New Balance 860 v7

Name: New Balance 860 v7
Brand: New Balance

Daily trainer · Stability · Road

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The New Balance 860 v6 replaced it

How it ranks

The New Balance 860 v7 trails most daily trainers in our data. Comfort and looks are its strongest sub-ratings. The rating rests on 4 runner reviews and 11 other rated shoes in the 860 product line. Another 8 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Bottom-tier

55/100

Overall

Bottom-tier 55

Comfort

Decent 79

Appearance

Decent 73

Cushioning

Below average 67

Durability

Bottom-tier 59

Value

Bottom-tier 59

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 will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

66/100

Moderate 66

What runners say

“Without fail, the upper separates from the lower on the outside of the toe box. Every. Single. Pair.”

3/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13

“I regularly get 500–600 (and once 700+) miles out of the shoes.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

“I was able to regularly get 450–500 miles on a pair with minimal injuries.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

“Mine tended to tear in the fabric in the midsole on the outside of the foot.”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

“It feels best on roads while doing longer runs, and can be a bit cumbersome if running on the track or doing quick intervals.”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

“They give enough support without being overly cushioned.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

“It fit nicely, with a lot of padding but also not too stiff or heavy.”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

Prefer this shoe over another

40% 2/5

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Comfort averages 5 out of 5 across four reviews, with appearance at 4.8 and cushioning 4.5.
Two reviewers get 450 to 600 miles from a pair, one of them once past 700.

Cons

Durability averages 3.5 out of 5, the lowest of its dimensions, and two reviewers have the upper tear or separate before the soles wear out.
One reviewer finds it cumbersome on the track or in quick intervals, and another misses the rolling forefoot feel of the earlier versions.

860 v7 rates 55. This shoe has moderate certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the New Balance 860

Each dot is one version of the 860, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

53 2014 47 2014 66 2016 52 2018 55 2018 60 2019 54 2019 74 2020 55 2020 54 2021 54 2022 50 2024

Release year

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

Fresh Foam X 860 v14

2024 · 11 reviews

50 Bottom-tier

88 Confidence
Fresh Foam X 860 v13

2022 · 5 reviews

54 Bottom-tier

81 Confidence
Fresh Foam X 860 v12

2021 · 1 review

54 Bottom-tier

64 Confidence
Fresh Foam 860 v11

2020 · 1 review

55 Bottom-tier

45 Confidence
860 v10

2020 · 8 reviews

74 Decent

74 Confidence
860 V9

2019 · 5 reviews

54 Bottom-tier

83 Confidence
860 v8

2019 · 10 reviews

60 Bottom-tier

78 Confidence
860 v7 This shoe

2018 · 4 reviews

55 Bottom-tier

66 Confidence
860 v6

2018 · 2 reviews

52 Bottom-tier

65 Confidence
860 v5

2016 · 4 reviews

66 Below average

69 Confidence
860 v4

2014 · 16 reviews

47 Bottom-tier

94 Confidence
860 v3

2014 · 2 reviews

53 Bottom-tier

68 Confidence

Reader Ratings

4 ratings

5/5 2

4/5 1

3/5 1

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Release: 2018

Runner reviews

Write a review

Good for running until they fall apart

3/5

Overall

860s have been my go to shoe for years now but without fail, the upper seperates from the lower on the outside of the toe box. Every. Single. Pair. I wish I had another shoe I could use to stop supporting crappy manufacturing but these work best for my feet.

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 1/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 3/5

Small Changes to a Proven Commodity

5/5

Overall

I have been wearing the New Balance 760 and now 860 series for fifteen years (fall of '02). This shoe is in line with what I have come to expect from New Balance. I regularly get 500-600 (and once 700+) miles out of the shoes. The one change I could tell that they made from the previous model (and which they have partially gone back to in the newest model - v8) is a shift in the plane of the shoe. It is hard to describe, but it is like the shoe had a plane it rested on while standing regularly, but as you rolled towards the balls of your feet, you could feel a fulcrum point past which another plane appeared as you stood on the balls of your feet. I really liked that feature in the older versions, and was sad to see it go in the v7 (and thus happy to see it back in v8). This change did not substantially effect my experience with the shoe, nor did it stop me from buying the next model of the show. It was merely a change that I noticed.

Anonymous runner · Feb 7, 2018

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

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

Highly recommend the New Balance 860v7

5/5

Overall

I've been wearing various versions of the New Balance 860 for the last 4 years or so and have had great success with them and the 860v7 is no exception. I was able to regularly get 450-500 miles on a pair with minimal injuries. They give enough support without being overly cushion-y. I used to wear the Nike Air Structure Triax back in the day for years until I transitioned to the New Balance 860's and haven't looked back since.

jbrun20 · Feb 7, 2018

70 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6

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

I've used it for a while

4/5

Overall

I first used it because it was the continuation of the 860v5, which in my opinion was the best running shoe I've ever ran in due to it's comfort and snug fit. It fit nicely, with a lot of padding but also not too stiff or heavy. It feels best on roads while doing longer runs, and can be a bit cumbersome if running on the track or doing quick intervals. In addition, mine tended to tear in the fabric in the midsole on the outside of the foot, meaning I had to buy them before the soles had actually worn out. Overall though, I really enjoyed them, and the fact that they've been the only shoe I've used for almost a year and a half without major injuries and with great comfort is a testament to their good qualities.

Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018

55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance 860 v6