Who should buy the New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 ?
This is a shoe for any runner who wants a lightweight, premium-feeling, soft daily trainer for all of those easy day runs. I could see this as race shoe for anyone who is not interested in a carbon-plated shoe and runs a marathon 4 hours or slower or half marathon 2 hours or slower.
Who should not buy the New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 ?
If you need an all-around shoe then this will not help you on those tempo, threshold, or V02max days. It will not feel very comfortable at those faster paces. If you’re looking for a shoe at a lower premium price point then this will not fit your price range.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 Introduction
The New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 is the first iteration of a premium training shoe from New Balance.
It seemingly slots in between the 1080 and the More as a shoe that should be lightweight, bouncy, and soft.
This shoe use PEBA based foam, which is their most premium foam and the only shoe outside of their plated racers to use this foam.
The Balos also uses a rocker technology.
In combination, this shoe aims to deliver a very plush and bouncy ride for your daily miles.
Priced at $199.95, this shoe is more expensive given the lighter materials and premium midsole foam.
The rest of this review will help you determine if the higher cost is worth the premium additions.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 First Impressions
When I first looked in the box, my first visual impression was the unique design and color scheme.
The rocker technology and the way the shoe uses the color on the outside of the midsole to make it looked pronounced gave me a fast impression of the shoe.
It was also very noticeable when I first picked it up and put it on that the shoe was made of very lightweight materials. It felt bouncy right from the get-go without even trying to run.
My first run in these shoes was an easy 7 mile run and this shoe felt great. I could feel the rocker helping me in my transition from heel-to-toe and the bounciness felt like the running was effortless.
My next run was a different story as it was time for some 5k paced intervals. The shoe was not responsive going to those faster paces. It was also difficult to hit those paces because the shoe was too soft. The rocker technology and bounciness of the midsole didn’t help with my faster paces.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 Upper
The construction of the upper on this shoe might be the best part of the shoe. The tongue is very light and is gusseted (attached).
The laces are well constructed and stay together on a single tie for at least 2 hours. The entire upper is breathable and held up well during the tropical heat. I never felt like my foot was overheating.
The toebox on this shoe is pretty roomy and that was nice for the feet especially as the runs got over an hour.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 Sole Unit
The midsole is the feature element of this shoe with the PEBA-based foam. The height in the heel is 42mm and the height at the forefoot is 36mm for 6mm heel drop. The overall stack height is 5mm higher than the 1080.
For my men’s size 9, the weight of the shoe was 8.6 oz, which is more than a half ounce lighter than the 1080.
The rocker technology they use is called Camber Geometry which is marketed to help runners roll smoothly through their stride to make running easier. The rocker technology does do that at the slower paces. As mentioned earlier, the foam is very plush and bouncy.
In comparison to the 1080, this shoe is softer and bouncier. If you can tell the difference between stack heights, this shoe is noticeably higher off the ground.
The traction on the outsole is ok. I actually waited to write this review because there were some rainy days upcoming and I wanted to see how this shoe responded in those conditions. The answer is: not great.
I never felt like I was going to fall or slip but I also never felt comfortable with how my feet were landing. There is not a fully slab of rubber on the outsole, only some strategically placed rubber on the forefoot and heel.
The rest of the shoe is covered by EVA foam. The other issue in the rain is that my shoe got very squeaky during the run. It was a minor annoyance yet something I don’t typically experience with other shoes.
My other critique of the sole unit is that I never felt comfortable taking turns at a regular pace. I always slowed down as the shoe was too soft for me to feel confident that I could turn without falling.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 Conclusions
The New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 is a premium daily trainer that is very lightweight, bouncy, and plush.
It’s a great shoe for all the daily miles.
I struggle overall with this shoe in terms of it’s price point. I’m not completely sold on paying an extra $35 for this shoe over the 1080 especially since it’s not more versatile.
If you want more bounce and greater plush and you think it’s worth more, then go for this shoe. I’m unlikely to believe that those additions are worth it.
