The New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo v4 ranks above most daily trainers in our data. Cushioning and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. The rating rests on 7 runner reviews and 4 other rated shoes in the Fresh Foam Vongo product line. Another 5 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.
Good
84/100
Overall
Good84
Cushioning
Excellent94
Comfort
Very good91
Appearance
Good88
Durability
Good86
Value
Good83
Confidence
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.
Reviewers rate comfort 5.0 out of 5 and cushioning 4.7 out of 5, and three praise both on easy and long runs.
Two reviewers say it is stable without a traditional medial post.
The Fresh Foam Vongo v3 before it scores 70 on twenty reviews, against this version's 84.
Cons
Reviewers rate durability 4.1 out of 5, its lowest dimension, and reviewers split on it, one at 200 miles expecting 600 and another reporting quick breakdown.
Two of seven 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.
Confidence
5060708090100255075100
Better Shoes Rating
Fresh Foam Vongo v4 rates 84.
This shoe has moderate certainty.
See how we rate shoes.
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo
Each dot is one version of the Fresh Foam Vongo, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Rating
406080100
592017612017702018842019742021
Release year
We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating.
See why.
After trying a few different shoes, I was looking for a shoe that balanced cushion with stability, as those were two factors I enjoyed in previous shoes I tried. I feel like these have a good amount of stability and a sturdy, supported feeling to them, as well as are comfy to wear, but aren't overly cushioned. I've worn them for 6+ years now and I can't imagine wanting to switch to a different shoe. They're incredibly reliable, consistent, and break in great.
I absolutely love this shoe. Its a great training shoe and it’s been the only shoe I've run in that has not injured me. I feel like I’m floating when I wear these.
My experiences with this shoe were overall very positive. I bought it primarily for a easy day/slow long run trainer, and it has been a good option in my shoe rotation. I find myself reaching for it on most days, and right off the bat I found it to have a very comfortable immediate feel upon putting it on. Size was true. I am pretty ready (as an overpronator) to transition to shoes that do not have a medial post/conventional support systems, to more "modern"support, with the "varus wedge," and so far, this has exceeded expectations with stability. I like the cushion, they have really maximized it for this model, in comparison to prior renditions. It is not overboard (i.e. compared to HOKA Arahi, etc), nor is it too little cushioning. Currently, I am around ~200 miles and I do not even feel that I am remotely halfway through the life of this shoe, and feel like it will top out around 600 miles. Overall, it has performed up to expectation for me, and as long as they don't make too many changes I will be continuing to run in this shoe for many years.
I am a former collegiate athlete working for a well-regarded small running store (non-biased, we sell every major brand). Over the last few years of running higher mileage in a wide range of shoes. Most shoes I train in would garner a very conditional recommendation - one that is highly dependent on the needs of the user. Some shoes just straight up (in my humble opinion) stink. Oftentimes they fall flat because certain features don't work well with their intended market, or they radically missed the mark in some self-sabotaging way. There is also an occasional shoe that quickly becomes a favorite, usually because of either several features that work for a wide variety of runners, a specific features that are unparalleled elsewhere,etc.. A great example of a shoe like this would be the Ghost, for its reliable standard as a comfortable, cushioned, well structured trainer with enough reactivity to please a wide range of high drop, neutral shoe runners.
The Vongo is in that rare class of shoe. It is very unique - 4mm drop, highly cushioned, moderately stable, and surprisingly quick off the toe. It is not a very light shoe, but it speeds up nicely when you do, kind of like the Ghost. It is stable without a traditional medial post, and I don't feel *that* strange running in it as a neutral runner. I like the fact that it has atypically prominent forefoot cushioning as a low drop shoe, which I would highly recommend to faster midfoot strikers who prefer a more stable ride in a mileage shoe. It's low drop and sharp, rubber tread also make it a passable (though overly cushioned) cross trainer in a pinch, especially for generalists who run more than they lift. It has a narrow fitting but stretchy upper, a secure heel and tongue, and it runs a bit longer than most trainers. I would not suggest sizing down, however. It has a very noticeable offset towards the interior of the shoe, and it is much more noticeable walking in it than running in it.
Overall, the Vongo rocks. I have few criticisms - it's price point is on the higher side, which I feel is justified by the quality of the shoe. However, it is not the bargain that some shoes (Hoka Rincon!) are. The only runners I would not recommend this shoe to are those who have frequent calf/achilles problems, as the drop is a bit low and will stress the rear chain more than higher drop shoes, or those who are looking for a light, low-mileage trainer to zip around in.
