New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 Review
By Matthew Klein
New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15Price: $149.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 11.8 oz, 335 g (men's size 9), 10.2 oz, 289 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 43 mm heel / 35 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Maximal Moderate Stability Daily Trainer
Pros: Wider fitting, runs lighter than weight, full-length, well-integrated stability, plate creates unique medial wedge design
Cons: Heavy, harsh heel counter, low volume forefoot may cause top of toe blistering
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 is a maximal moderate stability daily training shoe for those who want a medially wedged design with tons of underfoot protection. A wider fit with a lower volume sits up top, working well for those wanting wiggle room and security. A much taller midsole combines two layers of Fresh Foam X split by a medially wedged plate that creates a centered heel and a laterally biased midfoot and forefoot. This makes for a heavy, but moderately bouncy ride that will work best for those that don't mind some extra weight and want a shoe that provides well-integrated, full-length medial stability, particularly for those with varus foot (foot tilts inwards) characteristics. Best for easy miles and walking/standing, the 860 v15 amplifies its wedge design but doubles down on increasing its stack height, bringing another stability shoe up to the clouds.
SIMILAR SHOES: Mizuno Horizon 9
PAST MODEL: New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v14
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 fits me mostly true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The fit is wide but low volume. The synthetic mesh is thicker and runs a little warm. The toe box is mostly rounded but tapers quickly on the medial side. This is partially due to the lower volume as well as the stiffer toe guard, which creates pressure on the top of my first toe. Those sensitive to this may want to consider a half size up, but I had a similar issue in version 14 that didn't create too many problems long term. This opens into a wider but lower volume forefoot that has wiggle room to the side but not up. The midfoot fits a little wider but has a strongly gusseted, thicker tongue that takes up some room. I did have to tighten the laces slightly but did not have to lace lock this shoe.
The heel fits normal in width with a large amount of heel collar padding and an extremely stiff heel counter. The padding sits about the heel with no protection from the counter, which wedges the heel into the shoe. This is great for security but terrible for those with Haglund deformities and heel sensitivities. I had immense pain from this which initially limited my ability to run in this shoe (I ran through it anyway to get this review done). Eventually, I got somewhat used to it (also my Achilles insertion has greatly improved recently) but this will only work for those who want a stiff counter. As mentioned, the security is decent from the gusseting and lower volume. Those with narrow feet will struggle with the wider width of this shoe and those with extremely wide feet do have an extra wide option.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Hoka Gaviota 6, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Saucony Azura, Salomon Aero Glide 3
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Somewhat
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: Not advised
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: High
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 is a heavy daily training shoe. The midsole is moderately soft and bouncier than the prior version, more so in the forefoot than the heel. This occurs due to a softer top layer of Fresh Foam X compared to a bottom layer of firmer Fresh Foam X that the top layer sits into in the heel. The stack height is massive, now truly a maximal shoe in the 43mm range for the heel. Combined with the stiffer plate, this adds up to quite a bit of weight, 12.5 oz or 355 g in my men's size 10. This is a noticeably large shoe and certainly feels like that. Fortunately, the top layer of bouncier foam helps the shoe move a little quicker than the listed weight, but this is still a heavy shoe that can only be used for walking, standing and slower running.
There is an 8mm drop in the 860 v15 and it feels exactly like that. The shoe is decently rockered with a large and steep heel bevel and a longer forefoot rocker. The heel transition is a little clunky initially as the bevel is steep. This does break in but feels better if you land a little farther forward. The forefoot has no flexibility, so those with toe mobility problems will be fine here. There is an early forefoot rocker, so it rolls smoothly off the front. It is a slow roll and not fast, as the plate does not make it snappy but adds structure to the front. The heel cushioning is slightly soft and bouncy and the forefoot is more moderately soft and bouncy thanks to the greater percentage of the top foam layer. The slight to moderate softness initially makes this shoe feel not as stable, but that is because they are so well integrated that they are not obtrusive (but are definitely there).
