The New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V1 shoe is a max comfort, high stacked and foam packed shoe. Hokaesque in its appearance, with a striking design.
I’ve never taken much interest in New Balances’ trail offering, but this model was worth a deeper dive. We’ll present our New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V1 review in this guide – looking at the midsole, outsole and upper. We’ve also reviewed the reviews and have developed a list of why and why not to buy. Lastly, we’ll let you know which type of runners this trail running shoe would suit.
NB Fresh Foam More Trail Content
New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V1 Review
Midsole Comfort On The New Balance Fresh Foam More
As the name suggests – the most striking feature of these shoes is the midsole foam stack with a heel to toe drop of 34mm to 30 mm. The technology in the midsole is Fresh Foam X to deliver premium cushioning underfoot, allowing you to run for longer while maintaining comfort.
Fresh Foam acts as a shock absorber to help protect against stress to joints when striking down on the rugged and compact terrain without interfering in the flow of the run. Fresh Foam encourages a smooth heel-toe-transition and reduces muscle fatigue, keeping you motivated for those longer weekend sessions.
Outsole Grip
Completing the New Balance Fresh Foam More is a durable rubber outsole ensuring traction and grip on varied terrain. The durable rubber compound gives grip on wet and dry surfaces, with a decent degree of ground adaptability. The rubber forms a stable bond with the ground beneath it to guarantee traction and control as you explore the diverse trail routes. Furthermore, the alternating lug sizes line up throughout the outsole to provide flexibility in key areas.
Upper Design & Style
The DWR-treated mesh upper mesh features a padded heel collar which adds to the comfort level. The contour of the upper seems pretty natural to the shape of the foot – without you needing to break them in and adapt to them. New Balance has used no-sew material application on the rubber to reduce irritations and rubbing. These shoes are also available in standard, wide and extra-wide sizes, just note however that the standard size is not narrow.
The flat laces and standard eyelets work well together and are an decent system to adjust your laces appropriately. This traditional lacing system does a decent job and locking down the foot. However, like with most high stack running shoes, the chances of rolling the ankle are increased. If you demand a close connection to the ground, you have no business considering any high stack trail shoe.
Reasons To Buy New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V1 Shoes
- Cushioning: Many runners admire the soft cushioning of the New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V1.
- Comfort fit makes the Fresh Foam More Trail V1 shoe is very comfortable, especially on easy, long runs.
- The toebox has a generous amount of room and a more expansive feel than other models. This feature makes it an excellent option for runners with wider feet or that cherish extra room – necessary if doing a lot of downhill running.
- Added support and security for your ankles and heels help to prevent twists and sprains.
- Traction and grip on the outsole work well on both soft and hard surfaces making this a versatile shoe in changing weather and terrain.
- High level of durability: The extra forefoot reinforcement on the upper mesh means the shoe can easily stand up to the rigours of trail running.
- Versatile and not just for running. A few owners have stated that they don’t use them for “trail running”; instead, they use them for walking and hiking because of the high level of support, grip, and comfort.
Men's & Women's New Balance Fresh Foam More
Reasons Not To Buy The New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V1 Shoes
- While the wide toebox will be a huge positive for some runners, it will equally be too wide for narrow footed runners.
- Protection: According to some expert reviews, the Fresh Foam More Trail V1 is not protective and stable enough for highly technical terrain.
- Tongue design and construction received some negative feedback: A small number of testers reported that the tongue was prone to twisting around the upper’s side.
Who Are They Best Suited For
- Runners that are looking for a highly comfortable trail shoe that also gives them the support they need.
- Runners who are new to trail will appreciate the comfort underfoot. New trail runners feet and body can take some time to adjust to the trail if they have previously only ever run on the track or road.
New Balance Fresh Foam More Video Review
Final Thoughts
Overall, the feedback on the New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail shoe is positive. It is a highly cushioned trail runner built for comfort on longer runs. You’ll get a luxurious and smooth ride, although it might struggle a tad at speed over technical terrain. Therefore, it’s more for runners who enjoy an easy/moderate pace on the trail (me).
The cushioning will also appeal to larger runners, whose feet and knees will benefit from the extra impact absorption. Furthermore, those new to trail running will do well to give this shoe a try as their body adjust to the different feel to off-road adventure. Another great shoe for beginners and more experienced trail runners is the Salomon Sense Ride 4 – a really great all-rounder.
Overall, the Fresh Foam More strike a near-perfect balance between providing maximum cushion and not feeling out of sync with the trail. It might be worth also checking out the Inov-8 TrailFly Ultra G 300 Max if this is a style of shoe you like.
Disclaimer: This guide contains affiliate links, and I earn a small commission from any sale that occurs via my links. This however does not change my opinion; I always do my best to provide the facts and suggest a products that will benefit my users. You pay no more and no less for using these links. It does, however, help to sustain my blog.
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