New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon v3

Name: New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon v3
Brand: New Balance

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 7.8 oz

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.

How it ranks

The New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon v3 is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Comfort and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. The rating rests on 2 runner reviews and 2 other rated shoes in the Fresh Foam Beacon product line. Another 10 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Current estimate: Excellent

93/100

Overall

Excellent 93

Comfort

Excellent 97

Value

Excellent 94

Cushioning

Excellent 94

Appearance

Good 90

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

See the product line's history

Confidence

62/100

Low 62

Based on product-line history, external ratings, and 2 runner ratings.

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

At 7.8 oz, one reviewer uses it for easy runs and 100 to 200m strides.
Both reviewers so far praise the roomy toe box, one of them with wide feet.
One reviewer has put 9000 miles across ten pairs, and says they only start to feel flat around 800 miles.

Cons

The two reviewers so far disagree about the cushioning, one finding it firm and the other too mushy for workouts.

Fresh Foam Beacon v3 rates 93. This shoe has low certainty. See how we rate shoes.

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

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

98 2018 99 2019 93 2020

Release year

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

Fresh Foam Beacon v3 This shoe

2020 · 2 reviews

93 Excellent

62 Confidence
Fresh Foam Beacon v2

2019 · 14 reviews

99 Exceptional

97 Confidence
Fresh Foam Beacon

2018 · 32 reviews

98 Exceptional

97 Confidence

Reader Ratings

2 ratings

5/5 1

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: 7.8 oz
Release: 2020 Q3

Runner reviews

Write a review

Nice neutral shoe

4/5

Overall

I favor light, flexible shoes that don't interfere with my mechanics. The Beacons are light and have nice cushioning and bounce. I use them as everyday trainers, mostly for easy and steady pace runs. For workouts, I feel like the cushioning is too mushy -- like I am having to push/work through that thick slab of Fresh Foam. My wide feet appreciate the generous toe box width and height. Although they come in wide widths, the normal width is ok for me. I'm 51yo, 5'4" and range 110-115lb. For context, other shoes that I have liked a lot include Kinvara (v4, v10-v13), NB Zante v1-v2, Skechers Razor v1-v3, Saucony Tempus, Adidas Takumi Sen v8.

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2023

25 mpw training for a marathon

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

Boilerplate, reliable trainer - but being discontinued

5/5

Overall

I have put 9,000+ miles on 10 pairs of the NB Fresh Foam Beacon V3s. Only around the 800 mile mark do they start to feel "flat" compared to a new pair. They are a very light, zero drop trainer that doesn't try to be anything more than they are - just a good fit with a wider toe box, relatively simple but good looking colorways, and a longevity that not many other trainers I've worn can boast. They are good for easy runs, durable enough for easy long runs, and are light enough for quick 100-200m strides without you missing your flats. Plus, the reliable outsole grip is a welcome departure from other NB shoe treads such as their racing flats where traction is an issue. I even wear my retired pairs of Beacon V3s on short, non technical hikes since their fit and grip is pretty good.

I rated the cushioning 9/10 since I acknowledge the firmer, not-thin-not-thick sole may not be preferable to other athletes even though I myself prefer it. I would not buy this if you want a "cushioned" feeling shoe, but I would buy it if you want a responsive and reliable trainer.

whid · Jun 5, 2023

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