As a trade-off for the higher weight, the 860 v15 is incredibly durable. I have 40 miles on my pair and there is not even a dent in the outsole rubber. The midsole has not changed at all and has continued to be bouncy with the structure maintained from the plate. The traction is great on both wet and dry road, but I would not take this shoe on trail as the small gap in the heel easily picks up rocks. With the amount of outsole coverage and solid midsole durability, I expect a far greater number of miles out of the 860 v15 compared to similar shoes.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 is a moderate-level stability shoe. It is highly medial stable and will not work for those with lateral stability needs except potentially in the heel. The heel design has the softer foam sit into the bottom layer of firmer foam. However, the medial sidewall is higher and there is more medial sole flare than lateral. The plate, which runs the full length of the midsole, is also medially wedged in the heel as it is throughout the length of the shoe. The medially wedged plate is what gives this shoe most of its medially stable element. However, the firmer bottom layer is also more present on the medial side in the midfoot and forefoot, which adds to this. Your foot will sit in a slightly inverted (bottom pointing inward) position biasing you laterally. This is well-integrated throughout the length of the shoe and as someone who needs this, it feels fantastic. This creates a unique shoe that is more centered in the heel but still provides a full-length medial wedge design for those with varus foot positions in both the heel and midfoot. The angle of that wedge is not high and combined with the softer foam it does not feel like a full motion control shoe. However, those with lateral stability needs will not do well here.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: Outside of the extremely stiff heel counter and high weight, I do like this shoe. The heel counter had killed this shoe for me until my sensitivity went down and for slow recovery miles the weight is less cumbersome. However, in today's age of lighter-weight shoes, I would still like to see New Balance experiment with newer foams and bring the weight down. The stability design is unique and should NOT be moved away from as it is one of the few shoes that offers a medial wedge design. I think softer and lighter foams with a similar contrast could still be used that drop the weight and improve the bounce. The goal of a stability shoe is to facilitate forward gait, which doesn't mean it has to be heavy.
While the security is good, the heel counter is unprotected and harsh. Many people have Haglund deformities and our guide on this is one of our most viewed pages. Adding a little more padding would be helpful on the counter, but then the length needs to be adjusted to make sure this shoe doesn't fit short.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 is for those who want a maximal stack height stability shoe with a medially wedged design due to either varus deformities of the heel or forefoot or those who do not do well with medial posts and want well-integrated support for pronation. The shoe weight is heavier but rockered and those using these for slower miles, walking or standing will do best. The upper will work best for those with wider but lower-volume feet. Those in between sizes may need to experiment with a half size up due to the stiff toe guard and lower volume toe box. The top layer of Fresh Foam X is bouncy and does slightly offset some of the weight but not all of it. This is essentially a Fresh Foam More Stability, so those who want a maximal stability shoe will find one of the tallest ones on the market. For so much shoe and such a unique design, $150 is a great price, particularly with the high durability.
Those with lateral stability or a history of lateral ankle sprains need to watch out, as it will push them more in that direction. Those who need full-length medial stability will find a solid stability option. Due to the massive weight of this shoe, New Balance needs to come out with a super shoe version of the 1500 series to appease the rest of us wanting a lighter, faster stability shoe. I'll keep my hopes up.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B- (Wider but lower volume fit is slightly short. Heel counter is harsh but stiff/secure)
Performance: B- (Heavy shoe with bouncy top layer that rides slightly lighter than massive listed weight)
Stability: A [Moderate Stability] (Unique, full-length medial wedged stability from plate with wide sole and other elements that make this a stable but not motion control type shoe)
Value: A- (The uniqueness, full length stability and high durability are definitely worth it for joggers/walkers that match with it at only $150)
Personal: B- (Love the design but the heel counter kills me. Also wish this was lighter as 12.5 oz is the heaviest shoe I have worn in a while.)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15Price: $149.95 at Running Warehouse
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