By Brian Metzler

Very rarely does a brand new shoe model hit the streets and become an instant hit. But the recently released New Balance Fresh Foam Balos is definitely one of those shoes.

Oftentimes, a brand rolls out a shoe with the best-case scenario of what an original model can be, but it often takes two or three versions to get it there. New shoes are developed for a specific purpose, often to fill a hole in a brand’s lineup or to keep up with what other brands are launching. A shoe design process starts from a corporate brief that includes input from the footwear, innovation, marketing, and accounting teams – among others – and typically (but not always) goes through a multi-year cycle before that shoe is ready to be launched to the public.

I honestly don’t know the full backstory of the Fresh Foam Balos, but I do know it’s built around three very special elements: a new Peba-based midsole foam that’s very resilient and very light; a dramatic rocker shape of the midsole/outsole chassis (meaning, it’s convex and slopes upwardly at the forefoot and heel); and a unique interior booty construction in which a stretchy knit tongue wraps the foot inside the upper. But it’s definitely a situation in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The New Balance Fresh Foam Balos ($200) is a premium everyday trainer that’s a bit pricey compared to most trainers ($140-$160), but it definitely brings something magical to all of the training you’ll do during the week. It’s light, it’s well-cushioned, it’s very lively, and it has an amazing feel for the ground. Plus, it has a stunning aesthetic that makes it stand out among other training shoes. And if you are a runner who believes looking good and feeling good are interconnected, this is a shoe you should consider trying out. But don’t take my word for it: it’s also gotten rave reviews from numerous media outlets and wear-testers since it launched in late summer. 

What’s New: The Fresh Foam Balos is a brand new everyday trainer in the New Balance line that’s built on a lightweight chassis that includes a new, extremely responsive Peba-based Fresh Foam X midsole foam and an outsole that has more exposed EVA than rubber. This shoe features a unique bootie construction that wraps a runner’s foot with stretchy knit tongue, and a supportive and accommodating Creel mesh upper. It doesn’t have a plate embedded in the midsole (carbon-fiber or nylon) but the materials and shape of the shoe make it a very responsive and energetic shoe.

Fit/Feel/Ride: The New Balance Fresh Foam Balos fits true to size with a very spacious interior volume and just enough room in the forefoot for my toes to splay and flex. Although I felt like the shoe had a wide interior, the step-in feel is soft and comfortable, thanks to extra padding around the heel collar, a premium sockliner, and a very stretchy fully gusseted knit tongue that all combine for a wrap-like fit. (Note: I had to really tighten the laces to get the right fit.) What’s most noticeable the moment I laced them up was the rolling sensation of the rocker geometry of the midsole/outsole chassis. It has such a profoundly curvy shape that it rolled from heel to toe at a walking pace and during a jogging gait even before I really started running. Out on a run at any pace, the ride was soft, bouncy and very propulsive. It’s one of those rare shoes that really feels effortless, almost as if it’s doing the work for you. 

Why It’s Great: It’s great because it’s a true do-everything kind of shoe, and it’s a lot of fun to run in. There are many shoes billed as versatile everyday trainers, but this is perhaps the most versatile shoe I’ve wear-tested all year. It has loads of soft, responsive cushioning that’s great on long runs and recovery runs, but it’s also light and bouncy enough to be a speed day shoe for faster interval workouts and tempo runs. There aren’t many shoes that can do all of that so well, but this is one that you could use for everything except for racing. Although if you’re a middle-of-the-pack runner who plans on running a moderate pace for a 10K or a half marathon (like me), then it could be a great choice to lace up at the starting line. (The last original shoe I felt this good about was the initial version of Saucony’s Endorphin Speed trainer, but in saying that, I have to admit the Endorphin Speed 2 wound up being much better after some revisions.)

Specs

Weights: 7.5 oz (women’s 8); 9.2 oz. (men’s 9)

Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 33mm (heel), 27mm (forefoot) 

Why You’ll Love It: You’ll probably love it for the energetic spring it will put in every stride. The Fresh Foam X midsole foam and distinct rocker shape of the midsole/outsole chassis make this a shoe with a propulsive giddy-up-and–go vibe to it. I loved its bounciness for tempo runs and a few spontaneous fartlek runs I did (for example, alternating between 3 mins hard and 3 minutes easy) and I also took it out on the local track for a speed workout of 2 x 800, 2x 400, 2 x 200 and some post-workout strides. Two days later, I wore them for an out-and-back 10-miler on the Boulder Creek Path and was amazed that I averaged about 20 seconds faster per mile than I intended to. 

Pro: I have to admit I think I like it even more because it’s not a max-cushioned shoe. There are a lot of great and very energetic and cushy maximally cushioned training shoes and racing shoes out there, but I love the lower-to-the-ground feeling of this shoe. The 33mm/27mm stack heights really put me in touch with the surface below my feet. This shoe’s strong proprioceptive feel allows it to be more agile and more versatile because it runs well at a variety of paces and also can change gears quickly.

Con: The Fresh Foam Balos has a very wide interior and I felt like my foot was swimming inside the interior bootie, so I found myself really torquing down the laces so I could get a secure fit around my narrow feet. Once I tightened the laces, it felt divine.