By Paul Freary
Another very popular model from New Balance, the 880 series shoe has become their best value, mid-level, neutral everyday running shoe. This 14th-generation model of the 880 sees improvements to the cushioning and a refreshed upper.
Sitting at a very competitive price point in the market, the 880 has become well-established among the competition and continues to be a shoe worthy of any neutral runners consideration when seeking out an everyday training shoe.
The 880 has always been somewhat of a no-nonsense type of shoe and this update isn’t any different. Its features are all purely functional and that helps the shoe remain competitive.
Fit / Tech
As I mentioned, the Fresh Foam X 880v14 isn’t a shoe packed with bells and whistles. All the technology that it features is present purely to serve a purpose.
The revision to the new model comes around the Fresh Foam X midsole. Fresh Foam X is found in several daily training shoes from the brand, but it’s important to remember that it’s somewhat of an umbrella term. Fresh Foam X can vary from shoe to shoe and those variations come from both the density of the foam and its thickness or stack.
The 1080 uses a similar Fresh Foam X midsole but it’s a much higher stack and feels instantly softer.
The Fresh Foam X More v4 also uses the same Fresh Foam midsole and like the 1080, in a much higher stack. Yet in the More, it’s a different feel to the 1080 despite a similar stack height.
So, Fresh Foam X can vary from model to model. Here the feel of the shoe sits somewhere between the More and 1080, or at least in my experience of running in the three models it does. The 1080 is very soft (too soft for some) and can give the feeling of absorbing too much impact, sometimes taking a little spring from the stride.
The 880v14 in this respect offers a great midpoint. The More, even with a high stack feels a little firmer, but the 880 sits in a great midpoint. It’s soft enough to be very comfortable, but it also offers a touch of feedback, a little more response and a nice level of ‘energy return’ at toe-off.
New Balance points out that the latest Fresh Foam X midsole contains 3% of bio-based content. I can see the reason for pointing this out, but at just 3% are we gaining anything from this and are any eco-type improvements making a significant difference?
The fit of the shoe is great. The engineered mesh upper is neatly padded and provides a great fit around the whole of the foot.
It’s true-to-size compared to other New Balance models in terms of both length and width. The only consideration here is for UK customers. While most brands convert a US size to a UK by reducing a full size (so a US10 becomes a UK9), New Balance just makes things a half-size difference. (so a US10 becomes a UK9.5)
The upper has a nice degree of stretch built into the fabric, this makes for an accommodating fit able to keep a wide range of foot shapes and sizes happy. The shoes are also available in both standard and width fit options.
The ankle collar lining, Achilles tab and tongue all feature neat padding and each area is well constructed for a great fit.
The outsole has good rubber coverage and most of the sole is covered. All key areas of contact are covered and the pattern has plenty of flex points.
Stats
New Balance | 880v14 |
|---|---|
Best for | Everyday neutral cushioned running shoe |
Support | Neutral |
Cushion | Mid-level cushioning |
Stack Height | 29mm heel / 21mm forefoot |
Drop | 8mm |
Weight | Men 9.5oz (270g) Women 7.4oz (209g) |
Suggested Retail Price | $140 / £140 |
Fit | True to size |
Rating | 8/ 10 |
Performance
From pulling the shoes on they instantly feel comfortable. They are a great fit. The upper is a great improvement (to be honest the upper in the 880v13 wasn’t too bad!) and gives the shoe a more ‘premium’ feel.
Off I go for my usual easy run plus strides, a familiar test of new models for me. It’s usually around 3 miles at a very easy 7:30 to 8-minute mile pace followed by a set of 6 times 30 seconds of ‘strides’. I find this ‘mini workout’ to be a great test for any new shoes. I’ll cover easy running speed right up to my top speed.
The cushioning is totally as expected if I’m totally honest. I didn’t expect the shoe to be super-soft or indeed super-responsive, but it does sit nicely in the centre. For a daily trainer, this is where I’d both want and expect this type of shoe to be.
At an easy pace, I really don’t notice the shoes on my feet and that’s excellent. The fit and feel of making them disappear to the point of not noticing them is a good sign for me. When I move along to my strides; 6 efforts of around 30 seconds picking up speed, the shoes give me just the right level of feedback from the road. They provide cushioning, and a touch of feedback and prove to be flexible enough to pick up the pace in without any issues.
Other runs of varying distances and paces provide me with more of the same experience, making this a versatile trainer that I’m reaching for without hesitation and regardless of the speed of my run.
New Balance 880v14
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Comparisons
I’d say the most obvious comparisons are the Brooks Ghost 15, Saucony Ride 17 and Nike Pegasus 40. These are all similarly priced models and aimed at neutral runners for everyday training.
The Brooks Ghost 15 performs in a very similar manner to the 880v14. The cushioning has a similar feel and both shoes offer excellent durability and good value for money. It is actually pretty difficult to find obvious points of difference between the two shoes.
I’d say perhaps the Brooks has a slighter wide contact area on the ground and this makes it ever so slightly more stable, but again, there’s not much in it. Here, the choice will come down to the fit and feel you experience when trying one shoe on each foot for comparison.
The Nike Pegasus 40 is again a neutral train for everyday use and being the 40th edition it’s clearly stood the test of time. I do find the Pegasus to be a little softer and as a result more unstable, only being suitable for those runners that have a neutral gait without any sign of pronation. In this respect, the 880v14 is more suitable for a wider range of runners.
The Saucony Ride 17 might be the shoe that stands out a little in this company. Again, it takes aim at the neutral runner but it’s its use of PWRRUN+ in the midsole that might give it the edge. The PWRRUN+ foam has a more responsive, almost springier feel to it, so for me would be the shoe that has a slighter livelier ride.
My Verdict
The Fresh Foam X 880v14 is a great update from New Balance. It manages to refresh the model and improve its fit, feel and ride whilst at the same time keeping it familiar enough to the previous model so as not to upset regular users.
The upper construction for me is the stand-out point. It lifts the shoe and gives it a much more premium feel than the previous model.
The cushioning is an improvement, albeit only slightly. Nevertheless, it provides a balanced and smooth ride that does the job very well for a ride that’s exactly as you’d expect from this type of shoe.
Again, this shoe sits alongside some very competent competition but that said, at this price point these shoes do offer perhaps the best value for money of any on the market as a whole.
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