New Balance 1500 v4

Name: New Balance 1500 v4
Brand: New Balance
Rating: 4.4 (10 reviews)

Racing shoe · Stability · Road · 7.5 oz · 6mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The New Balance 1500v5 replaced it

How it ranks

The New Balance 1500 v4 ranks above most racing shoes in our data. Looks and durability are its strongest sub-ratings. Cushioning scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 10 runner reviews and 5 other rated shoes in the 1500 product line.

Decent

Overall

Decent 78

Appearance

Very good 90

Durability

Decent 79

Value

Decent 75

Comfort

Below average 62

Cushioning

Bottom-tier 50

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

85 High

High 85

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

“Running in these feels like banging two rocks together.”

2/5 Full review 48 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas Energy Boost 4

“Good ground feel and sole has a bit of cushion, but not too much, to keep it responsive.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Elixir 8

“Real snug fit, with a heel cup that prevents sliding, almost no break-in period, and super breathable.”

2/5 Full review 48 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas Energy Boost 4

“Material stiffens in rain, which can be uncomfortable.”

4/5 Full review training for a marathon came from the New Balance 1500 v2

“Firmer midsole isn't as cushioned initially but it doesn't break down.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4

“Lighter and more durable than the old DS trainers.”

5/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Asteria

“Good for workout days but not for long base runs or maintenance runs.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw came from the New Balance 1400v4

“Heavy for a flat at 8.6 ounces, and no energy return so useless for long distance.”

2/5 Full review 48 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas Energy Boost 4

“Feels faster and more efficient than anything else.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw came from the New Balance 1400v4

“Has a wide size, which never happens for flats.”

4/5 Full review training for a marathon came from the New Balance 1500 v2

“RevLite foam is nothing more than basic EVA foam.”

2/5 Full review 48 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas Energy Boost 4

“Good balance of snappiness and support.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Elixir 8

“Provides enough support to run workouts or even long runs.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon

“Feels fast while keeping a little cushion.”

4/5 Full review training for a marathon came from the New Balance 1500 v2

“Best shoe in the class of lightweight trainer with medial post.”

5/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Asteria

“The shoe to wear when you want to run fast.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon

Prefer this shoe over another

60% 6/10

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Three reviewers race distances from 5k to the marathon in it.
Reviewers rate durability 4.4 out of 5, and two say the firm midsole outlasts the softer shoes they came from.
It weighs 8.1 oz in the men's version and 6.9 oz in the women's, and two reviewers value the touch of support in a light shoe.

Cons

The nine of ten reviewers who rated cushioning give it 3.8 out of 5, and three find the ride firm with little cushioning.
Two of ten reviewers so far record it as running small.

1500 v4 rates 78. This shoe has high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the New Balance 1500

Each dot is one version of the 1500, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

69 2015 71 2017 74 2017 78 2017 76 2019 79 2019

Release year

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

1500 V6

2019 · 1 review

79 Decent

55 Confidence
1500v5

2019 · 2 reviews

76 Decent

58 Confidence
1500 v4 This shoe

2017 · 10 reviews

78 Decent

85 Confidence
1500 v3

2017 · 2 reviews

74 Decent

72 Confidence
1500 v2

2017 · 1 review

71 Decent

40 Confidence
1500 v1

2015 · 4 reviews

69 Below average

75 Confidence

Runner Ratings

10 ratings

5/5 6

4/5 3

3/5 0

2/5 1

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 7.5 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 8.1 oz · Women's 6.9 oz
Release: 2017 Q4
MSRP: $130
Drop: 6mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Heaviest "Flat" Evah

2/5

Overall

The Good: This is the best upper of any running shoe I've ever used. It's a real snug fit, with a heel cup that prevents sliding, almost no break in period, and is super breathable. Feels quick even if your not and looks good even if you don't. Grippy. Very stable. The Bad: It's been said you can barley feel the "t-bar" in the sole, but you can feel it and IMO, it doesn't feel good. Running in these feel like banging two rocks together. RevLite foam is nothing more than basic EVA foam. So basically, you're running on 1970's technology except you feel like a complete a-hole because you paid 2018's money for it. I'll be honest, I didn't do my research when I first purchased these shoes and they were kind of an impulse buy. I was able to not notice how much I disliked the mid-sole because most of the miles logged on them until recently was treadmill speed work. Verdict: I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure out who these shoes are for. They have a 6mm drop, so maybe a transitional shoe to the minimal market. The 1500 is heavy for a flat coming in at 8.6 ounces, and have no energy return so they're useless for long distance. New Balance has at least two other offerings using this prehistoric mid-sole that are close to the same weight or lighter so these are just cannibalizing the NB market. I guess you should buy these if... You want the real running in the 1970s running shoe experience.

BurtReynoldsMustache · Dec 16, 2018

48 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas Energy Boost 4

Comfort: 1/5
Cushioning: 1/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Love love love

5/5

Overall

This is the shoe I wear when I want to run fast! I've raced everything from 5 mi to marathons in these but also find it provides enough support that I can run workouts or even long runs in my 1500.

meow · Jul 13, 2018

40 mpw training for a marathon

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

Firm and Fast

5/5

Overall

I wore the NB Zante Fresh Foam for a few years but was disappointed in how quickly the mid soles broke down. The 1500 has a firmer mid sole which means the initial feel isn't as cushioned as the Zante but it doesn't breakdown. Last much longer.

Anonymous runner · Feb 18, 2018

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4

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

Firm and Fast

5/5

Overall

I wore the NB Zante Fresh Foam fro a few years but was disappointed in how quickly the mid soles broke down. The 1500 has a firmer mid sole which means the initial feel isn't as cushioned as the Zante but it doesn't breakdown. Last much longer.

Anonymous runner · Feb 18, 2018

30 mpw came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4

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

Good snappy shoe

5/5

Overall

I'm a loyalist who finds a shoe and sticks with it, so I've been looking for a good racer for longer distances since Mizuno canned the Wave Elixirs a few years ago. I've also become a lighter, stronger runner since then, and my shoe of choice evolved. I'm about 6 feet tall and weigh about 155 on race day. The 1500s offer a good balance of snappiness and support. That is to say, there's just a hair of support, but that goes a long way in a lighter shoe. There's good ground feel and the sole has a bit of cushion, but not too much, to keep it responsive. I use it on everything from long interval session to tempo work to long run days, and I race in it .

Anonymous runner · Feb 1, 2018

70 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Elixir 8