The New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1 is an everyday running shoe that blends race foam into the midsole foam to provide a fun and bouncy ride. The step-in feel and overall experience is aggressively soft—this is probably the softest shoe we've tested in 2024. Runners who want an elevated everyday running shoe and walking shoe with a pillow-soft feel will love the Balos. Those who benefit from extra support and structure may prefer one of the options listed below that have a firmer ride (Nike Zoom Structure 25, Brooks Ghost Max 2, Asics Novablast 4). The price is quite steep at $200, so we recommend the New Balance More v5 ($155) for most people over this. Runners logging big mileage who enjoy soft shoes will get the most value out of this at full retail price.

Category

Daily trainer

Release Date

August 2024

Plated?

No

Foam

Fresh Foam X

Foam Compound

EVA & PEBA Blend

Ride

Soft, Bouncy, Smooth

Heel Stack (mm)

38.5

Forefoot Stack (mm)

32.5

Drop (mm)

6

Weight (mens size 9)

9.2

Support

Neutral

Fit

True to size