New Balance just dropped their Fresh Foam 1080v11

Images via Andrew Tanglao, Henry & Co. + New Balance.

 

Sound the klaxon, New Balance has cranked 2021 up by finally dropping Version 11 (v11) of their Fresh Foam 1080’s!  Welcome to room 1080v11!

Before we start – if you haven’t run in a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam 1080s then you are missing out on some serious comfort, my friend.  This running trainer’s USP is a premium foam midsole and a Bootie upper construction.  Both attributes aim to give you a snug, supportive fit while delivering a cloud-like ride down pavements and trails.  If you like your long-runs bouncy, then baby, these are for you.  

Currently, I am running in a black pair of 1080v10’s but, thanks to the new 1080v11’s I am already thinking of doing damage to my credit card and suffering the repercussions later.   The real question is, do I want a combination of Citrus and vivid coral or go wild for Virtual sky with bleached lime?  There are five colour-ways to choose from, but, can I just have one of each in a size 4, please? 

Designed with high-mileage in mind, the Fresh Foam 1080v11 feature the signature Ultra Heel design as well as having an approximate 8mm drop.  The trainer’s main aim, therefore, is to reduce tension and flaring of the Achilles tendon while allowing you to have full reliability in your kit. Essentially, this New Balance offering is a contender for the comfiest, most supportive trainer on the market right now.  It is early in 2021, but I am calling it now. 

Naturally, these next-gen trainers are not going cheap.  With an RRP of £135, these New Balances are a serious investment.  However, if they are anything like the 1080v10’s, then you can thank me later.  Coming in at 230 grams, running in a pair of these is like running on air.  The 1080v11’s are a need, not a want. 

All five colour-ways run from a UK 3 up into a UK 11, with narrow, standard, wide and X-wide options available.  See below for my favourite three:

Black with thunder

I truly believe you cannot go wrong with a pair of black trainers.  They are the ultimate, understated classic.  Sleek and sophisticated, the black-and-white colour-way is both fashionable and versatile – tres chic.  

Citrus with vivid coral

Move OVER old sneaks and say hello to this powerful colour flash.  My eyes are simply drooling and I am unsheathing that credit card as we speak.  The 1080v11 in Citrus and vivid coral pink are the perfect deliverers of the WOW-factor.  So bright, so contrast; so gorgeous. 

Virtual Sky with bleached lime glo

Niche, but if I put all my favourite hues of blue on one shoe it would strongly resemble the Virtual Sky colour-way.  Combining a range of complementary blue tones with a startling white foam base, the Virtual Sky shoe is a sublime pop of colour without being garish.  

So you’ve got all the colours; you’ve got the ‘like running on air’ simile; you have my own seal-of-approval.  Are you convinced yet? If not, then here is a super-quick, bullet-pointed breakdown to help you decide whether the 1080v11’s are for you. 

 

These shoes are for you if you:

• Appreciate a thickly-cushioned running trainer. 

• Want something which is more reliable as opposed to speedy.

• Are not afraid of a bit of a bounce while jogging tempo paces or on long-runs.

• Are not looking for a specific race-day trainer.  This shoe has not been built specifically for track workouts or racing, but instead for general use. 

 

The 1080v11’s definitley have my vote – but do they have yours?  I’m thinking a pair in the Citrus with vivid coral colour-way will do nicely in my collection, don’t you?  Hopefully, I will get my hands on a pair in the next couple of months and be able to give you the full low-down and review!  Until then, I can drool online, can’t I?