Facts

Terrain: Road
Arch support: Neutral
Use: Jogging
Weight: Men: 294g | Women: 254g
Heel to toe drop: Men: 8mm | Women: 8mm
Pronation: Neutral Pronation
Arch type: High arch
Material: Vegan
Strike Pattern: Midfoot strike
Distance: Daily running | Long distance | Marathon
Heel height: Men: 30mm | Women: 30mm
Forefoot height: Men: 22mm | Women: 22mm
Release date: Dec 2018
Brand: New Balance
Type: Low drop
Width: Men: Narrow, Normal, Wide, X-Wide | Women: Narrow, Normal, Wide, X-Wide
Price: €190
Colorways: Black, White, Purple, Red, Grey, Yellow, Blue
Size
Small True to size Large
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Rankings

A top rated Road running shoe
Top 2% most popular running shoes
It has never been more popular than this November
Better rated than the previous version New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v8

Expert Reviews

Experts are runners, who post reviews at youtube, directly at RunRepeat or at their own websites. Each expert is categorized from level 1 to level 5 based on expertise. See stats on expert reviews and how we calculate scores here.

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90 / 100 based on 17 expert reviews

  • 85 / 100 | Marijke van den Hamer

    New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 - Sleeker, but not yet sleek enough

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    I like maximally cushioned shoes, so I’d been looking forward to trying the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 for a while. It wasn’t the first New Balance shoe I tested, but it was the first Fresh Foam shoe I got to test, and I was curious about it.

    Every big shoe company has its own cushioning material. Nike has Epic React, Adidas has Boost, Asics has its Gel, and New Balance has Fresh Foam.

     

     

    New Balance has made quite a few changes compared to the previous version of this shoe. Obviously, they still used the Fresh Foam in the midsole, but it has been adapted to create a slightly softer ride.

    The outsole and upper have also gotten an update. The New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 is a neutral running shoe which weighs 254 grams and has an 8mm drop. It has a heel height of 30mm and a forefoot height of 22mm.

    Sometimes, a shoe feels light or heavy regardless of the weight of the shoe itself, but more because of the weight distribution throughout the shoe. This shoe feels surprisingly light for the amount of shoe.

     

    Upper

    The upper is made up out of two separate parts. There is the double jacquard mesh on the toe box of the shoe, while the heel counter is made of a much smoother material and has a build in the heel cup.

    New Balance calls it the Ultra Heel with their 3D heel counter to improve the fit and comfort. To be honest, I’m not sure why that makes it special, because I don’t see how you can even have a 2D heel counter.

     

     

    This upper is supposed to be sleeker than the one on the 8th version of this shoe, which had more overlays, but it still seems to me that there are still many of components to this upper and maybe some of those could have been eliminated.

    Especially in the midfoot, there are some overlapping parts on the in- and outside of this shoe. Although it didn’t create any hotspots, I don’t think that much overlapping was really necessary.

    On the inside of the midfoot, there is an extra piece of colored fabric stitched in to provide a splash of color, but it is hardly noticeable through the jacquard mesh.

     

     

    I had some issues with the collar of this shoe. Since there is no padding in the collar and there is only a stitched rim, this would create blisters on my Achilles.

    I first tried to fix that with some band-aids, but after a couple of kilometers, the band-aids wouldn’t stay in place anymore. I tried sports tape instead, which did stay in place and made it easier for me to run in the shoes. I could only run in them if I taped my Achilles before I went out on a run.

     

    Midsole

    Since the midsole of the 1080 v9 is so thick, I was expecting a very plush ride and that I would sink into the midsole a little bit. So, I was quite surprised to find that the Fresh Foam felt different than I had expected.

    It was a lot firmer than I had anticipated. Initially, I couldn’t really feel any difference in firmness throughout the midsole. It just felt firm and not very flexible to me.

    But over time, the midsole softened a bit, and now I can notice that the Fresh Foam is a bit firmer underneath the midfoot than underneath the forefoot and heel. The firmer Fresh Foam underneath the midfoot does help with stability.

