Which New Balance Shoe Is Right For YOU?

Here at The Running Channel we’ve run hundreds of miles in New Balance’s line-up of shoes in 2024, so we thought we’d pull together our ultimate list so you can figure out which New Balance shoes are right for you.

We’ve put these New Balance shoes into six categories: 

• New Balance Race Day shoes
• New Balance Long Run shoes
• New Balance Support shoes
• New Balance Tempo shoes
• New Balance Daily trainers
• New Balance Trail shoes

ALL ABOUT NEW BALANCE

Founded in Boston in 1906, the company specialised in arch supports for shoes before introducing their first running shoe, the ‘Trackster’, in 1960. Boston was the centre of a running boom in the 1970s, and New Balance sales boomed with it. Today they are one of the largest sportswear brands in the world. 

New Balance running shoes tend to be preferred by runners who like softer foams. The shoes are often wider in the forefoot than other brands, or they offer a wide fit option. There’s certainly a New Balance shoe for every runner out there. 

FRESH FOAM VS FUELCELL

Every running brand has proprietary foam they use in their running shoes. New Balance has two different foams, which creates two extended lines of running shoes: Fresh Foam and Fuelcell. 

Fresh Foam is New Balance’s everyday foam for cushioning and comfort. It was introduced in 2014 and has since been developed into Fresh Foam X, which has more energy return. It’s one of the most comfortable foams, particularly for runners who prefer a softer feeling underfoot. 

Fuelcell is New Balance’s high performance foam, and it was introduced in 2019. Each Fuelcell shoe has a different composition of the foam, but it’s all intended to be lightweight and responsive with high energy return for faster running. 

NEW BALANCE RACE DAY SHOES

Race day shoes, and carbon plate supershoes, are all about helping you perform at your fastest. They’re lighter and faster than your everyday training shoe, but come with a bigger price tag.

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL SUPERCOMP ELITE V4
Price: £260 / $250
Stack Height: 40mm
Drop: 4mm

The fourth version of New Balance’s top race shoe, this is what Sarah wore for the 2024 London Marathon where she ran a new personal best. 

It’s a great choice for marathons and half marathons, where the big stack of Fuelcell, and the carbon plate, will help you towards fast times.

Compared to other supershoes, it’s wider in the forefoot and feels more comfortable than most. Mark tested the shoe and described it as: “A Goldilocks supershoe: it’s not the fastest, not the most exciting, not the lightest, but it’s the best mid-point of all supershoes. It’s very comfortable and very stable.”

But it’s one of the more expensive carbon plate running shoes, and some runners have had issues with the heel rubbing. 

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL SUPERCOMP PACER V2
Price: £180 / $200
Stack Height: 32.8mm
Drop: 8mm

If you prefer a lower-stack supershoe, or are running 10km or less, then the Supercomp Pacer 2 might be the shoe for you. 

Compared to the SC Elite V4 it has the same carbon plate, the same foam (just less of it), and the same nice Fantomfit upper, just it’s lighter for fast runs of shorter distances. 

While this one was specifically designed with US marathoner Emily Sisson, we probably wouldn’t want to run that far in these. For most runners it’ll suit short intervals, so it could be good on the track, or for races up to 10km. It might not be the most versatile shoe overall (something like the Rebel V4 may be a better option there) but if you want a fun and responsive light carbon plate shoe for running quickly, then this could be a great choice for you. 

Elliot tested this and he said: “It had good propulsion compared to other shoes that I wear and also had a fair amount of support through my stride.”

NEW BALANCE LONG RUN SHOES

These are designed for your longer training runs, but also work well for daily runs and some faster efforts. These are the shoes you do your hard training in before slipping on your supershoe for race day. 

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL SUPERCOMP TRAINER V3
Price: £230 / $180
Stack Height: 40mm
Drop: 6mm

This is a ‘super trainer’. That’s a pretty new category of running shoe and these shoes have a lot of responsive foam and also a carbon plate for stability. They are designed for longer runs and for some faster workouts. It’s really comfortable, which is exactly what you want on longer runs.

The Supercomp Trainer V3 is one of James’s favourite shoes and he’s used it for long training runs and also in marathons. “The foam isn’t as light and pop-y as the SC Elite V4 and as such feels a bit more stable, and as a heavier runner it means I can make the most of a carbon plate shoe.” 

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 1080 V14
Price: £160 / $165
Stack Height: 38mm
Drop: 6mm

A lot of the team have tested out the 1080 v14, and it’s something we’re often wearing around the office, which is a sure sign that we love the shoe.

