It would be hard for me to say anything negative about a brand who supported me for 12 years so I’m glad the New Balance 860 v12 is a really good shoe. Otherwise, I would have simply not written this review.
The 860 is an everyday stability training shoe that will serve you well in terms of cushion and protection. The layer of Fresh Foam makes the shoe feel very comfortable and the more responsive midsole provides protection. The outsole is grippy, works fine on regular trails and offers good protection as it covers the whole sole except for the necessary flex grooves.
Medial posting in the 860 prevents runners from over-pronating and if you don’t pronate much you probably won’t even notice the posting. As with almost every shoe these days the upper is comfortable and fits well. I prefer a gusseted tongue and although this tongue is not attached at the side, it never got out of place by sliding down the outside of my foot.
This is not a shoe I would do any sort of speed with, it’s just a little too heavy and bulky. It performs as it’s intended for your regular everyday runs and doesn’t pretend to be good at anything else.
You’ll be able to get a lot of kilometres out of this shoe. It’s built to last. The NB Fresh Foam 860 v 12 is your no-nonsense shoe that you’ll love and use more than any other shoe.
