New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2

Name: New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2
Brand: New Balance
Rating: 4.9 (9 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.1 oz · 23/17mm stack · 6mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3 replaced it

How it ranks

The New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2 is one of the strongest 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 9 runner reviews and 3 other rated shoes in the Fresh Foam Zante product line.

Excellent

Overall

Excellent 95

Value

Exceptional 99

Appearance

Excellent 93

Comfort

Good 88

Cushioning

Decent 75

Durability

Decent 71

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

90 High

High 90

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

“Over 500 miles and still wearable.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon

“They didn't seem to hold up well on the paved trail and began to show wearing in the sole after a couple of months.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon

“No rain or snow slipping issues, unlike the original.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante

“Cushioning suits needs from everything from recovery pace to long intervals.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas adizero Boston 3

“They have the cushion for the roads and are lightweight for a track workout.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Trainer

“With wide feet, the shoe can feel too narrow after about 6 months.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Trainer

“Injury-free after 2 years of running.”

5/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Vazee 2090

“The fit is secure without being restricting.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas adizero Boston 3

“Light enough for any workout, but also usable on long runs.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante

“Very light for a trainer but still has decent cushioning.”

5/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Vazee 2090

“A full rubber bottom helps wear on the outsole while still staying lightweight overall.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas adizero Boston 3

“Good for everything from track repeats to 14-16 mile long runs.”

5/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

“The tread starts to go after about 6 months.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Trainer

“Very light with moderate cushioning.”

5/5 Full review 65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike LunarTempo 2

Prefer this shoe over another

58% 11/19

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Reviewers use it for track repeats, tempo runs and long runs.
At 8.6 oz it feels light while keeping usable cushioning.
Comfort rates 4.9 out of 5 across nine reviewers, one calling it the best running shoe he has worn.

Cons

Durability is its lowest-rated dimension at 3.9 out of 5, and two reviewers see outsole wear at a few hundred miles.
Two wide-footed reviewers wanted more room through the toe box.

Fresh Foam Zante V2 rates 95. This shoe has high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

92 2015 95 2016 66 2017 69 2018

Release year

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

Fresh Foam Zante v4

2018 · 34 reviews

69 Below average

98 Confidence
Fresh Foam Zante v3

2017 · 29 reviews

66 Below average

98 Confidence
Fresh Foam Zante V2 This shoe

2016 · 9 reviews

95 Excellent

90 Confidence
Fresh Foam Zante

2015 · 22 reviews

92 Very good

95 Confidence

Runner Ratings

9 ratings

5/5 8

4/5 1

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 8.1 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 8.6 oz · Women's 7.6 oz
Release: 2016 Q2
MSRP: $100
Stack: 23/17mm
Drop: 6mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

New Balance Fresh Foam Zante2

4/5

Overall

The shoes took a little while to break in at first, but once comfortable, they felt quick and light; although, they didn't seem to hold up well on the paved trail I run on and I could began to see them wearing a bit in the sole after a couple of months. The lightness and quick feeling they impart are gainly, however. They feel good during fast (for me) workout like mile, 800/400 repeats, and also handled long runs (9+ miles) well enough.

Anonymous runner · Feb 7, 2018

25 mpw training for a half marathon

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

Love the Zante line

5/5

Overall

Zante v2 is a great shoe and an improvement over the original one. It is light enough for any workout, but also can be used on long runs. The tread on this shoe is a big improvement over the original. In the original version I would sometimes slip in rain or snow, but have not had issues with the v2.

Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018

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

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

New Balance Zante v2

5/5

Overall

Solid, dependable daily trainer for a neutral runner. The shoe feels fairly responsive, and I've used it for everything ranging from longer track repeats to long runs in the 14-16 mile range. The low price for older models on Running Warehouse is also a huge plus.

Anonymous runner · Jan 3, 2018

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 7

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

Can Do Everything shoe

5/5

Overall

While maybe not "perfect" it's the best running shoe I have worn. The fit is secure without being restricting. Ideally it could be a little bit wider in the toe box, but I like wide toe boxes. It is not constricting at all and maybe even slightly wider than average. Plenty happy with it. Cushioning suits needs from everything from recovery pace to long intervals. Maybe just a touch on the soft side but it feels very responsive. Durability is on par with most running shoes. A full rubber bottom helps wear on the outsole while still staying lightweight overall. Perhaps my favorite part of the shoe is the 6mm drop. I've always wanted to go to a completely flat shoe but it was just too tough on my lower legs and achilles. I've had no pain with 6mm and it feels noticeably smoother than shoes with a larger heel. Hits that sweet spot of protection and feeling natural.

Anonymous runner · Dec 29, 2017

20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas adizero Boston 3

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

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New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2

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