Shoe:
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v10
Types of runs if applicable:
I used the shoe for recovery runs of many distances, long runs up to about 16 miles, light tempo runs, and fartleks
Your running experience/background:
I started running in the Summer of 2015, ran four seasons each of high school XC and Track while training consistently in between them, and have been part of a competitive distance club since graduating high school. I’ve also been working at a run specialty store for a little over 2.5 years, so I’ve gotten to try many different models on my feet and have ended up with an excess of running shoes.
Current shoe/gear rotation:
Newton Distance 7
Hoka ONE ONE Rincon 2
Skechers GOrun Razor 3 Hyper
Nike Zoom Fly SP
Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next%
Nike Air ZoomX Alphafly Next%
Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2
Nike Epic React Flyknit 2
Nike Air Zoom Streak LT 4
Altra Escalante Racer
Adidas Ultraboost 19
Brooks Ghost 11
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 20
Brooks Launch 5
Brooks Hyperion
Asics Nimbus 20
New Balance FuelCell Prism
New Balance Zante Solas
Saucony Endorphin Speed
Atreyu Voyager
About how much did you run in the product?:
I hit about 542.2 miles according to Strava.
Comments on shoe performance:
I primarily used this shoe for my daily mileage and long runs where it really shined. My legs felt protected throughout the entire run, but never felt like they were sinking into the shoe as it wasn’t excessively soft. Weighing in at 9.5oz in a size 9, the shoe is pretty light for its stack height and felt pretty nimble on foot. At almost 550 miles, the upper was still intact, the midsole still possessed a good level of protection, and most of the outsole wasn’t too worn away. I feel confident I could’ve reached almost 700 miles, but decided against it in order to move on to trying out other shoes. Therefore, durability was definitely on the better side as I usually retire high-cushion models around 500 miles.
Summary:
I can confidently say that the 1080v10 was one of my top three shoes out of what I’ve owned in 2020. Even if I had tested all of the running shoes on the market in 2020, it would very likely stay within my top ten. I would recommend this shoe to anyone looking for a neutral high-cushion trainer that provides a lively bounce. A MSRP of $150 (but currently on sale for $105) is not a bad price given that competing models tend to be around $140-$160. The stellar lifespan and quality do a great job of justifying the price point.
Likes/Dislikes:
The only drawback I found would be the responsive feel begins to fade around 200-250 miles, but this was hardly a major issue considering the shoe still performed like a great high-cushioned trainer up until about 550 miles.
Underfoot feel/experience
A large slab of Fresh Foam X definitely provides much more energy return than a typical shoe in the high-cushion category (From what I’ve heard the Hoka ONE ONE Mach 4 and Asics Nimbus Lite would have midsoles with similar blends of energy return and level of cushion). Most runners would avoid this shoe for track intervals or tempo runs, but it wouldn’t be a bad choice for marathon workouts due to the energy return. Many shoes with bouncier midsoles have a firmer underfoot feel, but the Fresh Foam X managed to feel soft and forgiving. The shoe wasn’t necessarily flexible in any way, but flex grooves prevented it from being as stiff or rigid as some of its high-cushion competitors. With an 8mm drop, the midsole manages to cater to runners who prefer either a high or low offset. I tend to favor shoes in the lower 4-6mm range as they are forgiving enough on the calves without forcing my feet to heel-strike, but 8mm still allowed for a smooth transition. As a neutral runner, I found that the amount of inherent stability provided by the shoe’s relatively high stack height was enough to get my legs through any long run.
Fit:
As far as the length, I went with my typical size which led to a great fit, but maybe negligibly on the longer side. The toe box didn’t seem to be as spacious as some of New Balance’s other models, but definitely provided more than enough room for my somewhat narrow foot. Midfoot lockdown was spectacular with the laces tightened, but wider feet would still feel comfortable (like many New Balance models with many available width options, the 1080 offers a 2E for men and 2A, B, D, and 2E as well). Wider feet would also appreciate the extremely soft and stretchy knit upper which would presumably expand where their feet apply pressure without causing blisters due to its softness and lack of seams. Heel slippage was never an issue once I utilized the runner’s loop (a little trick that I need to take advantage of with most of my shoes) to help gently cradle my narrow ankle within the heel collar.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
The New Balance 1080v10 felt great when first picking it up at the running store and was still going strong over 500 miles later. I’m excited to try out the 1080v11 set to release in February after being so impressed with the v10.