New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Review: cushioned daily trainer that leans comfort over speed

I’ve been running and walking in the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 (men’s, size 11, Grey Matter/Silver Metallic/Inkwell) for a few weeks now. I’ve used them mainly for easy runs between 5–10 km and a bunch of long walks on pavement and concrete. I bought them because my knees were starting to complain with firmer shoes and I wanted something soft underfoot without feeling like I was standing on a mattress.

First thing: these are clearly built for comfort and protection, not for chasing PRs. The midsole is thick and soft, with a bit of bounce but nothing crazy. On my first 8 km run, the main thing I noticed was how much less my feet and shins hurt afterwards compared to my older, flatter pair. They’re not magic, but the cushioning definitely takes the edge off hard surfaces.

They do feel a bit bulky if you’re used to lighter, racier shoes. On strides or when I tried to pick up the pace, I could feel the weight and the big slab of foam. But for easy days, recovery runs or long walks, they feel pretty natural. I never thought about them much mid-run, which for me is a good sign for a daily trainer: they just kind of disappear on foot and do their job.

Overall, my first impression is: very comfortable, clearly more suited to slower efforts, and probably overkill if you mostly do short, fast runs. If you’re on concrete all day or you’re a heavier runner/walker, they make more sense. If you want something snappy and light, these are probably not it.

Price-wise, the Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 sits in the higher bracket for daily trainers. You’re paying for a flagship cushioned model from a big brand, so it’s not a budget shoe. The question is whether it’s worth it. For me, the value really depends on what you’re looking for. If you mainly want a soft, protective shoe for daily miles and long walks, and you actually use it a lot, then the cost is easier to justify. If you’re casual and only run once a week, it might feel like overkill.

Compared to some competitors (ASICS Novablast, Saucony Triumph/Hurricane, etc.), the 1080 v14 is in the same ballpark. It doesn’t blow them away, but it also doesn’t lag behind. The thing I liked is that it feels more balanced than some super-mushy max-cushion shoes. You still get a good amount of comfort without feeling like you’re sinking in quicksand. That makes it more versatile: I can run, walk, and wear it all day without it feeling too weird in any one scenario.

Where the value drops a bit is if you expect one shoe to handle both your slow runs and your fast workouts. For that, I’d say there are better options. The 1080 v14 is clearly better for the slow side of training. So if you end up buying a second, faster shoe anyway, this becomes part of a more expensive two-shoe rotation. Not a dealbreaker, but something to think about if you’re on a tight budget.

Overall, I’d call the value pretty solid if you’re going to use it heavily for walking and easy running, and just okay if you’re a light user or mainly into speedwork. It’s not a bargain, but it delivers what it promises: high comfort, decent durability, and reliable day-to-day performance.

Design-wise, the 1080 v14 looks like a typical modern max-cushion shoe: chunky foam, fairly high stack, and a mesh upper with minimal overlays. The Grey Matter/Silver Metallic/Inkwell colorway is pretty neutral. On foot, they look like regular running shoes, not some wild neon thing, which I liked because I can wear them casually with jeans without feeling like I’m heading to a race start line. The silver accents are low-key, not flashy.

The shape is classic New Balance: decent forefoot room, not super narrow, with a rounded toe box. I have fairly average-width feet and went true to size. Length is spot on – I had about a thumb’s width in front of my big toe, which is what I aim for in running shoes. The heel is slightly padded and holds the foot well; I didn’t have any heel slip, even on downhill sections. The gusseted tongue sits nicely and never slid to the side, which is one of those small design details you only notice when brands mess it up.

On the foot, they feel tall but reasonably stable. You do feel like you’re sitting on a lot of foam, but the base isn’t super narrow, so I didn’t feel wobbly. I wouldn’t cut sharp corners at speed in them, but for normal running and walking they feel secure. The upper doesn’t have a lot of structure on the sides, but the midfoot area has just enough support that my foot didn’t spill over the edge of the foam.

