New Balance 890 v7

Name: New Balance 890 v7
Brand: New Balance
Rating: 4.7 (9 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 6.9 oz · 7mm drop · 24/17mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The New Balance 890 v8 replaced it

How it ranks

The New Balance 890 v7 ranks among the stronger daily trainers in our data. Value and looks are its strongest sub-ratings. Durability scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 9 runner reviews and 6 other rated shoes in the 890 product line. Another 3 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Good

88/100

Overall

Good 88

Value

Good 86

Appearance

Good 80

Comfort

Decent 74

Cushioning

Decent 70

Durability

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

See the product line's history

Confidence

85/100

High 85

What runners say

“Combines the responsiveness of a neutral fast shoe and the cushioning of a distance shoe”

4/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Pure Flow 4

“The foam's firmness is the best of both worlds: a bit of give, but minimal material for the minimalist runner”

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

“Wide toe box yet form fitting upper that narrows in the body of the foot”

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

“Pretty light, but still provide enough cushioning for long runs”

5/5 Full review 45 mpw came from the adidas adizero Boston 7

“Durability is a minor concern”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3

“The low-drop is ideal for pushing forward in workouts and races”

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

“Good cushioning and support in heel/midfoot and enough room for toes”

5/5 Full review 10 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Skechers GOrun 7+

“Cushion is a bit on the light side”

4/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Type A

“Has served me well for everything from marathon training to easy doubles”

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

Prefer this shoe over another

73% 8/11

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

At 6.9 oz, reviewers use it for both workouts and long runs.
Reviewers praise the roomy toe box and the well-ventilated upper.
It is the highest-rated 890 version we cover, well clear of the v6's 58 and the v8's 56.

Cons

Durability is its lowest-rated dimension, with three reviewers marking it 3 out of 5.
Two reviewers find the cushioning light, one calling the foam minimal.

890 v7 rates 88. This shoe has moderate certainty. See how we rate shoes.

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.

Rating

40 60 80 100

70 2012 63 2013 50 2014 59 2015 58 2018 88 2019 56 2020

Release year

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

890 v8

2020 · 2 reviews

56 Bottom-tier

70 Confidence
890 v7 This shoe

2019 · 9 reviews

88 Good

85 Confidence
890 v6

2018 · 8 reviews

58 Bottom-tier

84 Confidence
890 v5

2015 · 4 reviews

59 Bottom-tier

75 Confidence
890 v4

2014 · 57 reviews

50 Bottom-tier

98 Confidence
890 v3

2013 · 27 reviews

63 Below average

88 Confidence
890 v2

2012 · 5 reviews

70 Decent

67 Confidence

Reader Ratings

9 ratings

5/5 6

4/5 3

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: 6.9 oz
Release: 2019 Q1
MSRP: $120
Stack Height: 24mm heel - 17mm toe
Drop Height: 7mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Responsive yet cushioned for long runs

4/5

Overall

As a forefoot runner I always run into problems with durability vs ‘clunkiness for long runs. the NB 890 combines the responsiveness of a neutral fast shoe and the cushioning of a distance shoe I love them!

Anonymous runner · Jan 29, 2020

60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Pure Flow 4

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

Best Pace Hitter

5/5

Overall

The 890v7 is the neutral trainer that should be in your rotation if it isn't already. With a wide toe box yet form fitting upper that narrows in the body of the foot, it's a welcoming style for all three run strike types. The low-drop is ideal for pushing forward in workouts and races. The foam's firmness is the best of both worlds: a bit of give, but minimal material for the minimalist runner. If you miss the Vazee Pacev2, give this a shot.

Anonymous runner · Jan 17, 2020

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon

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

890 versatility

5/5

Overall

Great lightweight trainer. Has served me well for everything from marathon training to easy doubles. If I could only run in one shoe for everything this would definitely be my choice.

Anonymous runner · Aug 12, 2019

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