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New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v14 Review: a new and any runner type friendly take on support
May 23, 2024
In the video I review the 860 v14 with 00:00 Introductions, 01:41 Ride and Fit, 06:45 5 Comparisons and 13:45 Conclusions
Samples were provided at no charge for testing purposes with no additional compensation. The opinions herein are entirely the author's
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Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Hello everybody. We're going to take a look at the 860 V14, a light or moderate stability shoe
0:06
It sees some really big changes. It's still fresh foam X, but we have softer underfoot, a bit firmer below, and on the medial side
0:14
It also sees the innovative stability plane, a hardened EVA plate, which is longer on the medial side than on the lateral side
0:23
So we have no posts here at all. It sits on a relatively broad 90 millimeter heel, 80 millimeter midfurt
0:30
110 millimeter 4 foot, and the weight should be approximately 10.45 ounces, 296 grams in my US9
0:38
which is a slight drop in weight from the predecessor, while we gained 4 millimeters of stack height
0:45
in the front, 2 millimeters at the heel. So we're now an 8 millimeter drop instead of a 10 millimeter
0:52
drop and the full stack height, 35.5 millimeters heel, 27.5 millimeters forefoot
0:59
Okay, so if you're somebody who typically runs neutral shoes, do not tune out because this 860 V14 for me as a neutral type shoe runner is excellent
1:12
One of the best kind of slightly stabilized shoes I've ever experienced with no sensation of kind of overdone and support at the arch, yet it's plenty stable
1:23
After I share some impressions from the run, we're going to get into some comparisons. the New Balance 880 v14, the 880 V13, Sokeney's Ride 17, and the A6 Gel-Kayano 30
1:39
Okay, let's talk about the ride from the run here. Going about 950 pace, getting over a back problem, and the stability here without ever, ever
1:50
overdoing it is just about right. So what we've got is a lot of actual energy from fresh foam
1:59
Usually I've found fresh foam either too firm or too soft. And I'm attributing that to our stability plane plate
2:08
which gives us some oomph off the front, yet the cushioning is very deep all over
2:16
So while this isn't the light issue, it's feeling so far like a real
2:22
solid daily training option. Haven't brought them up to pace. I think they'll do just fine
2:32
But combining somewhat soft foam, not a soft 1080, not as firm as the 880 V14
2:40
you get a really fine combination. Okay, let's talk about the fit of our 860V14
2:47
It's a true to size fit with lots of room, really, in the toe box because mainly the slight stretch of our knit upper. There you can see the
3:00
towbox room just about right. The laces go through real smoothly. You can tighten it down
3:06
quite a ways as I have given my narrower foot without any bite. The real action here though
3:13
I think in terms of what makes the upper really good despite the kind of stretchy knit in front
3:20
is the rear construction. You can see that darker blue, the collar is much more
3:26
stiffer, not bothersome, but stiffer. So it really locks down the rear of the foot
3:32
Relatively comfortable as well, decently, very comfortable actually without being over plush
3:40
And of course, the fit is helped by the support of the ride. In other words
3:47
if you have a sloppy upper, even on a firm midsule, you're going to move around
3:54
And here we have a great upper on a stable but not overdone midsole The red line as before is that thin EVA plate I call it a plate that extends from the heel all the way forward on the medial side
4:11
Plus, you have the vertical sidewalls pretty common in a stability shoe or support shoe
4:17
And then on the other side, you have less, less of a length of plate
4:23
just enough to keep the landing from being mushy, because this is relatively soft foam and that foam being soft, unlike the 1080, a little firm in the
4:34
1080, a little softer than the 880, most recent versions. That plate keeps things from compressing
4:42
too much. If you're a neutral runner, zero, really zero notice of any overdone arch. There's no post here
4:51
It really runs as a medial shoe, as a neutral shoe as well as a stability
4:58
I don't really need stability. So others will have to comment on that
5:02
But I think it's a great sort of all-around compromise. A bit of support from the plate, not too much
5:12
I'm going to keep on here. So, while not the lightest of shoes, what you really notice off the front is a comment
5:21
combination of soft foam and a kick, if you will, from the plate or the stability plane
5:31
And at the heel, you tend to heel strike, slower paces. As I do, you get a quick kick forward to transition, even though platform is pretty wide
5:42
80 millimeters at midfoot, 90 millimeters at the heel. So you've got a really nice combination here of
5:51
forgiving cushion and some kick without the plate being over, over, aggressive or stiff
5:58
because this is a flexible shoe. So that makes it, I think, a really fine daily trainer of the more moderate pace variety
6:11
Certainly, I think, would be a really good long run shoe if you want some support underfoot
6:18
and a comfortable upper with some room. Also, I think, great beginner's choice
6:25
If you're confused about pro-nation versus non-pronation control, and I think a lot of times pro-nation shoes are over-prescribed
6:38
this is a good option that should cover both bases, if you will
6:42
Comparisons, the 880 v-14, the 1080 v-13, Sokhanes Ride 17 and the Cayano 30
6:51
So the 880 v14, the latest edition. So it is lower stack height
6:58
3022. Also an 8mm drop. It's a single foam, whereas before the 880s had a dual foam setup
7:07
The fresh foam here is a bit firmer than or about the same really as the firmer foam in
7:17
in our 860. It is considerably lighter. 8.75 ounces, 248 grams in the US 9. It has a more
7:30
I would say, performance snugger fitting upper, a little bit less relaxed, a little bit more
7:36
locked down. It leans more up-tempo. It's plenty stable. It's called out as a neutral shoe
