New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos
by iRUN Singapore on August 22, 2024
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos Review
Introduction
Balos is a famous beach and lagoon on the northwest coast of Crete, Greece, located on the Gramvousa Peninsula. New Balance had 2 other shoes which were also named after exotic places. The Zante was a speed trainer named after the Greek Island in the Ionian sea and the Boracay was a daily trainer named after an island in the Philippines.
The Fresh Foam X Balos is a brand new, premium daily trainer from New Balance. They already have another premium daily trainer in the Fresh Foam X 1080, which is their best-selling and most popular model but what sets the Balos apart from the 1080 is that the midsole of the Balos is infused with PEBA.
We’ve seen a number of New Balance racers and trainers get upgraded with PEBA this year. The SC Elite v4, SC Trainer v3, SC Pacer v2, and the Rebel v4 all received the PEBA treatment, making them lighter and giving them more energy return. New Balance now has more PEBA running shoes in their lineup than any other brand.
The Balos is a maximalist trainer coming in at 261 grams for a men’s US9. It weighs 3 grams less than the 1080v13 yet it has 0.5 mm more stack height in both the heel and the forefoot.
Specifications
Price
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$289
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Drop
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6 mm (38.5 mm heel, 32.5 mm forefoot)
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Surface
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Road
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Weight (Men's US9)
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261 g
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Pronation Control
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Neutral
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Upper
The upper of the Balos is designed with performance in mind. It's stripped down in order to maintain a low weight.
It has a thin, creel mesh upper that doesn’t stretch. Breathability is very good so it's suitable for warm climates and summertime running.
The tongue is flat, stretchy and semi-gusseted. It lies comfortably against the top of your feet and doesn't move around when you're running. The laces are flat and they distribute the pressure evenly so you don't feel any lacing pressure on the top of your feet.
The heel tab and collar are moderately padded and an internal heel counter provides structure so foot lockdown is excellent.
Reflectivity is top-notch. There are large reflective panels on the sides of the heel counter as well as on the medial side of the toe-box. This is a shoe that you will not miss if you drive past it at night.
Midsole
The Fresh Foam X midsole of the Balos is very soft and squishy. It has a slightly denser, firmer midsole than the New Balance 1080v13 but it is still one of the softest trainers currently on the market.
While regular Fresh Foam X consists of only EVA, the Balos’ Fresh Foam X midsole gets infused with PEBA (polyethylene block amides) as well. This makes the ride less mushy and more bouncy.
The Balos has an early stage meta rocker. This means that both the rearfoot and forefoot have a rocker to help make transitions smoother.
The 6 mm heel to toe drop makes it a suitable trainer for heel, midfoot and forefoot strikers. Cushioning is distributed evenly throughout the length of the midsole.
Outsole
There's a lot of thick rubber on the Balos’ outsole. It's of the soft variety so landings feel very padded. There is some exposed midsole foam on the midfoot, centre of the heel and centre of the forefoot.
Both lateral and medial sides of the rearfoot are protected with thick rubber. These areas are some of the highest wear areas on an outsole. Most of the forefoot is also protected by thick rubber.
Grip on wet surfaces is not the best. Due to how flat and smooth the outsole is, it does not bite into smooth surfaces when moist. Traction is good on dry surface surfaces.
Outsole durability is acceptable and you should be able to get at least 800 km of running. You should avoid trail running because the soft outsole is susceptible to punctures.
Ride
The ride of the Balos is an interesting one. At slow paces, it feels marshmallow-soft. Your feet sink down into the uber-soft foam and you get a sense of plushness.
As soon as you increase your speed and you strike the ground harder, the PEBA midsole rebounds and returns the energy, propelling you forward. The early-stage meta rocker of the Balos makes it feel energy-saving because it speeds up transitions.
Conclusion
The Fresh Foam X Balos is a great premium daily trainer from New Balance. What sets the Balos apart from other premium daily trainers is that the entire midsole of it is infused with PEBA, making it lighter and more versatile.
The Balos feels like a more energetic 1080v13. While the 1080v13 can only handle easy or recovery paces, the Balos has the ability to shift up a couple gears due to its more advanced midsole.
It’s a luxurious feeling trainer; a lighter, more modern version of the Nike Invincible. Its lower weight makes it feel more dynamic so it can also be used for long runs, moderately-paced runs or fartlek runs which include short, fast bursts.
This premium trainer is designed for runners who want an incredibly soft ride that doesn’t feel mushy or for runners who want an efficient, rockered ride which saves energy.
Reviewed by Brandon Law
Check out New balance Fresh Foam X Balos here
