New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Review (2024)

Review written on 24th October by Brandon Law Marathon Runner and Shoe Expert
179 other reviews

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Verdict

The New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 is a great premium daily trainer most suited to relaxed runs. Version 14 has a firmer, more stable ride, a new upper which is more breathable and a stiffer forefoot for more lively toe-offs. It still has a very narrow toe-box so you need to go up a half size or get the wide version for a more comfortable fit.

• Our top pick in best new balance running shoes

The pros

• Cooler upper
• Stiffer forefoot results in a more rockered ride
• Improvement in versatility (can handle faster paces better)
• More stable than its predecessor due to higher midsole sidewalls

The cons

• Heavier than v13
• Very narrow toe box
• Fresh Foam X lacks energy return when compared to the FuelCell range

Where to buy

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Rating breakdown

Comfort

10

Build quality

9.0

Upper

7.0

Sole unit

8.0

Landing

8.0

Transition

8.0

Toe-off

8.0

Traction

7.0

Durability

8.0

Value / Price

7.0

Facts / Specs

Brand

See Also

New Balance Fresh Foam X vs Bondi 8: Which Running Shoe is Best for Yo

New Balance

Model

Fresh Foam X 1080 v14

Family

1080

Previous model

Fresh Foam X 1080 v13

Type

Cushioning

Weight

10.5oz (298 g)

MSRP

€165.00

Heel

39 mm.

Toe

33 mm.

Heel drop

6 mm.

Carbon plate

No plate

Size/Fit

Sizing

Buy half size bigger

Heel fit

Normal

Midfoot fit

Normal

Toebox fit

Tight

Cushioning & ride

Type of cushioning

Plush

Amount of cushioning

Highly cushioned

Stability

Some stability

Flexibility

Flexible

Usage

Racing

Speedwork

Daily training

Long distance racing

Ultra distance racing

Who should buy the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 ?

If you found the 1080 v13 too soft or too warm, the 1080 v14 is a good replacement. If you’re looking for a soft, comfortable trainer for easy runs, the 1080 v14 is a good option.

Who should not buy the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 ?

If your preference is firm trainers with high ground feel, the 1080 v14 is not the shoe for you. If you need a high level of stability and structure, the 1080 v14 will be too unstable for you.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Introduction

If you don’t know why it’s called the 1080, here is a brief explanation: the “10” is the amount of cushioning on a scale from 6 to 10 (10 being the most cushioned) and the “80” is the New Balance code that tells us that it’s a neutral running shoe.

If we go by this naming convention, the 1080 is supposed to be New Balance’s most cushioned neutral shoe. However, the More is an exception which doesn’t follow this naming convention- it’s even more cushioned than the 1080.

The 1080 is New Balance’s best selling running shoe and this is a fact that they love advertising. It’s a plusher, more premium version of the 880 and a lighter, leaner version of the More.

There are many runners who will agree with me that last year’s 1080 v13 was the best 1080 to date. The biggest difference between v13 and previous versions was how plush and luxurious its ride felt. The only thing I didn’t like about it was how tight its toe-box was- I recommended going up a half size or getting the wide version.

Comfortable. Breathable. Versatile. These are the 3 adjectives which New Balance wants to best sum up the new 1080 v14. They’ve made changes to this year’s 1080 midsole, outsole and upper to achieve this.

The 1080 v14 has picked up weight. It now weighs 10.5 oz (298 g) for a men’s US 9. This is a substantial 1.3 oz (36 g) more than version 13. It maintains the same stack heights and the same price.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 First Impressions

In my local running store, I tried the 1080 v14 on in my regular size and in a half size bigger. The half size bigger felt a lot more comfortable. In my true size, the toe-box felt too narrow, which was the case with v13 for me too.

My first run was an easy 13 kilometre Sunday run. The most noticeable thing was that the ride was firmer than the previous version. It felt about 20% firmer than v13 and it felt more stable due to the firmer ride. I enjoyed the stiffer forefoot which made the rocker more prominent.

The upper felt cooler and more breathable. It felt thinner and more like a traditional engineered mesh, whereas v13 felt like a thick, stretchy knitted material.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Upper

The upper of v14 is an improvement over v13. It feels lighter, thinner and more breathable; more performance and less lifestyle driven. It’s made of a new double-layer engineered mesh with large ventilation holes on the top of the toe box.

The semi-gusseted tongue is lightly padded and doesn’t move around during runs- it has large perforations for extra ventilation. The heel tab and collar are padded while an internal heel counter provides excellent heel lockdown.