We’ve written a full review of the 1080 v14 here, but it’s one of the most comfortable running shoes we’ve tried and it works for a wide variety of runs thanks to the foam being nice and responsive and bouncy (if you wore the 1080 v13 then you’ll know it’s very comfy, but was a bit squishy and not bouncy – that’s been fixed now). Sarah and James both call it a perfect ‘holiday shoe’ meaning if you can only pack one running shoe, this can be it because you can do easy runs, long runs, faster runs, and just walk around in it all day. 

NEW BALANCE SUPPORT SHOES

Some runners can benefit from shoes with in-built support. Typically that means a little extra structure on the inside of the shoe to help give some control and to stop your foot rolling inwards when you run. 

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X VONGO V6
Price: £150 / $165
Stack Height: 35.5mm
Drop: 6mm

Think of this a little like the (mild) support version of the 1080, so it’s cushioned and comfortable, and then has additional support on the medial side (that’s the inside) and what New Balance call a Stability Plane (that’s some added density in the foam for extra stability). It’s ideal for easy and longer runs. 

Tom has been running in the Vongo and he said: “There seems to be support and cushioning on every part of your foot which I found was really nice as a heavier runner. The medial stability zone came into play as well as my form dropped towards the end of my longer runs, which I found really helped get me to the finish.”

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 860 V14
Price: £140 / $165
Stack Height: 38mm
Drop: 8mm

Think of this as the support version of the 880. It’s got the familiar comfort and reliability of your favourite New Balance shoes, just with a little extra structure and support for those who need it. As a running shoe, it’s best for easy runs, and transitions well into a shoe for general commuting, walking and the gym, so it’s a good allrounder, but might not be the best option for faster runs. 

NEW BALANCE TEMPO SHOES

These are the shoes you slip on when you want to speed up. You can wear these for your intervals, tempos and thresholds because they are designed to be lightweight and responsive to help you run faster. 

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL PROPEL V5
Price: £120 / $120
Stack Height: 37mm
Drop: 6mm

This shoe has a TPU plate which works in a similar way to a carbon plate, but is just a bit more affordable to make it work as a training shoe. It has good comfort for all distances, and good stability which can give you confidence as you run faster. 

And these aren’t just for running fast. Claire tested these and said: “​​It definitely performs well at tempo pace but I’d recommend this shoe for more than just tempo as I got on well with it as an all rounder.” 

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL REBEL V4
Price: £140 / $140
Stack Height: 30mm
Drop: 6mm

Another favourite around The Running Channel office, the Rebel V4 is a shoe which could fit in the daily trainer category as well as with the tempo shoes. It’s lightweight, cushioned and responsive, with great comfort and versatility – you could do everything from easy runs to long runs in these, but they are particularly good for faster runs when you don’t want a carbon plate. The stack height is low compared to other shoes in this feature, but it doesn’t feel low and the Fuelcell foam provides a lot of cushioning. It also has good width in the forefoot. 

Owen was one of the testers of this shoe. He said: “I’ve worn these shoes for faster sessions and easy runs and they’ve felt great during both. The midsole comfort is amazing and the grip is fantastic. ​​Without a doubt the comfiest shoes I’ve ever run in. I could wear these shoes all day!”

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL SUPERCOMP PACER V2
Price: £180 / $200
Stack Height: 32.8mm
Drop: 8mm

We’ve already mentioned this one in the Race Day category, but it’s also a great training shoe for faster runs. Given its low stack, lightweight profile, and the carbon plate, it’s ideal for runners doing track workout (but who don’t want to wear spikes), or doing threshold runs. 

NEW BALANCE DAILY TRAINERS

These are the shoes that you can put on every day for all your easy runs and base mileage. They are designed to be comfortable and durable, and while they aren’t the fastest or the flashiest shoes you’ll buy, they are the most reliable – which is important as these are the ones you’ll wear most often.  

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 1080 V14
Price: £160 / $165
Stack Height: 38mm
Drop: 6mm

We’ve already mentioned these above, but it’s going in again as it’s the ultimate daily trainer from New Balance. Wonderfully comfortable (for running and also for walking), it’s a shoe which you can use for short recovery runs, easy runs, long runs and even some faster tempo runs as the foam has a nice responsive feel to it. We think it’s a great update on the 1080 V13 which was supremely comfortable as a shoe, but felt a bit too squishy and soft when you ran in it. 

