New Balance Fresh Foam Sport Review

8.9
8.9 score
[Editors rating (8.9) + Users rating (5.0)] / 2 = (WalkJogRun) score (8.9)/10


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Editor rating: 8.9 / 10
User's rating: based on 2 user ratings
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Since their beginning, over a hundred years ago, New Balance has been trying to make the feet of their customers happy and comfortable. Here we are decades later and they are still making great quality products that your feet will love. The Fresh Foam Sports shoes are super comfortable, mostly thanks to the Fresh Foam insole that sits on top of an already cushioned EVA foam midsole. You will get a responsive ride that puts a little spring in your step. Runners will love the high energy return they get from these while they are on the go, along with the lightweight design. If you are in the market for a reasonably priced pair of simple looking, yet comfortable, running shoes or simply a pair of casual everyday sneakers, then the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports shoes might right for you.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Affordable price tag
  • Comfortable sock-like fit
  • Responsive ride
  • Lightweight feel
  • Soft foam insole
  • Rubber traction sole
Cons
  • Not enough support
  • Not very breathable
  • Rough mesh uppers

Outsole

The outsole of the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers is made out of a rubber compound to ensure they are going to stay durable and not wear down too quickly. The grippy rubber, along with the patterns that don the bottoms of the shoe, will help ensure you get a decent amount of traction while you are on the run. You will not have to worry about being in the middle of your run or walk and your feet slipping out from underneath you unexpectedly, these are going to be able to hold quite the grip.

These sneakers are more considered to be road running shoes and as such it is recommended that you stick to flat and non-abrasive surfaces such as tracks, paved paths, or treadmills. The soles of these shoes will not be able to offer you the protection you will need to veer off the beaten path so it is best to stick to the recommended terrains. If you are in looking for something to wear when you hit the trails there are better options out there for you.

Midsole

The midsole and included insole might be the two best features about these shoes, according to many customers. The EVA foam midsole is going to give you amazing underfoot cushioning and some additional padding thanks to the Fresh Foam insole. These two things are going to work together to give you the feeling of walking on clouds. Not only are they comfortable but they are going to give you a responsive ride to give you that little spring in your step that runner can appreciate.

As a runner, you want to find a nice pair of shoes that are going to give you a responsive ride, or a high energy return, and that is something that these shoes can offer you. When you are on the go, with each step you take, your feet will sink into the foam cushioning of the midsole and the insole of these sneakers. The foam will quickly bounce back into its original shape and it will help propel you into your next step. This can help you save a little bit of energy that you can use to run faster and/or longer, giving you a slight advantage if you are participating in a race.

One major complaint, however, about the insole of these shoes is that they do not offer any kind of arch support, which can be frustrating. Most customers suggest purchasing an additional insert to give them the extra support that they need.

Upper

The uppers of the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers are made out of a single piece mesh unit to give you a snug and sock-like feel when you are wearing them. There are some synthetic overlays that come up and over your foot to help give you little-added security and support when you are on the go. Unfortunately, the synthetic overlays seem to do more harm than good, as they do offer you some additional support, but they also take away some of the breathability of the shoes

These sneakers feature a lace-up closure that attaches to these overlay. The tongue is sewn into the uppers of the shoes, which does not seem like it would be a huge problem but customers with wide feet have complained because it does not give them any extra wiggle room that they need for a more comfortable fit.

Durability

There are some mixed reviews about the durability of these shoes. Most customers do not seem to have a problem with premature wear and tear. The rubber outsole was made to withstand mile after mile of ground contact and should not wear down any time soon. The midsoles are also fairly durable. They can handle the repeated pounding into the ground that they will experience when you take them out for a run day after day.

The problem with the lifespan of these shoes generally comes from the construction of the uppers. There are a few reviewers who stated that after only a few months the uppers started to rip and tear, making the sneakers unwearable. It can be extremely frustrating to spend your money on these shoes only to have to replace them again so soon.

Style

The New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers offer customers a very simple and basic design, which works for most people. The shoes are functional and that is the important thing, most customers do not require anything overly flashy so these will fit right in. These sneakers are available in both men and women's styles so there are different colors to choose from depending on which you are purchasing. If you are planning on purchasing the women's sneakers you can choose between grey and white; arctic sky; black and white; earth red; or wild indigo and sea salt. Men can choose between black and gum; black and white; grey and gum; navy and gum; or red, white, and gum.