Just like the previous version, the toe box is very narrow so I recommend going up a half size or getting the wide version. The “N” logos on the side panels are reflective.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Sole Unit

New Balance wanted to make the 1080 more versatile and by firming up the midsole foam, they’ve succeeded in doing so. The firmer midsole doesn’t compress as much when you load it, and that makes it easier to pick up the pace.

The 1080 v14 is still best suited to easy runs but now it can handle steady-paced runs better. It feels like a premium daily trainer for soaking up everyday miles and it’s still not a shoe that I would use for workouts.

Even though it has become firmer, it’s still one of the softest daily trainers on the market and it’s comparable to the ASICS Nimbus 26 or Saucony Triumph 22 in terms of softness. This year’s 1080 feels more balanced than its predecessor.

The new midsole density of v14 makes the cushioning feel more substantial because it doesn’t bottom out as easily so it can handle long runs better; it’s also more suited to heavy runners now.

The Fresh Foam X in the 1080 v14 is pure EVA and not a PEBA-EVA blend like in the more premium Balos but honestly, there isn’t a big difference in terms of ride between the Balos and the 1080. The Balos costs $25 more but the difference in ride is not significant.

Another new update to the sole is that v14 has higher midsole sidewalls than v13 to increase support and stability but New Balance doesn’t advertise this on their website. Sometimes guide rails can make the ride uncomfortable but in the 1080 v14, the rails are very subtle.

There’s a new outsole design with wider rubber pieces which are not as spread out as v13. The rubber is soft but thick so durability is decent. Traction is good on dry surfaces and average one wet ones.

The new outsole configuration also helps to make the forefoot stiffer so that the rocker speeds up transitions. You get livelier toe-offs in v14.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 Conclusions

While the 1080 v14 doesn’t look like a significant update, New Balance has made some small tweaks to improve their most popular training shoe. The tweaks include improved stability, better breathability and livelier toe-offs.

The only downside is that version 14 has picked up weight but most runners who were fans of the 13 will like the 14 even more because it feels like a more balanced daily trainer.

Overall, the 1080 v14 feels like a really polished, refined daily trainer with a plush ride and it’s one of the most comfortable shoes I’ve tested this year. I just wish New Balance would improve the energy return or bounce because it’s lacking responsiveness when compared to their FuelCell range.

The 1080 v14’s biggest competitor is the Nike Vomero 17, another excellent premium daily trainer which is $5 cheaper than the 1080. The Vomero has a more energetic ride due to the PEBA-based ZoomX in its midsole but it weighs slightly more.

How does the Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 compare?

Nike Vomero 17

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14

Adidas Supernova Prima

Expert score

8

8

8

User score

8

9

8

Best price

€72

€149

Retail price

US$160

US$165

US$160

Brand

Nike

New Balance

Adidas

Review

Vomero 17 review

Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 review

Supernova Prima review

Shoe type

Cushioning

Cushioning

Cushioning

Weight

10.6 oz

10.5 oz

10.2 oz

Heel Drop

10 mm

6 mm

8 mm

Recommended for

Daily training

Daily training

Daily training

Cushioning type

balanced

plush

balanced

Cushioning amount

Highly cushioned

Highly cushioned

Highly cushioned

Flexibility

flexible

flexible

medium

Stability

some stability

some stability

very stable

Sizing

true to size

buy half size bigger

true to size

Why you can trust us

As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.
We purchased this pair of New Balance atRunning Warehouse with our own money.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our policy.

Lowest price:

$165

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 price comparison

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MenWomen

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Reviewed by Brandon

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This review was written by Brandon Law on 24th October.
Brandon is a South African who lives and trains in Malaysia. He is a marathon runner who eats, sleeps and dreams running shoes. While most people wear shoes to run, he runs to wear shoes.

User feedback (1)

Write reply or review

• 

  RunnerGeek42
  8 hours ago

  I’ve been considering the Fresh Foam X 1080 v14, but I’m curious—how does the cushioning compare to the Hoka Clifton series for longer runs? Anyone have experience with both?

  Your comment is awaiting moderation.

  Reply

• 

  Sarah Mendez
  1 month ago

  9

  score

  I just tried the Fresh Foam X 1080 v14, and wow, the comfort just hit another level! The cushioning is incredibly soft without being mushy. My feet feel supported during longer runs, but they’re still light enough to maintain speed. Design-wise, they look stylish too. It’s awesome to find a shoe that combines comfort and performance like this.

  Reply

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