     

     

    The midsole has laser cut indentations in the shape of diamonds and hexagons, to fit the same patterns on the heel counter and outsole of the shoe.

    These appear to be there mainly for aesthetic reasons, although New Balance claims that they are based on data. However, what data and their purpose never became clear to me.

    Outsole

    The outsole is made out of blown rubber hexagon shaped lugs and has a pressure map painted on it in different colors. The blown rubber appears to be the same density throughout the entire outsole, but the hexagons are different sizes throughout.

    The outsole has five flex grooves cut out of the rubber to provide flexibility, but they don’t really seem to help much because of the stack height of the 1080 v9.

     

     

    I was surprised to see that the forefoot of the outsole started to wear down after only about 50 kilometers in these shoes. Especially, since I’m a heel striker.

    I have no idea why the wear has started underneath the forefoot instead of the heel. Maybe this shoe changed my gait more than I realized.

     

    Fit

    The 1080 v9 has a wide forefoot, and the toe box is nice and roomy, which is often the case with New Balance running shoes. The sole is even wider than the upper which creates a stable ride.

     

     

    The heel is a bit narrower, which I personally do not mind since I have a bit of a smaller heel. However, the heel of the 1080 v9 is also shallower than I’m used to with other running shoes, which might partially explain the problems I have with the collar of this shoe.

    I wore my normal running shoe size with this shoe, and it fits me just fine.

    Performance

    The 1080 v9 is a nicely cushioned shoe which has a bit of bounce to it. It is not a very fast shoe, but more of a long distance running shoe which you might use for longer training runs or maybe to run a marathon in if you don’t have a racing shoe or just prefer more cushion during your marathon.

     

    Conclusion

    I had my initial doubts about the 1080 v9, and it took me a while to break them in and to fully figure out the best way to run in this shoe. But it has grown on me, and I started to like the Fresh Foam midsole.

    I like the Fresh Foam, but I’m not in love with the upper. I would have definitely liked this shoe better if it would have had a padded collar and a smoother transition between the different upper materials. It will be interesting to see if New Balance changes anything about the upper in version number 10.

     

    This expert has been verified by RunRepeat. Reviews are neutral, unbiased and based on extensive testing.

  • 80 / 100 | Marijke van den Hamer

    First Impressions - New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 V9

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    When the mailman came to deliver the package he commented: “I like these types of packages, nice and light”. And it certainly didn’t weight much. The package contained a pair of the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 V9.

     

     

    This is the second pair of New Balance shoes I get to test. The 1080 is the maximum cushioning model from New Balance.

    And version 9 is supposed to be even softer than version 8. So, when I put these shoes on I was expecting a plush, marshmallow kind of feeling, but the Fresh Foam was surprisingly firm. In that regard it made me think of the Asics Gel Nimbus.

    When you squeeze the fresh foam with your fingers it appears to be softer underneath the forefoot and on the medial side of the heel, but while running I don’t really notice a difference in foam density throughout the midsole.

     

    Upper

    I always wonder why shoe designers decide to make the toe box of a pair of running shoes white. Because you know it is not going to stay white. I do like the ombre effect, but white?

    Really? It’s not the first pair of running shoes I’ve seen this in. The Hoka One One Elevon also has a colorway where the toe box is white.

     

     

    The upper is divided into two parts. The front of the shoe is made out of a double jacquard mesh while the heel counter is made out of a smoother fabric. The heel counter overlaps with the front of the shoe and the two parts are stitched together around the midfoot. I wonder if there wouldn’t have been a way to make a smoother transition between the two materials.

    The second layer of the jacquard mesh consists of two colors. The fabric around the midfoot is the same color purple as some of the other details of this shoe, while the fabric around the toe box is black.

    The purple fabric around the midfoot is also stitched in. Since the holes in the top layer of mesh aren’t that big the purple isn’t that clearly visible, so to me it seems like more unnecessary stitching inside the upper.

    The 3D ultra heel counter is supported by a solid heel cup. The collar of the shoe doesn’t have any padding and the top of the collar has a lining which is stitched on.