Fit

Choosing the right size shoe is extremely important. You are going to want to make sure that you get something that is going to fit the way the shoe is intended. In the case of the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers, you are going to want them to be snug fitting to get the most out of the comfort and support that is offered. Customers are saying that these seem to run pretty true to size so that is going to take some of the guesswork out of trying to figure out what you will need to order. If you are unsure, however, you can always use the provided size chart to make sure you get what is going to fit you the best.

One thing that customers mentioned is that if you have wide feet these might not be the best option for you. Since the tongue is sewn onto the mesh uppers there is not a whole lot of extra room, making them rather tight on wide feet.

Comfort

A vast majority of customers can agree that these sneakers are super comfortable when they are wearing them. The cushioned EVA foam midsole gives you an amazingly squishy base to stand on, then there is the Fresh Foam insole sitting on top of that to give you just a little bit more padding. Some customers even mentioned that it was almost like walking on clouds when they were wearing the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers. They even have a padded collar to try to give you some additional comfort.

One problem, however, that some customers have mentioned is that the mesh and synthetic materials that make up the uppers can get a bit rough and irritating when they are trying to run in them. There is a fabric lining inside of the shoes to try to keep most of the materials off of your feet but it does not always do a good enough job. It is not a huge problem and can generally be solved by wearing socks, but you should keep this in mind when making your decision on these sneakers.

Overall, when customers were asked to rank the comfort level of these sneakers they almost all stated that they were 'very comfy' and mentioned that they would recommend these shoes to their friends and family.

Support

When you are purchasing a pair of shoes, especially if you are going to be using them to do a lot of running, you are going to want to ensure that you get something that is going to give you adequate support. That being said, the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports shoes will give you some support that you will need, but some customers mentioned that it might not be enough.

These sneakers do feature a one-piece mesh upper and some synthetic overlays to give you a snug and sock-like fit for some extra support. The lace-up closure also helps assist in keeping your shoes in place. The lacing system, however, seems to be where some of the problems lie. Reviewers mentioned that they cannot seem to get a tight enough tie with them to keep them secure enough. Some customers fear that their feet might fall out of their shoes altogether while they are out for a run.

Most customers have no problems with the support of these sneakers and they run in them just fine, but you should note that there are some who believe they might not be the most secure and probably are not the best option for a running shoe.

Breathability

When it comes to a good pair of running shoes you are going to want to make sure that you find something that is going to be well ventilated. It is important to have something that is going to give you a good amount of air flow into the foot chamber to ensure your feet can stay cool and dry while you are on the go, you do not want to feel like your feet are suffocating and/or overheating inside of your shoes.

Even though the uppers of the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers are made out of mesh materials they do not offer you a lot of air flow, mostly due to the synthetic overlays taking up a good part of your foot. Please note that they do feature some airflow and they do an adequate job in keeping you cool, but some customers mentioned that it just did not seem to be enough for their liking and they stated that New Balance could have done better when it came to the ventilation of these shoes.

Weight

Runners will happy to know that the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports shoes are made to be super lightweight. When you are running you want to find a pair of shoes that are as light as possible so you will not have to worry about them holding you back and slowing you down, feeling like you have additional weights attached to your feet. You will not have to worry about that with these sneakers. They weigh in, on average, at 6.8 ounces for a women's size 7 or 8.75 ounces for a men's size 9. When compared to other lightweight running shoes on the market these are just below the average, giving you an added advantage when you are out on the go.

Bottom Line

Overall, customers seem to be pretty satisfied with their purchase of the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers. There are so flaws to them, yes, but that does not stop most runners for coming back for more. There are a few complaints about lack of decent airflow and some premature wear and tear in the uppers, but the good qualities seem to outweigh the bad in this case. They are super lightweight and comfortable. Runners can appreciate the responsive ride they get when taking off in these great shoes. They are a plain and simple look, but that works for a lot of the customers. If you are looking for a decent pair of comfortable running shoes that will not break the bank then you the New Balance Fresh Foam Sports sneakers might be for you.