7:43
but I would say it's a plenty stable neutral shoe due to its firm foam, relatively broad platform
7:50
It's also stiffer than our 860 as you can see here, so it's a bit snappier
7:57
So this is your up flavor in the family of Fresh Foam X Mongo V6 is New Balance other stability option with Fresh Foam X
8:10
It features a full stability plane plate that's equal on both sides of the shoe
8:16
and has two millimeters more four foot stack height. The 1080 V13 from New Balance, and this is definitely a neutral shoe
8:28
It has foam that is even softer, I think, than the top layer of foam here in our 860
8:37
It is a single density of foam. This is a very soft, neutral shoe
8:43
I didn't get along too well with it. It was a half-size-up from my normal in a women's actually, so a B-Wit
8:52
and the upper just didn't hold me nearly as well as the 860 did
8:56
and the ride was really only suitable for very easy runs, just way too soft for me
9:04
It is lighter by almost a little more than an ounce, which is interesting
9:12
But of course, it doesn't have the dual density foam or the plate, which adds weight, the glue, and so on and so forth
9:20
And I think the upper is lighter as well. It comes in at 9.28 ounces, 263 grams in the US 9 versus about 10, let's see, 10.5 ounces for our 860
9:37
I'll pick the 860 any day. The Sockney Guide 17 is what I call a pure inherent stability shoe
9:47
It's a single foam, a little bit similar, I guess, to what we have in our firmerly
9:53
layer. It gets its stability from its sheer platform width and also the geometry here on the
10:02
medial side. It is considerably broader on the ground at 105 heel, 85 midfoot, 124 foot. So that is
10:14
15 millimeters wider at the heel, 5 millimeters wider at the midfoot, and it, I'm
10:23
10 millimeters wider at the forefoot. So this is a super wide shoe
10:30
I kind of prefer our 860 here. It's a little more agile feeling
10:37
The plate adds into the mix. The upper on the guide is similar in being a broad fit
10:44
It is even somewhat roomier than the 860. This is a shoe, I think, for broader feet no matter what
10:51
in terms of its flex. It's quite flexible. Not quite maybe not quite as flexible as 860
11:00
It's also $140. And it's a good choice, especially if you want a broader platform
11:09
and a lot, a lot of kind of looser fitting room, even though the hold is really quite good
11:16
Finally, the A6 gel Cayano 30, another purely inherently stable shoe in a huge change from prior Cayanoes
11:28
which used various elements, if you will, to achieve stability and turn plastic side pieces
11:36
Here, they use a, it's a foam, actually. It's not really any firm
11:42
It's actually softer maybe than the main mid-year. sole foam to allow you to roll forward. And you need to be able to roll in this shoe because
11:52
what we have is a much higher stack height here of 40 millimeter heel, 30 millimeter forefoot
11:58
So that means we are let me look here four and a half millimeters higher than our 860 at the heel and two and a half millimeters at the forefoot So it a 10 millimeter drop versus an eight for our 8 60 What really distinguishes
12:21
it is the breadth of the platform here. We've got 10 millimeters more width at heel, midfoot
12:31
and four foot than our new balance. So this is a very broad platform
12:38
It's a little bit lumbering, even though it isn't particularly heavy. It's got the flight foam blast plus foam
12:48
It's not as flexible due to that extra stack height. You can see
12:55
It does have more cushioning, no question about it. And in some ways you could say the cushioning is a bit more
13:01
more consistent because it's really all a single foam. In terms of its upper, it's really just a more polished upper, I think, than the 860
13:10
The front is as roomy, but it's a little better held. You can see the toe bumper is substantial
13:18
Lace up is really nice. It does cost $20 more. So this is the shoe if you want quite a bit more, if you want quite a bit of stability and you
13:30
want a super broad platform. I wouldn't call it as much fun to run as our eight as as as the eight 60
13:38
but it's a very solid option. A few final conclusions for our eight 60 v14. It's my favorite
13:48
fresh foam shoe to date. They've either been too firm or too soft here by taking two
13:55
two types of firmness or density of foam, softer here on the kind of upper layer that comes down
14:03
on the lateral side and firmer going around and giving you the support without being ridiculously
14:11
firm like a post, adding in the EVA stability plane, essentially a plate that's asymmetrical
14:19
longer, more extensive on the medial side for a touch of guidance support as you need it and shorter
14:27
on the lateral side for the landing with more softer foam. You get a really good combination here
14:34
for a daily trainer that kind of bridges the gap between neutral and stability. I personally
14:41
as I said earlier, can't stand posts and rails and all that kind of stuff kind of getting in
14:46
the way at the arch, on the medial side, there is absolutely none of that here. So it runs very
14:53
much like a neutral shoe, and if you do need that stability, it's there. So in an age where posts
15:00
and rails and more overt stability is going away, this bridge is kind of a nice gap, makes the shoe
15:07
flexible enough, lively enough to be a really solid daily trainer. If there's one knock on the shoe
15:14
I would say it's weight, which at 10.5 ounces, US9 is kind of up there
15:23
I wish this shoe was under 10, but at 140, it's a very solid value, a very versatile trainer
15:32
A great choice for beginners who can't figure out if, or don't really know if they need how much pro-nation support or if they're neutral
15:41
They won't get in trouble here either way. So it's good for that
15:46
And it's good as a all-around, very pleasant riding, all-around daily trainer
15:51
Thank you very much for watching. We're going to have our full multi-tester review of the New Balance 860V14 real soon over on roadtrail run.com
16:02
The shoe was provided at no cost by New Balance for this review. Have a great run
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