Shoe Review: New Balance 1080 v13

Score: 7.4/10

Following a tumultuous two-week shipping/delivery process, I finally received my New Balance 1080 v13 running shoes this past week. Side note: sign up for the official communication from the USPS if you want updates on your packages this holiday season, as I had to fend off scammers for the past week trying to get me to input my personal information to gain access to my tracking status. I can see how old people get got by these scammers, because their methods were actually quite believable. Anyways.

After running in the Brooks Glycerins for my past 6 pairs of running shoes, I thought that it might be time to branch out and try something new. Following a couple weeks of in-depth internet research, I determined that the New Balance 1080 series would be the next treads that I would utilize. So far, I have not been disappointed.

The version 13 is actually one year old, which benefits a cost-conscious runner like myself because I was able to get these speedsters for the cool price of $125, as opposed to the $170 retail price. They are easily the most comfortable running shoes that I have worn in the past four years, though the jury is still out on whether they are my favorite. Let me explain.

There is substantial cushioning in the New Balance 1080 v13, much more so than the Brooks Glycerin versions 16-20 that I previously wore. While this cushioning is likely important for long runs and long-term joint health, I do miss a little bit more of a road-like feel on my runs. Maybe that makes me a bit of an outlier in this department? I’m not sure. I was quite concerned about the width of these shoes in the weeks leading up to their arrival, but I have found that they fit like a standard running shoe. They are significantly narrower (in a good way) than I found from the Hoka Clifton 8s that I have also previously worn, and I found that they look much less bulky on my foot. Now, I’m not exactly a fashionesta when it comes to my running shoes, but I do like something that looks relatively sleek on my foot and isn’t an absolute eyesore if I do have to wear them to the grocery store or another public space where I will inevitably meet the love of my life (kidding. too many Hallmark movies). I greatly prefer their look over the Brooks Glycerin as well, so this is an added bonus that I have found.

I am not the speediest runner. I will be the first to admit that. However, I do like mixing a little bit of speed work into my longer distance running routine. I would not recommend the 1080s for sprinting/tempo runs in particular. I found it increasingly difficult to get good “pop” out of these shoes, and I will likely find myself investing additional funds into another pair of Saucony Endorphin Speeds for some of my shorter distance work. You can really never have too many shoes.

Pricing wise, the original price falls directly in line with what you can expect from most tier 2 running shoes. From my experience, tier 1 running shoes include a carbon plate and will run you no less than $210 retail (and that’s on the low side). Tier 2, for me, typically runs from $160-200, and a tier 3 running shoe will sell for $120-155 retail. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with any of these tiers, but you absolutely get what you pay for. I will likely try the v14 of the 1080 series before trying another shoe, and I think the $170 retail price point is fair for the quality that I have noticed thus far.

Good shoe. No real complaints, but they haven’t won me over to the point where I am ready to pledge my allegiance to the New Balance brand moving forward.