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Fresh Foam Zante Pursuit

New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Pursuit

Name: New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Pursuit
Brand: New Balance
Rating: 4.9 (14 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 7.4 oz · 6mm drop · 23/17mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.

How it ranks

The New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Pursuit rates in the 93rd percentile overall among daily trainers. Its strongest dimension is looks (99th percentile); its weakest is durability (57th). Of 12 runners who came to it from another shoe, 7 preferred it to what they ran before.

Based on 14 runner reviews.

Excellent

94/100

Overall

Excellent 94

Appearance

Appearance rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Exceptional (99/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 99% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Exceptional 99

Value

Value rating

Better Shoes Rating

Exceptional (97/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 97% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Exceptional 97

Cushioning

Cushioning rating

Better Shoes Rating

Good (79/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 66% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Good 79

Comfort

Comfort rating

Better Shoes Rating

Good (79/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 64% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Good 79

Durability

Durability rating

Better Shoes Rating

Good (77/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 57% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Good 77

What runners say

“Heel counter more comfortable than any other shoe”

_jeffrey_broadbent_ 5/5 Full review

“Durability under toes is bad—holes in every pair”

5/5 Full review

“Shoe feels like it disappears under you”

5/5 Full review

“Seriously light, feels like a less edgy racing flat”

5/5 Full review

“Perfect for narrow-footed runners seeking a connected-to-ground feel”

5/5 Full review

“Insole too thin, moves around after 8km or when wet”

5/5 Full review

“Midsole very responsive and feels great when running hard”

_jeffrey_broadbent_ 5/5 Full review

“Upper fits like a sock”

5/5 Full review

“Smooth out of box, no break-in needed”

5/5 Full review

“Takes time to break in, uncomfortable in arch first week”

4/5 Full review

Prefer this shoe over another

41% 9/22

Where to buy

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No offers available

Pros & Cons

Pros

Most reviewers like this shoe more than their last shoe.
Popular shoe among LetsRun.com readers.
Rated among the top 5% of shoes overall.
Rated among the top 25% of shoes on comfort.
Rated above average on cushioning.

Reader Ratings

14 reader ratings

5/5

4/5

3/5

2/5

1/5

Runner reviews

Write a review

Best value tempo shoe

_jeffrey_broadbent_ · Jul 26, 2019

5/5

Overall

I've been using the Zante Pursuit as a daily trainer for several months now. While it isn't the best for recovery runs or slower long runs, it's terrific for faster days - tempos, intervals, you name it. Pros: - super comfortable, especially the upper. The heel counter is more comfortable than any other shoe I've ever tried. - the midsole is very responsive and feels great when you're running hard. - lighter than most training shoes - good road feel - outsole provides solid traction on the road, and can even handle some gentle trails - decent durability: I have 400 miles in mine and they still have a little life left - great value: $110 is cheaper than most shoes on the market Cons: - on long/slow runs, it's just not in its element. You certainly can use it for easy days or long runs, but there are better shoes out there.

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

New Zantes

Anonymous runner · Jul 19, 2019

5/5

Overall

This is my 5th pair of Zantes and these continue to impress with every new version. Overall highly recommend them. I average around 150 miles a month with no complaints to speak of other than when they get wet I did have an insole bunch up during a run. A little spray adhesive resolved this issue long term.

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Bouncy!

Anonymous runner · Jul 8, 2019

5/5

Overall

I absolutely love this shoe. This shoe is made for running fast. It has a very aggressive feel because of how bouncy it is, and it kinda pushes you forwards. And even though it is an aggressive and light shoe, it still feels really comfortable. The upper fits like a sock, and is very comfortable. The cushioning is nice and springy. The only minus is the durability. The durability under the toes is bad, as i somehow have made holes under the toes in every pair of zante's i have ever run in (6-7 pairs) This happens fairly early i would say, after around 600km. I would recommend this shoe for faster work like intervals and tempos, but it can still be used as a trainer.

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Zante Pursuit

Anonymous runner · Jul 5, 2019

4/5

Overall

Love the shoe overall, a great lightweight trainer. Also good for threshold and tempo work, and even sometimes for mile-3k paced reps if its a longer workout with decent recovery intervals. My only issue with the shoe is that I feel it takes a fair amount of time to "break in" and can be uncomfortable, particularly in the arch, for the first week or so. Other than that it's a fantastic shoe and I am able to get a startling amount of mileage out of it considering its lightweight nature.

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Favorite daily trainer with some minor issues

Anonymous runner · Jul 4, 2019

5/5

Overall

I love the zante pursuit. It’s probably my favorite new balance shoe yet. I use it for daily training and longer runs. I have found over time that the heel slips a little bit for me and proves to be a little stiff, even when lacing the upper laces on the shoe. This has caused heel pain sometimes for me. Other than that, I love the look, feel and lightweight aspect of the shoe. It’s responsive and has some cushioning but not much, which is what I prefer. It’s sturdy enough to tackle short uptempo runs and longer runs in my experience although I haven’t taken it farther than ten miles so far. Overall, I would definitely recommended this shoe to a neutral runner who likes a responsive shoe that’s fast and comfortable.

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5