Aesthetically, they’re pretty safe: if you like understated shoes, you’ll be fine with this colorway. If you want something loud, this one isn’t it. The overall design is practical and clean, not exciting, but it looks like what it is: a big cushioned trainer that’s meant to be used, not just looked at. For me, that’s totally fine.

This is the main reason to buy the 1080 v14: it’s very comfortable, especially if you’re on your feet for long periods or run mostly on hard surfaces. The first time I wore them was for a full day of errands and walking on concrete floors. By the end of the day, my feet felt tired from standing, but I didn’t have that sharp heel or forefoot pain I usually get in flatter sneakers. The cushioning spreads out the impact nicely, so each step feels a bit cushioned without feeling like you’re bouncing on a trampoline.

On runs, the comfort is even more obvious. For easy 5–10 km runs, my joints felt calmer afterwards. My knees and lower back in particular appreciated the softer landings. I also have occasional plantar fasciitis flare-ups; with these, I noticed less morning heel stiffness on the days after wearing them versus my firmer trainers. That doesn’t mean they’ll fix injuries, but they do reduce the beating your feet take. The arch support is moderate – not super aggressive, but enough that my foot doesn’t feel flat or unsupported.

The upper comfort is also good. The mesh doesn’t rub, and the padding around the collar and tongue is enough without being bulky. The gusseted tongue helps the shoe wrap around the midfoot nicely, which gives a snug but not tight feeling. I never had hot spots or blisters, even when I skipped breaking them in and did a 10 km run right away. Breathability is decent: on warmer days my feet got warm, but not soaked in sweat. I’d call it comfortable for three seasons, maybe a bit warm in peak summer if you run hot.

Downsides: they are a bit heavy and tall, so if you like that barefoot, low-to-the-ground feel, these will feel like too much. Also, when I tried to do tempo segments, the softness made them feel a bit sloppy; my foot moved a tiny bit inside the shoe when cornering hard. But for the intended use – easy runs, walking, long days on your feet – the comfort level is very good and probably the main selling point.

The upper is a synthetic engineered mesh with no-sew overlays. It feels soft to the touch and has enough stretch to adapt to your foot without feeling flimsy. The mesh over the toe box is fairly open, and you can see a bit of light through it if you hold it up, which usually means decent breathability. The overlays around the midfoot and heel add a little structure but don’t dig in. The inside lining is smooth, and I didn’t get any rubbing spots, even on a 15 km walk in thin socks.

The Fresh Foam X midsole is the main material story here. It’s a big slab of foam that’s clearly tuned towards softness with a bit of rebound. Compared to the previous generation (v13) that I briefly tried, this v14 feels slightly firmer but more lively – still cushioned, but you don’t sink in as much. It doesn’t feel mushy, which I appreciate; you get some give on landing and then a mild bounce as you push off. It’s not like a super-bouncy plated shoe, more like a comfortable daily foam that doesn’t fight you.

The outsole is all rubber, with a mix of exposed foam and rubber coverage in high-wear areas. The rubber doesn’t feel super hard, more like a middle ground between grip and durability. On dry pavement, grip is totally fine. On wet sidewalks and painted lines, I had to be a bit careful but never felt like I was going to wipe out. After my ~60 km of running and ~30 km walking, the rubber shows some early smoothing on the heel, but nothing alarming. I’m a heel striker, so that’s where I see wear first in all my shoes.

Overall, materials feel solid and functional, not premium-luxury but definitely not cheap. The shoe feels like it can handle plenty of mileage. No stitching came loose, no weird creases appeared in the upper, and the foam hasn’t flattened out yet. For a high-cushion trainer at this price, the material quality matches what I expected.

Durability is always hard to judge early, but after roughly 90 km of mixed use (running + walking), I can at least say there are no red flags. The midsole still feels basically the same as day one – maybe a tiny bit less squishy, but that’s normal once the foam settles. No obvious creases that suggest it’s collapsing, and the cushioning still feels consistent from heel to forefoot.

