New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 Review

Released in 2021

I took a brief look at the newly released running shoes New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 and tested the man’s version on the total of 50 miles. I am a middleweight runner and I run normally approximately 4-5 times a week. As a matter of fact I used to run in New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v9, I can easily compare these new shoes to the older version and hopefully, I can better outline for you whether to purchase NB Fresh Foam 1080v11 or not.

 What I loved about these shoes

I strongly liked the blue design. That’s the version that you may find in online stores the most often. So yes, it is a bit mainstream but there is truly a reason for that. The blue color is truly saturated, not dark, nor too light. Just saturated and reflective at the same time. Only the heel cup is dark blue and the midsole white. These three colors are nicely balanced so that New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 were truly appealing to me. I loved them for their look the whole time I used them for the test. At night we did a test and we turned the car’s lights on. Surprisingly, I also remained greatly visible even from the distance of 60 feet (around 18.2 m).  

As for the upper

When you put these New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 on your feet, you will find the flyknit upper very snug and tender. It is breathable, light and thin as a piece of paper. Thinner and slightly a bit more comfortable than the old version NB Fresh Foam 1080v9. I had an option to try the wide version that is available on the market and I must say that I truly appreciated it. I have wide feet and this model of running shoes clicked really great for me. 

NB Fresh Foam 1080v9 vs 1080v11

The main difference between the two models that I found was the heel shape. While the older version of New Balance was rounded, fitting closely to the feet, NB Fresh Foam 1080v11 have the heel cup reverted and kind of sticking out. That shape makes the new NB Fresh Foam 1080v11 very practical. You can grab it by that part, fast and easily slip into the shoes and immediately get on the track. 

Nevertheless, the locking-in feature of the old New Balance shoes seems to be better made than in this new version. The problem is that the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 shoes don’t come up high enough. I felt my heels slightly slipping out when running. So I replaced the insoles for another, a thinner pair and tightened the laces properly. That solved it but let’s be honest, who would like to have an issue like this one and have to solve it this way? So my recommendation would be to try these running shoes in a physical store first and then to make a purposeful decision whether to buy them. The old version didn’t have this problem. 

Cushioning of the shoes

Other than that, the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v9 and 1080v11 are pretty much the same. For instance, the Fresh Foam cushioning feels similar and it is great in both models. It is of higher quality. It is rather on the soft side, but not too soft. NB Fresh Foam 1080v11 is a bit softer than 1080v9 and it nicely gives back some energy. If it were not for the heel problem…I could have imagined using these running shoes for half-marathons easily. The midsole is actually 30 mm thick so for long distances it is very good. As for the overall support everything feels well-balanced.  

What are New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 great for? 

As for the fact that the upper is awesomely comfortable and very lightweight and the midsole offers some great responsiveness, the shoes are perfect for long distances. No doubt, just be careful and check how they fit you in the heel. The heel is a bit strangely shaped and doesn’t always fit. Other than that, the shoes are very stylish and 100% visible in the dark. For night running, New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 are also a great option as well. Maybe not the best model on the market, but definitely worth your consideration.