Customer Reviews New Balance MR790

Love, Love, Love this shoe! It is so hard to find a good waterproof shoe that is good for light hiking and for city wear on crummy days that is also cute and comfortable. This shoe works perfectly! This shoe has great stability even though it has a lower back on it, but I would recommend something with more ankle support for hilly/loose footing hikes. The tread has great traction on wet rocks, pavement, gravel, snow, etc...I just wish it was a little "gummier" on ice conditions, but it is still not that bad. The only downsides are: A) really short laces (but this does keep the loops out of mud :-)...if you want to look at the positive side. B) The tongue of the shoe is really stiff, and puts a lot of pressure on the top of your foot when you first start wearing it. It is starting to really loosen up though after a few days of wear time. Overall, I would totally purchase this shoe again.

Super comfortable shoe, very slippery if the ground is wet.

Good looks, OK comfort - This is a good-looking, lightweight shoe. The weight may be a bonus for some, but for me it does not supply the support needed for 12 hour shifts. Also, it runs about a half-size too small.

Shoes look great, very comfortable. Zappos has excellent customer service and expedited my order without my asking... I returned the shoe because they run .5 size smaller, but re-ordered the larger size and can't wait to receive them. Thank you Zappos...

Good shoe - Light and comfortable off-road. My trail has some areas of asphalt/concrete. On these areas, the shoe is a little hard on the feet. Overall a good shoe for running.

Very light - The shoe looks awesome and is incredibly lightweight. Pretty comfortable, but runs half size smaller.

Great running shoe with some reservations - I was intrigued by their light weight and bought a pair. I put them to the test by running up a 1000 ft fire road. They were superb on the way up, very light, comfortable, good grip and ventilation. On the way down, I felt they weren't as good -- they didn't feel as secure as my Mizuno Wave Riders (which I often use on the trail) AND I had to be careful not to step on any stones -- the soles are very thin indeed and rocks can hurt. Next test was a 4 miler on mixed flat trail/road. Here they performed very nicely. They feel fast and the heel grips very well. Just need a little care how your feet land. No aches or pains thus far, so I think I'll keep on using them for longer and longer runs see how they hold up.

Good walking\gym shoe. These shoes are very light and great for everyday use. I initially bought them to run in, and while being light, they are extremely slippery. The little nubs on the bottom don't play well with wet pavement. The sneakers run small and I needed to order a full size larger. One more thing, the toe box is a little narrow but will stretch.

I have these in the grey/black and they have been great. I haven't run in them, just have worn them casually, but they are ultra comfortable. They are probably the lightest running shoe I've ever had. I may run in them some once spring comes around. I liked them so much I also bought the black pair as back-ups.

Great shoe overall - I slacked a little over the summer, and when I got back to running more miles decided to try working on a more natural form (something like chi running or the pose method). I looked around a little and found that the Chi Running folks recommended this shoe so I bought a pair. Overall, I've been very happy with them. They are incredibly lightweight and the fit, for my foot at least, is excellent. I've used them almost exclusively for about 5 months of running both road and trail, and they've held up pretty well. The tread has worn a bit more than I'd expect, but not terribly. My only major complaint is that there is very little toe protection. On two occasions I've kicked a rock or stump on the trail and ended up with blood underneath a nail.

Definitely a trail shoe. I bought this shoe based on looks mostly, but I wanted to use it for jogging. I do most of my running on pavement and the sole of this shoe is definitely developed for trail running. It does not have the shock absorbing power of a road running shoe. Compared to other New Balance shoes it ran a bit smaller and more narrow (smaller toe box). I got the shoe in a regular width but a size larger then I normally would, and it fits snuggly (perfect fit for a running shoe). I am definitely keeping these shoes I love the way they look, and they are very comfortable, they will be perfect for those days I take my workout to the trails.

Great shoe - I love my 790s but the sole didn’t seem to last very long, maybe 4 months. But very comfy. If NB made the sole more long lasting I would be 100% satisfied.

Great looking... but be careful! A great looking shoe... decently comfortable... would like a bit more support, but it is okay. The problem comes in on wet surfaces. Numerous times I've nearly fallen because they don't do well on wet, flat surfaces... very slippery where other shoes were not.

Cool looking shoe, very light, but my big toes felt cramped after about an hour.

MR790 - Great shoe; lightweight, comfortable. However, the length runs short. You may need to buy 1 size larger for best fit.

New balance - Very light shoe. Good cushioning and support.

Unfortunately, quality is defective - I've had 3 pairs of these shoes now and I love the look and the comfort. Super light shoes. However, within a couple of weeks my first pair started to separate the lugs from the sole. Zappos replaced them (the customer service was AWESOME!). My replacement pair is now doing the same. I've only worn these for about 2 months.

Pros and Cons - Pros: They are very light and fit a narrower foot well and I get a lot of compliments on the look. Cons: They are more durable than they look, but the black teeth like edges of the sole have a tendency to peel and fold under only after wearing for a month, yet it doesn't get any worse over time after it reaches the main sole. I would buy them again, just know they are not very rugged.

Cool shoes but buyer beware shoddy construction . . . Bought full size up from normal size per other reviews. These are good shoes for casual walking - for anything longer than a stroll I'd suggest something with better arch support and more padding on ball of foot. Biggest problem: the soles are already peeling off the shoes. They go back to Zappos tomorrow.

Not for running - I'm returning these; they are nice looking shoes and probably perfect for folks that do not want or need arch support. Unfortunately, I don't fit in that category. I cannot imagine trying to run in them; I could barely stand trying them on.

Trail racer - almost - Light weight, adequate traction and rock bruise protection, I like the heel counter without hard plastic, and I like no motion control. But the sole is not stiff enough for rocky trails, there is a lot of foot movement inside the shoe, spell that, blisters, and not very stable on rough surfaces. It is nice for shorter faster trail runs.

Light and comfy but too narrow - These shoes would be great if they were made a bit wider or were available in Wide. They are extremely light and seem to hold up well, but the toe box is too narrow. If I were to do it again, I'd go at least 1/2 size up. Great for training and faster runs.

Cross-country or trail? The NB 790 is in fact very light, very pliable, fast on short grass, but probably dangerous on trails because of ankle roll and the overall softness of the product. On a first run in the woods, locust thorns or debris actually tore the lightweight cushion of the sole. The function of the shoe was not impaired, but there is a tradeoff of weight for durability. Now, running fields or meadows is its calling. This is more of a cross-country flat than a trail shoe. It has no place as a street shoe unless you have the money to burn and want the look of something more aggressive as the lugs are soft and they will go away quickly. However, it is a great shoe for the meadows and I reserve them for that.