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 880 V14
Price: £140 / $140
Stack Height: 31mm
Drop: 8mm

Compared to the 1080, the 880 is a bit smaller, a bit lighter, a bit firmer, but it’s just as reliable and comfortable. It’s a classic daily trainer for runners who prefer a shoe that’s a bit lower to the ground, less cushioned and less bulky. It’s one of those shoes that doesn’t set off fireworks or make you say wow, but you’ll lace them up, go for your run, and won’t think about your shoes at all because you’re comfortable and supported without feeling any issues, and that’s all you really need in a daily trainer.

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X MORE V5
Price: £140 / $155
Stack Height: 43mm
Drop: 4mm

If the 1080 V14 wasn’t cushioned and comfortable enough for you, then you’ll want the More V5. It’s New Balance’s max cushioned shoe, with a chunky 43mm of extra soft Fresh Foam X under your feet. It’s super cushioned and plush, so it’s ideal for your easy runs and recovery runs, and can handle going up to longer distances, but it’s not really a shoe that you want to wear for faster runs as it’s fairly heavy and unresponsive. It doesn’t have as much volume in the forefoot as other New Balance shoes, but there is a wide option. 

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X BALOS
Price: £200 / $200
Stack Height: 33mm
Drop: 6mm

Positioned as a premium daily trainer, the foam in the Balos sits somewhere between Fresh Foam X and Fuelcell, and it’s got the best of both, being really soft and comfortable and also responsive. It’s for runners who prefer a softer shoe, but still want some bounce and to have some ground feel (instead of being high above on 40mm of foam). It’s got a big rocker shape to it, so it rolls you forward when you run, and it’s lightweight so works if you want to push the pace into a tempo. It’s an expensive shoe, so bear that in mind when comparing it with other daily trainers. 

NEW BALANCE TRAIL SHOES

These shoes are all designed to be run on the trails. There’s a variety of shoes from road-to-trail to more speedy trail tempo and max-cushioned trail cruisers. 

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL VENYM
Price: £130 / $140
Stack Height: 31mm
Drop: 6mm

Venym in New Balance’s road-to-trail shoe, and you can think of it like a Rebel for the trails. It’s made with Fuelcell foam, so it’s designed to be light and responsive, rather than protective for longer distances. It’s fairly soft, which some runners may not like on more challenging trails, but on gravel and light trails these are great.

Tom tested these and he said: “There’s an extra bit of oompf in the Fuelcell foam which is really noticeable. The upper feels like a road shoe upper, which is not a bad thing, but I would be wary of the durability of these on the trails. The toe protection at the end is nice to have. If you are using them for a winter parkrun or a gravel trail then they should be fine.”

NEW BALANCE FUELCELL SUPERCOMP TRAIL
Price: £200 / $200
Stack Height: 36.5mm
Drop: 10mm

This is New Balance’s Supercomp for the trails, so it’s their performance line and comes with a carbon plate for extra support (which also doubles as a kind of rock plate). It uses Vibram as the outsole for maximum grip, so you get the traction you want, plus it’s nimble and responsive, giving you a lot of confidence as you run. It’s maybe not the most supported shoe for very technical runs, and isn’t designed for maximum comfort over a very long run, but for short trail races this would be a good choice to consider. 

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X TRAIL MORE V3
Price: £150 / $160
Stack Height: 40mm
Drop: 4mm

Pretty much the opposite of the Supercomp Trail above, these are designed for maximum cushioning and comfort on the trails, and are an extension of New Balance’s More V4 road shoe. They have a big stack, lots of width in the forefoot, a supportive toe bumper, lots of comfort, and have Vibram outsole for grip. They are fairly heavy, and not exactly nimble, so you don’t get much ground feel in them, meaning they may take some getting used to because of the height, but they’re a great option for runners who are on non-technical trails and gravel paths who like a high stack. These are also just nice looking shoes to wear off the trails and around town. 

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X HIERRO V8
Price: £140 / $150
Stack Height: 38mm
Drop: 6mm

Much like the More Trail, the Hierro line has been a big crossover hit for both rural runners and urban folk. It’s a good all-round trail shoe that’s capable and comfortable, with toe protection and Vibram grip.

Jess C tested these shoes and she said: “As someone who prefers running on trails I would say that these are a great hybrid shoe, working well on forest paths and trails, but not so much on very technical terrain. The transition from trail to road feels seamless and you wouldn’t know these were made exclusively for trails. They are extremely comfortable and the upper is flexible and breathable. They are a snug fit so I would advise going up a size if you’re planning on wearing thicker socks.” 

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Do you have a favourite New Balance shoe?

If you want to see Sarah and James chatting through the shoes, then here’s our full video of Which New Balance Shoe Is Right For You?