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As a serial runner and walker with way too many shoes in her closet, I've become selective about which models are allowed to join my lineup. They must have the following criteria to pass my test: extreme comfort, wide width, and a slick lewk. I wasn't always a sneaker snob, but as someone who has tested hundreds of pairs of kicks over the years, it's hard not to be a bit exclusive. But, recently, a particular walking shoe passed the pledging process: the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14.
For a bit of back story, Fresh Foam is New Balance's signature foam cushioning technology, first introduced in 2013 and featured in the midfoot of the series for superior comfort. Besides the 1080, it's featured in the 880, 680, 860, and Arishi models, to name a few. It's made of EVA foam, a common material used in popular running shoe brands such as Hoka (peep our best Hoka walking shoes). It feels like there's a mattress beneath my feet upon each step. The plushness, epic squish, and bounce are massage-like, and everyone deserves to feel it around the clock.
As a New Balance wearer since grade school, I knew these needed to grace my feet immediately once I laid my eyes on them. After wearing them for about six months during plenty of half-marathon-long walks, I have extensive thoughts on how they slay the shoe game and could make a great addition to your sneaker club.
SHOP THE NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 1080v14
It takes a lot for me to wear a shoe consecutively, but once I laced these up, I never turned back. The god-tier cushioning and footbed saved my feet during a two-month-long foot injury that took me out of running. My feet stay highly supported in all the right spots, including under the arch, heel, and forefoot. I especially had pain during toe-offs and after landings, but the Fresh Foam helped minimize the pain. I walked about 100 miles in these shoes, and they delivered nothing but stellar results.
It feels like walking on bubble wrap, minus the popping. The foam is resilient with supreme bounce, which isn't surprising since these are technically running shoes -- yes, running shoes can work for walking. Whether you're fast walking or running, these are optimal for gaining speed and giving you extra oomph when stomping around town. These are slightly heavier compared to other walking kicks I own, clocking in at 10.5 ounces. But, it doesn't reflect my experience -- these feel super light as a feather!
The heel-to-toe drop (height difference from the heel to the forefoot) is six millimeters, which distributes impact evenly across the joints. It may be too low if you have severe plantar fasciitis, flat feet, or overpronation (collapsing arches), but I think they're ideal for moderate arch pain and forefoot pain.
SHOP THE NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 1080v14
New Balance has always been great with its inclusive size range of narrow, standard, wide, and extra-wide fits available to accommodate all feet. I wear the wide fit, and my feet don't rub against the sides of the toe box (my worst nightmare). This is especially important since toes splay upon landings and feet swell throughout the day. And if your size isn't available, my hack is to go up a half size in the standard fit.
These shoes cup my heels and conform to my feet while keeping my stride straight. The cushioning may be thick, but the midsole is semi-firm, which I find helps maintain balance. Too plush a shoe can sometimes cause your feet to rock around, so I deem this a key highlight. They're labeled as having neutral support, meaning they do their best to help accentuate your natural walking motion. I have high arches and haven't had any issues when walking. There are no extra frills for preventing overpronation in walkers with flat feet, so if you need extra support, you should look into a shoe with stabilizing features.
SHOP THE NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM X 1080v14
The New Balance Fresh Foam x 1080v14 deserves a spot in everyone's shoe rotation. It's a high-quality shoe that can be used for different purposes -- walking, running, or cross-training. Not to be dramatic, but I credit these with helping me get back on my feet (literally). The cost is steep at almost $170, but you can't put a price on comfort and versatility.