    Since there isn’t any padding my Achilles rubs against the lining and it is giving me blisters. So, the only way I can comfortably wear these shoes is by taping my Achilles before I go for a run.

    Midsole and outsole

    The midsole has laser engraved indentations which on the medial side look a bit more like hexagons and on the lateral side look a bit more like a diamond shape.

    New Balance says it is a data-inspired pattern, but their function seems to be merely aesthetic.

     

     

    The same pattern can be found on the outsole. The blown rubber outsole has a data-inspired pressure map depicted in different colors, but once again the function seems to be esthetic, the rubber appears to be the same throughout the outsole.

    The different colours were painted onto the rubber and the lines between the colors are a bit sloppy. Sometimes there’s even staining for one color onto the next. Surprisingly the flex grooves on the outsole weren’t incorporated into the design of the outsole, but first, the full-length rubber outsole was created and painted after which the flex grooves were cut out.

     

    Conclusion

    It took quite some time for me to break these shoes in. In the beginning, I found the Fresh Foam to be pretty stiff and not as soft as I had expected.

    It felt like I had to work quite hard to run in these shoes in the beginning. But after about 20 kilometers the Fresh Foam became softer and I started to like this shoe.

    This expert has been verified by RunRepeat. Reviews are neutral, unbiased and based on extensive testing.

  • 94 / 100 | Believe in the Run | | Level 5 expert

    Overall, this runs a lot smoother through the transition.

  • 90 / 100 | Sportitude | | Level 3 expert

    However, how it’s designed feels light, really responsive and quite whippy on the foot. I tip my hat to New Balance and their engineering department and what they’ve done with this v9.

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  • The New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 has been modified from the upper to the outsole. The enhancements aim to provide runners with a more comfortable and satisfying performance, mile after mile.
  • Designed for neutral runners, the 9th version of the New Balance 1080 features a new midsole design. This version is still using the Fresh Foam midsole material, but it has been tweaked for a softer and comfortable underfoot cushioning.
  • The upper of the shoe also features an all-new design. It uses an engineered mesh on the forefoot and a Lycra fabric covers the heel area. These upper materials aim to provide a breathable and comfortable foot wrap.
  • A completely redesigned outer sole can also be seen on the 1080 v9. It uses the same blown rubber material, but with a different flex groove design and tread pattern. The outsole is specifically designed to deliver reliable traction and durability without affecting flexibility.
  • The 9th iteration of the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 also has a shallower heel counter as compared to its predecessor.

When it comes to sizing, the New Balance 1080 runs true to size. The shoe has a medium fit in the forefoot and midfoot. The heel counter is shallow but it holds and secures the foot comfortably. This road running shoe is available in D - Medium, EE - Wide, and 4E - Extra wide with options for men and the women’s version is available in 2A – Narrow, B – Medium, and D – Wide, EE - Extra Wide options.

The outsole of the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 has been modified. It uses the same material, but the flex grooves were lightly redesigned for durability and flexibility.

The blown rubber material covers the entire outsole of the Fresh Foam 1080 v9. It gives added cushioning and responsiveness while delivering protection against abrasion.

The flex grooves are strategically placed in the forefoot for more flexibility. The grooves help the foot achieved a smoother transition; they flex effortlessly as the foot bends while running.

The same as the 8th version, the latest New Balance 1080 makes use of the notable Fresh Foam midsole cushioning. This innovative technology has been used Fresh Foam Zante v4 and in several New Balance running shoes and sneakers for plush underfoot protection.

The full-length Fresh Foam material is designed for luxurious cushioning. It provides reliable foot protection since it disperses landing impact, giving runners a smooth, plush ride. The Fresh Foam has a light construction and is meant to deliver consistent cushioning for long-distance runs.

The midsole foam performs better together with the laser engravings. These engravings are designed for enhanced comfort and flexibility.

The premium Ortholite® insole gives added cushioning while providing arch support. The insole foam is removable and can be replaced with custom orthotics.

