New Balance has had great success with their Fresh Foam line, injecting new life into a company that was once considered “for old people”. First premiering in the middle-of-the-road Boracay, then the responsive Zante and plush 1080, the Boston-based New Balance has finally developed a stability model with their patented geometric engineering. How does it fare?

Stability

Certainly the main draw of this shoe is its support. This shoe uses a single piece of foam for the midsole, but the medial geometry is denser to prevent overpronation a tad. Most of the stability, however, comes from the softer lateral outsole, which is also forked to divide the rubber pieces. You can feel it. A little too much. When walking, the shoe feels slanted out, like you might roll your ankle. What might’ve been a better fit here is a straighter last and geometry, rather than the dual-density outsole.

Transition

From landing on the heel to toeing off, the Vongo felt great. That slant even felt less pronounced at higher speed. The heel felt fairly stable (probably a result of the dense rubber wrapping around it), while the forefoot was cushiony-yet-responsive.

Verdict

The faster you run, the better the Vongo feels, but on the downside, it makes for a poor uptempo/speed trainer at 10.6oz/300g. In other miscellany, the tongue is a little short, but didn’t seem to slide too much, thankfully. The best way I can describe the shoe is that it feels like the Nike Structure meets the Altra Provision.

Score: 7.0/10

New Balance Women’s Fresh Foam Vongo
New Balance Men’s Fresh Foam Vongo

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