The outsole rubber shows some wear on the outer heel, which is where I land. The rubber there is a bit smoother now, but there’s still plenty of thickness left. The forefoot rubber looks almost new. Based on what I’m seeing, I’d expect these to last a typical 500–700 km for most runners, maybe more if you’re lighter and mostly walk in them. They’re not indestructible, but they’re not burning out quickly either. If you drag your feet or always chew through heels, you’ll still wear them out, but that’s true for most trainers.

The upper is holding up nicely. No fraying, no holes, no loose stitching. The mesh over the toes isn’t showing any signs of tearing, and the overlays are still firmly glued. The inner lining around the heel hasn’t pilled yet, which I’ve seen happen quickly in some other brands. The laces are standard, nothing fancy, but they haven’t stretched out or slipped when tied once with a runner’s knot.

In short, durability seems pretty solid for a cushioned daily trainer. If you’re expecting them to last multiple years of heavy use, that’s not realistic, but for regular running and walking, they feel like they’ll give you a normal lifespan for this category. You’re paying for a softer shoe, so you can’t expect tank-like durability, but there’s nothing so far that makes me think they’re fragile or poorly built.

In terms of performance, the 1080 v14 is clearly tuned for easy and moderate paces. At slower speeds, the Fresh Foam X feels smooth and predictable. The transition from heel to toe is natural; you don’t have to think about your stride. I could just zone out and log kilometers. For recovery runs after a hard session, they’re especially nice because they encourage you to slow down and just roll along without pounding your legs.

When I tried to push the pace, the shoe showed its limits. It’s not that you can’t run fast in them, but the combination of weight and soft foam doesn’t give that snappy response you get from lighter trainers or plated shoes. I did a few 1 km tempo intervals, and while they were fine, the shoe felt a bit "laggy" – like it absorbed some of the energy instead of giving it back. Also, because of the stack height, I didn’t feel super confident doing sharp turns or fast downhill sections. It’s stable enough for normal running, but I wouldn’t pick it for speedwork days.

For walking and general daily use, the performance is actually better. The shoe feels very supportive for heavier users or people who stand a lot. I’m not as heavy as the 325 lbs reviewer from Amazon, but I can see why someone bigger would like these: the foam doesn’t bottom out easily, and you get a bit of that "floating" feeling they described. On long walks, I found myself going longer than planned just because my feet weren’t screaming at me.

So overall: great performance for what it’s built for (cruising, walking, recovery), average for speed. If your weekly routine is mostly slow or moderate miles and maybe the occasional short pickup, it’s fine. If you’re planning a lot of intervals, tempo runs, or races, I’d pair this with a lighter, more responsive shoe rather than relying on the 1080 v14 for everything.

The pair I have is the Grey Matter/Silver Metallic/Inkwell colorway in men’s size 11, standard width. Out of the box, you get a pretty typical New Balance running shoe: big Fresh Foam X midsole, engineered mesh upper, gusseted tongue, and a rubber outsole with decent coverage. No fancy plate, no wild rocker, just a straightforward high-cushion trainer. The shoe is listed around the usual premium running shoe price bracket, so it’s not cheap, but it’s in line with other max-cushion models from Saucony, ASICS, etc.

Specs-wise, New Balance markets this as their go-to model: Fresh Foam X midsole, synthetic and engineered mesh upper, no-sew overlays, and a gusseted tongue to keep junk out. They also mention about 3% bio-based content in the foam, which is nice on paper, but honestly you don’t feel that part; it just feels like a standard cushioned foam. The shoe feels moderately heavy in hand but not crazy on foot. I wouldn’t call it light, but it’s not a brick either.

I’ve used it for roughly: 60+ km of running, probably 25–30 km of walking (city sidewalks, mall floors, and a couple of long grocery days). I haven’t done any trails with it, only road and some wet pavement. So my opinion is really about it as a road daily trainer and all-day shoe, not as a trail or gym shoe. Grip, comfort, and stability on flat ground are what I focused on.

In practice, it positions itself as a do-it-all soft trainer. The brand sells it as something you could wear from daily miles to race day. Personally, I think that’s a stretch for race day unless you just don’t care about speed and want comfort above everything. For easy mileage, commuting, and general walking, the overall package makes more sense.