Making running fun…by making fun of it
Arguably the most important component of a running shoe is the midsole foam. No one cares about the outsole, upper, and especially not the asinine heel pull tab. I ask yet again: how difficult is it to put on and take off a pair of running shoes? So, how can you choose the best running shoe foams to match your picky preferences? Beats me. However, if you’re looking for descriptions of why the name of every midsole foam is silly, you’ve come to the right place.
You’re going to think I’m insane (and you’re not necessarily wrong), but I tried versions 10-12 of the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 and returned each of them. Despite now looking severely outdated (as happens with shoes), v10 of the shoe caught my eye, and held it even after I returned the shoe. I wanted to love it, but the heel just didn’t work with my foot strike. Each step just felt awkward. I was about to give up on the shoe, but then v13 arrived. The neutral shoe’s overhaul offers one of the softest rides on the roads, but is it too soft? Find out in this New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v13 review.