A double jacquard mesh covers the majority of the upper, and on the heel is a Lycra-like material. These materials aim to deliver unmatched breathability and comfort. The mesh is flexible enough to wrap the foot without feeling tight and it has enough perforations for ventilation.

The upper of the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 has a no-sew design with a cleatie construction. It provides runners with a smooth, irritation-free environment.

The shoe features a traditional lace-up closure which aims to hold the foot securely while running.

It also has a plush tongue and collar for added comfort and secure foot lockdown.

New Balance has been using a unique “number” system in their shoe names for decades already. Some New Balance fans are aware of what the numbers of the shoe names mean, but for a  beginner, the numbers might be confusing.

Here’s what 1080 means:

10 (the “hundreds” number) - It indicates the level of features or “premium” of the shoe model. 10, in the case of the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080, means mid-features. While it is also used to determine the price level of the model, the number is also an indicator of the features. Compared to the models with number 8, such as the New Balance 890, the Fresh Foam 1080 is more expensive and runners can expect mid-range features. As runners move higher to number 12, like the New Balance 1260 model, runners can expect a higher level of performance and of course, a more expensive price tag.

80 (last two digits) - The two digits determine the level of cushioning. For this particular model, 80 means neutral cushioning. The number 40 means optimal control, 60 means stability, 70 means light stability, and 90 means speed.

The New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 is a road running shoe designed for neutral runners. Here’s how the shoe performs compared to other neutral running shoes.

New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v8

With enhancements on the midsole section, the 9th version of the New Balance Fresh Foam feels softer than the older version. Others may find it too soft, but it gained the approval of the majority. The midsole offers long-lasting and consistent cushioning through miles and miles of running.

Impressively, the latest iteration is as comfortable and breathable as the 8th version. It offers the foot a smoother in-shoe feel. It is also durable, feels secure, and provides enough amount of traction on varied surfaces.

The overall performance of the 1080 v9 is satisfying and the look of this running shoe is indeed a bonus.

Nike Revolution 4

The Nike Revolution 4 is a versatile road running shoe with a street-ready design. It is more affordable compared to the Fresh Foam 1080 v9 but it offers the same level of cushioning; it is soft, responsive and flexible.

The shoe is much lighter than this New Balance shoe, but not as durable. It also offers impressive comfort and breathability, just like the 1080 v9.

When it comes to the overall performance, the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9 is more reliable. But, if you are looking for a cheap running shoe, then you should consider the Nike Revolution 4.

The shoe is available in a wide variety of colors; runners can easily find the color that suits well their preferences and personality.

Adidas Ultra Boost

The Ultra Boost is one of the popular running shoes from Adidas. The shoe features the notable Boost technology, which is designed to give runners responsive cushioning. This lightweight midsole cushioning provides better shock absorption, resulting in a more bouncy, smoother ride.  

Compared to the Fresh Foam 1080 v9, the Adidas Ultra Boost is more expensive because it is also considered as one of the premium shoes from Adidas.

When it comes to performance, the Ultra Boost offers luxurious cushioning that is bouncy and consistent. It is truly comparable to the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v9. The outsole grip and durability of this Adidas running shoe is also impressive.

In terms of overall looks and comfort, the Adidas Ultra Boost won't disappoint. Overall, this road shoe offers value for money.

Asics Gel Kayano 25

The Asics Gel Kayano 25 is a premium running shoe. The Kayano model is one of the iconic running shoes from Asics. On its 25th anniversary, Asics has released a revolutionized version of the model, packed with reliable technologies, from top to bottom.

Performance-wise, the Kayano 25 is superb. The cushioning is not too firm; it is bouncy and shields the foot comfortably. The addition of the new midsole foams makes the Kayano 25 better than its predecessor.

The shoe also delivers reliable grip and outsole durability on varied paved surfaces. It is more durable than the New Balance 1080 v9.

The Asics Gel Kayano 25 is an expensive running shoe, but it gathered positive feedback from beginners and professional runners. Positive comments surround the shoe’s cushioning, durability, fit and comfort.

Since the shoe has a visually-appealing design, some users are happy to wear it on the street or during workout sessions.

Comparison