5/5
Overall
tfong · Jan 23, 2016
60 mpw training for middle distance came from the Saucony Kinvara 4
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 5/5
New Balance 890 v3
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.1 oz (men's) · 28/21mm stack · 7mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The New Balance 890 v4 replaced it
How it ranks
The New Balance 890 v3 trails most daily trainers in our data. Value and looks are its strongest sub-ratings. Durability scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 27 runner reviews and 6 other rated shoes in the 890 product line.
Below average
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.
Confidence
93 High
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.
- Our ratings
- Product line track record
- External ratings
What runners say
“I've had four pairs of these shoes and they are an absolute workhorse. I put about 1000km on each pair”
“Comfortable and smooth; good for anything except short sprints. Lasted me over 1200 miles.”
“I was able to put 1250 miles on my first pair of them. I was only getting about 700 miles out of other shoes”
“Heel drop seems to be about right. There is enough of a heel to not fry my calves, but it's not chunky either.”
“The shoe doesn't last long enough and frequently breaks down after 300 miles or so.”
“Lightweight, yet sufficient cushioning for logging mileage on roads and sidewalks.”
“Good balance of support and weight for everyday training. Low drop compared to other shoes, but more support than no drop shoes.”
“Put more miles on these shoes than any other, around 640 and still running in them.”
“Lightweight, but enough support to do longer runs in.”
“Great shoe for everyday mileage or tempo work. Have run 3 marathons in them.”
“I have found this shoe very reliable and versatile over the past couple years. Good for workouts down to intervals and up to long runs.”
“It's a little stiff and narrow in the front.”
“Rubber design on the sole picks up tons of gravel and rocks.”
“Only problem is that the laces come untied often.”
Prefer this shoe over another
38% 3/8
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.
Pros
- Six reviewers call it light, one adding that the cushioning is enough for logging road miles.
- Five reviewers use it for everything from intervals to marathons.
- Three reviewers get over 1000 miles from a pair, one of them 1250.
Cons
- Durability averages 4.0 out of 5 and the file splits, one reviewer seeing it break down by about 300 miles.
- One reviewer finds it stiff and narrow in the front, another that the sole picks up gravel, and a third that the laces come untied.
- Ten of the twenty-six reviewers who answered report an injury while running in it.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the New Balance 890
Each dot is one version of the 890, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Release year
-
2020 · 2 reviews
67 Below average
75 Confidence
-
2019 · 9 reviews
84 Good
88 Confidence
-
2018 · 8 reviews
67 Below average
91 Confidence
-
2015 · 4 reviews
62 Below average
81 Confidence
-
2014 · 57 reviews
53 Bottom-tier
97 Confidence
-
890 v3 This shoe
2013 · 27 reviews
62 Below average
93 Confidence
-
2012 · 5 reviews
66 Below average
82 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 9.1 oz (men's)
- Release
- 2013
- MSRP
- $110
- Stack
- 28/21mm
- Drop
- 7mm
Runner reviews
4/5
Overall
Oedipus Rexing · May 8, 2015
70 mpw came from the New Balance 890 v2
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 4/5
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Apr 12, 2015
45 mpw came from the PUMA Faas 500 v2
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Oct 16, 2014
80 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Sep 21, 2014
30 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from New Balance
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
New Balance 890 v3 In Context
More on the New Balance 890
- New Balance 890 v8
- New Balance 890 v7
- New Balance 890 v6
- New Balance 890 v5
- New Balance 890 v4 next version
- New Balance 890 v2 previous version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- New Balance 890 v2 1 runner
- PUMA Faas 500 v2 1 runner
- Saucony Kinvara 4 1 runner