New Balance 1080v14 Review: The Best Daily Trainer?

The New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 has been a go-to shoe for many runners around the world who choose it for its comfort and reliable performance as a daily trainer. 

But after a few years with variable reviews, has 1080 v14 returned to be the best daily trainer?

What we liked about the New Balance 1080v14

• One of the most comfortable shoes we’ve ever worn
• The shoe feels great at a variety of paces
• Can work for everyone from new runners to experienced marathoners

Things to consider about the New Balance 1080v14

• It’s a lot of shoe with a large amount of foam and not much ground feel
• Will runners who didn’t like previous versions be willing to come back for v14?
• Launch colourways we’ve seen are uninspiring 

ABOUT THE NEW BALANCE 1080v14 & THE STATS 

Positioned as a daily trainer for the road that can do it all, the 1080 v14 is described by New Balance as “the perfect blend of everything a runner is looking for. Cushioning, surprisingly lightweight with a bold and progressive upper.”

It’s intended for all-round use, whether that’s an easy jog around the block, a shoe for gym workouts, something to walk in all day, or a shoe to lace up on marathon day for those favouring comfort over speed. 

The latest version features an updated midsole geometry, a slightly firmer forefoot, more outsole rubber and repositioned for durability, and a new engineered mesh upper with increased breathability 

• Price: £160 / $165
• Weight: 300g/10.4oz Men’s UK8.5 / 235g/8.3oz Women’s UK6
• Stack & Drop: 38mm/32mm (6mm drop)
• Fit: Normal to wide (wide usually available)
• Reviewed by: Sarah and Mark
• Available: October 2024

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Everyone in The Running Channel office who has tried on the 1080 v14 has commented on how comfortable they are from the first step in. 

Sarah: Firmer than the previous version, but in a really good way. It felt a little wobbly and wasn’t a shoe that I wanted to wear all day, but with this shoe it feels like they’ve really got the balance of the stack height, foam and outsole right to create a really lovely shoe that feels comfortable and responsive. 

Mark: I put my feet into a lot of running shoes, and I can tell almost immediately whether I want to run in them or not. As soon as I put the 1080 v14 on I wanted to run straight away! They are definitely firmer than v13, but they are incredibly comfortable and you can feel they’re more bouncy and responsive.

Mark: The fit is true to size and has quite a wide toebox. As for the appearance, I prefer it to the previous versions, though I’d like to see some different colours when the shoe is released. 

Sarah: The only thing that it felt like it was missing was a pull tab at the back of the heel to help pull the shoe on. This is a feature that I’ve had on other daily trainers that I’ve found helps and saves my finger when pulling on the shoe.

COMFORT 

Mark: From my first run in these I knew that I’d be doing a lot of miles in them. They fit well, they laced up easily with a nice thick tongue so I can pull pretty hard on the laces, and I’ve had no issues at all on any runs, which includes a couple of runs over 10 miles. 

Sarah: These felt really nice at faster and slower paces. They don’t give you a boost like a super shoe does, but equally don’t feel too heavy when you’re running fast.

Mark: The weight of the 1080s is about what we expect for a cushioned daily trainer, but as Sarah says, they don’t feel heavy when you run. I think it helps that they have a nice responsive feeling as well as the great comfort. 

Sarah: I struggled to get a really tight fit around the back of my heel. I did a runners knot but still felt like the fit around my heel was quite loose (but I am very paranoid about this at the moment as I have an achilles injury!).

PERFORMANCE

Sarah: It’s a great all rounder shoe, good for runs, walks and even a great gym shoe as it’s a lot more stable underfoot compared to the previous version. It’s not the fastest shoe in the world, but it’s not designed for that. 

Mark: The 1080v14 can do it all and the performance is as good as any other daily trainer I’ve worn. It’s comfortable and supportive, but the foam has a great bounce to it so it doesn’t feel sluggish or mushy. It’s not the first shoe I’d pick for speed work, but I happily run tempos in these. 

Sarah: Whether you’re a beginner looking for one shoe to do it all or a seasoned marathon runner looking for a good daily trainer to help your tired legs, this shoe can do it all. It’s not noticeable in a good way, no fuss it just gets the job done.

Mark: I totally agree with Sarah. I put this shoe on and I just want to run in it and never have to think about my feet. Because of that, I’ve picked it for runs where I’d usually select other shoes, so I’ve done tempo runs and even run on some light trails, where they performed well on light, dry, untechnical paths and gravel roads (the 1080v13s didn’t work on trails at all for me as they were so soft that I felt really unstable in them). 

Mark: The outsole rubber is placed in the high-wearing areas, but it leaves a lot of exposed foam. I’ve run over 50 miles in the shoes so far, and worn them for a lot of walking, and there’s no wear on the foam yet, but it’s something to consider. Also, because it’s quite a big amount of foam, there’s not much ground feel in the shoe, if that’s something you like. 

COMPARISONS

Mark: One of my favourite ever running shoes is the 1080v10 (the one with the weird heel counter that a lot of people didn’t like!). I’ve worn two pairs until they fell apart and must’ve run 1,000 miles in one of those pairs. I didn’t love v11 or v12 (they felt quite unresponsive to me, and I wanted more foam in the forefoot), and v13 is something I only choose for slow recovery runs (but love how comfortable it is). 

Mark: The max-stack New Balance More v5 is softer, heavier and a little less responsive than the 1080v14, making these more versatile overall. I also think they are a better all-round shoe than the New Balance Balos, which might be lighter and more responsive but costs £200, so the 1080v14 feels like better value overall. 

Sarah: The 1080v14 reminds me of a more cushioned version of the HOKA Kawana, or like a Mizuno Wave Rider 26 or PUMA Deviate Nitro 2 in that they’re a cushioned daily trainer that works well as a tempo shoe if needed.

CONCLUSION

Sarah: This is my new daily shoe of choice. Whack it on, know it will work and you don’t have to think about it. Everything a daily shoe should be to make getting out the door even easier.

Mark: This is also my new daily shoe of choice. If I’m going somewhere and I can only take one pair of shoes, then I’m choosing the 1080v14. I think it’s a shoe that can work for a lot of runners, and manages to find that perfect sweet spot of comfort, support, responsiveness and versatility. 

In New Balance’s own words, they say: “If we only made one running shoe, it would be the Fresh Foam X 1080.” If you only want one shoe, then definitely consider a pair of 1080 v14. 

ABOUT THE REVIEWERS

• Sarah: A runner who gives everything a go from a 5k up to an ultramarathon. She trained for the 2024 London marathon using the 1080 v13.
• Mark: A marathoner with wide feet and favours shoes with a high stack and soft cushioning. He’s run in every 1080 since v10.