New Balance 1080 V14: Add Luxurious Comfort To Your Training

New Balance 1080 v14: Add luxurious comfort to your training sessions

by Men's Reporter Team

If you’re a neutral runner looking for the comfort of reliable cushioning, the latest New Balance 1080 is your go-to choice.

First introduced in 2011, the 1080 is New Balance’s lightweight, highly cushioned training shoe for runners. After running over 650 miles in a pair of V13s, I tested the latest model, the 1080 V14, and found that subtle upgrades improve what was already a great running shoe after 13 years in development. I checked to see if it was there.

Is New Balance 1080 V14 right for you?

Most of us are neutral runners, so the New Balance 1080 targets a wide demographic of road runners who want great cushioning. It is especially aimed at users who continue to drive large amounts of mileage on a weekly basis. If you need stability shoes, check out our review of the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v14.

Not only does the New Balance 1080 offer great cushioning, but the sock-like comfort you’ve come to expect from most New Balance shoes is here as well. With proper care, I think this shoe will last well beyond the 500 miles usually recommended for durable trainers. I’m not ready to retire my v13 1080 after 650 miles. I still use them for short and easy road runs and park runs. Even if I do, I’m going to put it away properly and use it for my gym sessions. That’s how sturdy they are.

New Balance 1080 v14 road test

In testing the New Balance 1080 v14, I ran several short races and longer training runs of up to 15 miles. I haven’t run much more than that at the moment, but this shoe is made for pounding road miles for marathon training, so I’m looking forward to doing that in the coming weeks.

I have worn this shoe in all weather conditions and on most surfaces. It’s clearly not designed for off-road use and doesn’t handle well in the mud at all. You can use it on dry trails, but we don’t recommend it. Simply use these shoes on roads and surfaces where the soles are less likely to wear out and you will be able to cover more distance.

From the first use, it was a perfect fit, secure and comfortable. My first run was an 11-mile loop around local roads that included quite a few hills. Unfortunately it was raining so when I got home it was already quite dirty. However, due to its strong blue color, it was relatively easy to clean it to a presentable level.

Improvements from 1080 v13

Most of my 150-mile tests were done on the road, but my club training often involves speed sessions on track. I recently did a session where I ran 400m x 10m fast and recovered on 200m. These shoes performed perfectly here, giving me better toe-off on the fast laps I experienced with the v13.

I like using this shoe for hard training sessions. I don’t really believe in training in racing shoes. Because you want to save that extra performance boost for racing. Also, compared to these shoes, racing shoes often need to be replaced more frequently (after low mileage).

size and weight

I wear half a size up in most NB shoes. I usually choose size 10, which is the size of 1080 v13. However, I found that the New Balance 1080 v14 fit perfectly in my normal size, a 9.5.

My v14 shoes weigh 10.5 oz (298 g) each. This is 1 ounce larger than the v13. For racing shoes, the added weight is noticeable, but for trainers, this increase is invisible and doesn’t bother me.

Another difference with this shoe is the upper. NB improves ventilation for a cooler ride. My feet often got quite warm with the v13, but with the v14 there isn’t much of a noticeable difference. I always try to consider the thickness of my socks depending on the outside temperature. I’ve been training in the cold weather recently, so it was great to be able to run in warm shoes.

Ride comfort and responsiveness

Designed as a flagship trainer, NB made the V14’s midsole a little stiffer. This should make it a more viable option for faster training sessions and even races. That is if you are not interested in carbon plates to chase the all-time record. I found the difference here to be noticeable, and I preferred the larger bounce of the v13 for training. The v14 is a great and responsive shoe, so I use it for every training session, whether easy or hard. However, I always choose higher performance shoes for important races.

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