New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v10

The RW Takeaway: An extremely soft midsole still feels light and fast.

Price: $150Type: RoadWeight: 9.6 oz (M), 7.7 oz (W)Drop: 7 mm (M), 6 mm (W)

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The 1080 was already the plushest trainer in New Balance’s stable, but the new version is “bouncy, responsive, and light,” says one former collegiate runner on our test team. Give credit to Fresh Foam, the company’s light and soft midsole foam. The sole is softer than before and has more energy return, but it doesn’t feel overly stiff because New Balance gave it a more pronounced curve, especially beneath the forefoot. And an Ortholite sockliner boosts comfort.

All that padding won’t slow you down, though. “Unlike previous 1080s, I actually thought about wearing this for my half marathon,” said a tester who trains at a 7-minute pace. “It’s super responsive and springy, yet the foam keeps it soft enough. I wouldn’t wear these for speedwork, but I ran my fastest long-run tempo in them.”

The upper also went through a complete transformation and, unlike most premium shoes, it doesn’t have an overly plush collar lining and tongue. Instead, it uses an engineered knit, a one-piece fabric that is stretchy over the toes but sturdy along the sides of the shoe so it delivers a secure fit. The molded heel has a deep pocket and wraps comfortably up the back of your foot to eliminate any unwanted movement.

We’ve long loved the 1080 for easy, recovery runs, because the shoe delivers a ton of leg-saving cushioning but doesn’t feel overly mushy like some thick-soled trainers. When this new model arrived, we took one look and worried that maybe it was getting a little too up-tempo. Would that smooth, protective midsole still deliver the same comfort? Well, yes, we’re happy to report.

In fact, the 1080 got even softer with this update. But, even with the extra cush, we found it to have some pep. “Contrary to other highly cushioned shoes (such as the Adidas UltraBoost), this shoe provided responsive cushioning and protection when running downhill,” said one tester who runs 40 miles per week at 6:45 pace. “From 14-mile long runs to short 4-mile tempos, this shoe performed with ease regardless of the change of pace.”

Credit that performance to the sole’s shape. There’s a good bit of toe spring and rounding under foot that help take you from heel-strike to toe-off.

There’s also a lot of rubber underfoot, which you’d expect from a premium trainer, but it doesn’t weigh down the shoe. It’s lighter than the UltraBoost, Glycerin, Triumph, and Nimbus—all shoes in the same class.

A lot of the weight savings for the 1080 v10 likely comes from the new engineered knit upper. It’s free of any extra plush padding that you’d typically find on this kind of shoe. And wear-testers noticed the difference. Some, like me, appreciated the snug next-to-skin fit that didn’t slip or budge at a quick pace. Others felt the upper was a little too tight, especially through the midfoot, and would have appreciated more padding along the heel cup. None, however, found serious enough issues with the upper to really affect their training. “The tall back portion of the shoe was a little too tall,” said one tester, “so I just wore taller socks.”

Caroline Dorey-Stein, RW’s assistant special projects editorArch: medium | Gait: neutral | Footstrike: midfoot

“For a maximum cushion shoe, v10 of the 1080 is amazing. I like the upper’s new trim look (reminds me of the Beacon v2), and the cushioning feels softer than previous versions. I actually thought it didn’t feel ‘mushy’ the way I think of the 1080. It was soft yet responsive. I don’t run in max cushion aside from Hokas, so in terms of comfort and durability, it is way better than most of my lighter trainers. I loved the cushioning, since it felt soft but still springy—almost like a Levitate rather than a Glycerin, which I would usually compare to the 1080. The upper is my favorite feature. I love the look and I do think it gives me lots of space when my feet expand during long runs.”

Jeff is Runner-in-Chief for Runner's World, guiding the brand's shoes and gear coverage. A true shoe dog, he's spent more than a decade testing and reviewing shoes. In 2017, he ran in 285 different pairs of shoes, including a streak of 257 days wearing a different model.