New Balance 1080 v9

Name: New Balance 1080 v9
Brand: New Balance
Rating: 4.6 (20 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.9 oz · 30/22mm stack · 8mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The New Balance Fresh Foam1080 v7 replaced it

How it ranks

The New Balance 1080 v9 trails most daily trainers in our data. Cushioning and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 22 runner reviews and 12 other rated shoes in the 1080 product line.

Below average

Overall

Below average 67

Cushioning

Excellent 96

Comfort

Good 84

Appearance

Good 80

Durability

Decent 79

Value

Bottom-tier 57

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

96 Very high

Very high 96

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

Product line track record
Our ratings
External ratings

What runners say

“You are conscious of the cushioning without it feeling like running on marshmallows.”

5/5 Full review 10 mpw training for a half marathon

“Holds up even into the 600 mile range when I forget to replace shoes.”

5/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance 1080 v8

“NB offers various width fittings (D, 2E & 4E). If you have wider feet this is a massive bonus.”

5/5 Full review 10 mpw training for a half marathon

“Tons of cushion and support. Perfect for longer runs and to ease the daily wear and tear of grinding out mileage.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 V9

“One of the few shoes that are consistently available in 4E width, which is a huge help.”

5/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance 1080 v8

“The midsole is the best I've found in a mileage trainer.”

4/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 1080 v8

“Comfortable for long runs and easy runs, but with enough pep.”

4/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 1080 v8

“The heel cup is a bit wider, but lacing in the back eyelet helps tremendously.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 22

“This one has been giving me blisters on my feet. Didn't happen with earlier versions of the shoe.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the Saucony Triumph ISO 2

“The only shoe that I can run in and not have blisters or losing toenail.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon

“Good cushion and comfort for longer runs if you are not looking for tons of speed.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Kayano 25

“Good for easy long runs and recovery runs. For fartleks and intervals, I did not like it.”

4/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 14

“Amazing responsiveness; cushioned feel makes running more fun.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Vazee Prism v2

“There is less cushioning around the heel collar than on previous versions, which contributes to a little instability when turning.”

4/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 1080 v8

“They run a bit big.”

3/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Glycerin 16

“Has a wide enough toe box but not a super wide heel.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Kayano 25

“Too big and heavy for speed work.”

4/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33

“Feel like heel slips with the mesh back.”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon

“The heel on this shoe is kind of rigid and I do feel it.”

3/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Glycerin 16

“Ideally the cushion would be more firm.”

4/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon v2

“Really naturally wide so shoe lost form after a while.”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon

“There wasn't enough cushioning (in the 880s).”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo v2

Prefer this shoe over another

32% 7/22

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Reviewers praise the cushioning for long, easy and recovery runs, and rate it 4.8 out of 5.
Reviewers with wide feet like the roomy toe box and the D, 2E and 4E width options.
Several reviewers report them holding up well, one past 600 miles.

Cons

Several reviewers find it too heavy and soft for fast workouts.
Several reviewers report the heel slipping, rubbing or blistering.
Value is its lowest-rated dimension at 3.8 out of 5, well below its other marks.

1080 v9 rates 67. This shoe has very high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the New Balance 1080

Each dot is one version of the 1080, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

60 2013 68 65 2015 70 80 67 2018 94 64 81 2021 92 84 2023 91 78 2026

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

1080v15

2026 · 7 reviews

78 Decent

81 Confidence
Fresh Foam X 1080 v14

2024 · 30 reviews

91 Very good

93 Confidence
Fresh Foam X 1080v13

2023 · 27 reviews

84 Good

92 Confidence
Fresh Foam X 1080v12

2022 · 25 reviews

92 Very good

94 Confidence
Fresh Foam 1080 v11

2021 · 4 reviews

81 Good

87 Confidence
Fresh Foam1080 v7

2019 · 8 reviews

64 Below average

89 Confidence
1080 v10

2019 · 24 reviews

94 Excellent

95 Confidence
1080 v9 This shoe

2018 · 22 reviews

67 Below average

96 Confidence
1080 v8

2018 · 13 reviews

80 Good

94 Confidence
Fresh Foam 1080 v1

2016 · 1 review

70 Decent

83 Confidence
1080 v5

2015 · 6 reviews

65 Below average

87 Confidence
1080 v4

2014 · 11 reviews

68 Below average

90 Confidence
1080 v3

2013 · 10 reviews

60 Below average

88 Confidence

Runner Ratings

22 ratings

5/5 14

4/5 7

3/5 1

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 8.9 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 10.0 oz · Women's 7.8 oz
Release: 2018 Q4
MSRP: $150
Stack: 30/22mm
Drop: 8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Good Cushion, looks great, but doesn't fit my foot that well

3/5

Overall

I've been trying a lot of different shoes lately just to figure out what I like best. I haven't put a ton a miles on these yet, so I'm still figuring out how a truly feel about them. While its not love at first run, they are a good shoe for putting easy miles in. Pretty soft and comfortable, however I do feel like they run a bit big. I usually wear size 8, but I feel like 7.5 would probably fit better. I also have mild haglunds syndrome on my heel. Normally it doesn't bother me at all, but the heal on this shoe is kind of rigid and I do feel it a big. So if you have haglunds that really bothers you I would not recommend this shoe.

Anonymous runner · Jul 6, 2019

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Glycerin 16

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 3/5

A little expensive, but worth it

5/5

Overall

I transitioned to these when New Balance discontinued the Vongo2s. I first tried the 880s, but there wasn't enough cushioning. The store manager, also a runner, asked my planned distances and what I liked about the Vongo2s. When I said it was the cushioning and I was leaning toward a more neutral shoe, he suggested these. I've put about 150 miles on them and they're perfect. My only complaint is the color palette, they're filthy. Would buy again and in fact have a new pair ready to rotate in

Anonymous runner · Jul 6, 2019

20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo v2

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

Good but Earlier Models were Great

5/5

Overall

This one has been giving me blisters on my feet. Didn't happen with earlier versions of the shoe. Other than that, love the cushioning and the shoes lace up well.

Anonymous runner · Jul 5, 2019

30 mpw came from the Saucony Triumph ISO 2