Still the softest in class?
New Balance's signature shoe returns with an updated version: the Fresh Foam X 1080 v14.
The New Balance 1080 has been one of the go-to high-cushioned running shoes for the better part of a decade; the v13 was one of the softest to date, but what should you expect from the brand-new v14?
Testing the new 1080 came at an ideal time for me. I’m racking up the kilometres training for the Valencia Marathon on December 1st, and this shoe proved to be a great tool that I’ll be using more going forward. Let’s dive right into the specs and design characteristics of the new 1080 v14.
Specs & Design
The new 1080 has the exact same stack height and drop as the previous v13. It’s quite a tall shoe—38 millimeters in the heel and 32 millimeters in the toe box, giving it a 6-millimeter drop. The midsole is still made from New Balance’s Fresh Foam X, which is the foam they use in most of their high-end, non-plated options. However, they’ve firmed it up pretty significantly this time around. The rocker has also gotten a little bit steeper in the forefoot, which, combined with the firmer foam, makes the shoe feel noticeably more aggressive.
Interestingly enough, the v14 actually weighs slightly more—280 grams in a size 9 US, while the v13 came in at 265 grams. That shoe was extremely light for this style of runner, so while the increase is noticeable, the v14 is still very much among the lightest shoes in its category.
New Balance has also opted for thicker, longer rubber strips on the shoe’s outsole, and because rubber is stiffer than foam, this also adds to the shoe’s overall firmer feel.
The more “aggressive” theme continues into the upper. The v13’s upper was made from a minimalist mesh weave that had very little in terms of reinforcement. The v14’s upper is woven to be denser where it connects into the outsole and through the middle of the toe box to prevent any potential overstretching. It’s still very comfortable though—in the areas you do want compliance, it’s stretchy, so it will accommodate a wide variety of foot shapes right out of the box.
Fit & Comfort
While the 1080 v13 had a very comfortable upper, the actual cut of the shoe was a little bit narrower than usual. They’ve widened up the toe box on the v14, which works well with that more structured upper and should work for most people with standard-width feet. It’s a classic New Balance shape with ample width in the toe box and a nice, locked-in sensation throughout the midfoot and heel. Of course, if you have narrow or wide feet, the 1080 comes in a variety of widths.
In terms of comfort, it’s as you would expect from a neutral, high-cushioned shoe—comfort is king. The upper is extremely soft and wraps around the foot with zero pressure points, and the midsole is so plush—it feels like you’re standing on a pillow. I can confidently say that the 1080 v14 is still an industry-leading shoe if you enjoy that sensation of walking on clouds.
With that said, I am happy that they decided to firm it up a little bit because the v13 was almost too soft to the point where it felt mushy. This feels that little bit more responsive without being firm in any way.
Cushioning & Ride
The purpose of a neutral, cushioned runner like the 1080 is to provide a very plush ride that softens up your contact with the ground. You may not feel like you need it at first, but that cushioning becomes more important as you stack up the kilometers because, as you fatigue, the softer impact relieves stress on your joints and muscles.
The 1080 v14 has a very forgiving feel to it, but thanks to those more aggressive design characteristics, it also has a more responsive kick than the v13 did. It’s not a springy feel like you would expect with something plated, but it does push back against you a little bit more. This makes the shoe respond better to changes in pace, which overly soft shoes aren’t known for being great at.
I ran a negative split 10k in this 1080, and when I upped the tempo around that 5-kilometer mark, I didn’t feel like the shoe was resisting that faster pace too much. In the v13, I would get quite lost in the cushioning and felt like the shoe was holding me back.
Of course, that sensation isn’t fully gone here. It’s still an extremely plush shoe all things considered, and there were times I didn’t like how much I was sinking into the cushioning. It’s more wobbly than average—that’s what you get when you combine this stack height with this much softness—but this is still the area it has improved the most compared to the v13.
I ran about 50 kilometers in this shoe and had a great time figuring out its pacing and terrain sweet spot. I talk about this in detail in our full video review; skip to 6:00 in the video linked below if you don’t want to rewatch what we’ve already covered up until now.
As you can see, I very much enjoyed run-testing the New Balance 1080 v14. It’s not a style of shoe that I would usually gravitate to, and yet I came to really appreciate its unique qualities and will certainly be using it for those specific runs it performs best at.
If you want to try these shoes visit our awesome shoe fitters or you can buy them online.