s got a relatively thick cushioned tongue that’s gusseted so it doesn’t move from side to side. It’s got a nice padded heel counter that comes up and over the heel, so there are no issues with slippage, and it locks down nicely when you lace it up for a run.
The main thing we want to discuss is the cushioning, so, first of all, it’s what we classify as a neutral shoe. It does have some stability in terms of having side walls on the medial and lateral aspects of the shoe. Hence, the inner and outer sides try to give that extra stability, but this has to be one of the most cushioned shoes on the market. It is super soft as it’s a new version of fresh foam X cushioning. It’s definitely the softest shoe we’ve ever used!
So, in terms of performance, it’s got a nice aggressive heel bevel, and it has a progressive forefoot rocker, so if you’re a heel-to-toe runner like me, it gives you a nice transition from contact with the heel and then through the push through. You can really feel your big toe as you push through, but because it’s got so much cushion, it’s become a really unstable shoe.
It is a lot more unstable than the previous models, so I’d be quite cautious if you’re a runner who has a history of injuries with Peroneal tendonitis or Posterior tibial tendonitis; all of those stabiliser muscles will have to work extra hard to adapt to the cushioning.
As you move inward, it struggles to resist you, so it will facilitate any movement that you have and potentially even make it more pronounced. Where I think this shoe is beneficial is that it’s probably going to be an excellent daily walker. So if you spend a lot of time standing or if you’re going walking, this is a super comfortable feel, especially from the sock-like feel on the top to the cushion on the bottom. It’s something that I could definitely stand in all day.
I am a little bit cautious about trying to do any faster work on this. If you run in it, it’s definitely for recovery runs, easy runs, and short to middle distances. I wouldn’t try to do anything too fast; if you like a shoe that’s super cushioned, then we look at the fresh form X, but I think New Balance has probably gone a little bit too far with this model even though it is super comfortable super soft and really compliant foam. So, if you have any questions on the shoe, please leave them in the comment section below.
