Customer Reviews New Balance Fresh Foam 1080

I had to switch to a neutral running shoe and while this may be a great shoe, it didn't work for me. Although New Balance shoes tend to run wider and the toe box certainly was roomy and made of a fantastic breathable, stretchy mesh material, the instep of the shoe is made of some plastic-like material that constricted my instep too much and ended up causing me excruciating pain in the joints of my big toe and little toe. After testing a lot of shoes, I also realized that I prefer a firmer, snappier shoe. This shoe has too much cushioning for me and the heel seems to be wider than normal, which caused a lot of heel slippage. So, the lesson here is: beware of how the material of the instep if you have joint pain or bunions.

I'm a runner, 30 - 60 miles per week depending on whether I'm training for a race, and I've worn New Balance shoes for decades. I always wear their most-cushioned neutral shoe and right now that's their 1080. The 1080 has been around for a while now and, from my point of view, this "Fresh Foam" version represents the most significant change to the shoe in years. Versus the previous versions of the 1080 these are a tad roomier in the toe box and they seem to offer a more-cusioned, less stiff ride. Overall I'm pleased with the shoe, though I've only put about 10 treadmill miles on them so far. My only concern came up when I first put them on. The lacing system seems to have some internal component that hugs the foot when the lacings are pulled, and that internal bit felt like it was digging into the top of my foot. Having said that, it felt OK when I loosened the laces a bit and I didn't get the bruise I expected. I'm optimistic that the lacings will be OK and that I'm going to like these shoes.

These shoes make you feel like you are walking on a cloud. They are very cushy, yet supportive and extremely cool even with socks. I am very happy with these shoes. They provide great arch support.

Loved these shoes, very comfortable, slightly wider than the norm, with ample room in the toe box area. They were so comfortable that my aching feet were immediately helped. HOWEVER, they only lasted about 3 months with everyday wear. I liked them so much though, I ordered a second pair, but will not be ordering a 3rd due to the price and wear issue (with only 3 months ability to wear). Both pair wore out within 3 months (not the outer of the shoe, but the inner of the shoe). I am not a runner, used these shoes for everyday around the house and doing choirs and walking. I have plantar faciitis and I believe the "blown"/ortholite foam compacts over time and then the shoe doesn't have the support necessary for my feet past the 3 month time frame. For the price, I would have expected that at least 6 months of wear.

I bought these as a gift for my 71 year old mom. Her feet are wide, she walks a lot and has recently been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. She loves them. They give her little fat feet plenty of room. She's very comfortable in these shoes.

My first pair of NB sneaks were 25 years ago. Threw out a couple of pairs since then, pinched my toes. Now my feet have stretched!!! And. Hooray! They make them in a wide width. Thank you Zappos. This will be my last pair of sneakers. Very comfortable.

Great service! Especially wonderful that Zappos offers extra wide shoes which are hard to find. I look forward to shopping Zappos again soon. Thanks!

I agree with a previous DC reviewer---the plastic instep is tight, so I struggle with trying to loosen the laces enough over the instep to accommodate that (and I have very average width feet) and the heel is too loose, slipping up and down in the back. So that's to watch out for--as it's a struggle. Otherwise, I like everything else about the shoe--the cushion, the material, etc.

I have three other pairs of New Balance 1080s. The Fresh Foam is longer and considerably wider than the original 1080. Very disappointed.

Was looking to replace my 2 year old Ghost 9 from Brooks, but they changed so much I decided to take a chance on these. Very stable. Good fit. These take up mure space with all the foam on the sole, but they are comfortable and have a good fit. Havent worn them on a long run yet, but I think they'll do great...if I don't trip over 'em.

Nice shoe although I can't tell alot of difference in these and my usual $150 New Balance shoes so not sure what all the hoopla about fresh foam is. Great shoes. Good support and stability for my narrow heeled wide toe foot. I can tighten the shoe laces enough to keep my narrow heel from being a problem during aerobics, for example. Great for walking, occasional running. Love New Balance!

This is an awesome shoe.. I love the color pallet too. Not screaming bright colors...a bit more subtle for jeans and oceanic color palette. So far super comfy too. I don't run, but I do a ton of street walking and these feel great! I wear a 7.5-8, I got the 8 and it fits great, even with arch support orthotic in them.

I had the new balance 880, but learned the first number indicates the amount of padding 10 is greater than 8. So I ordered this pair and found it is true. This shoe is very comfortable and has even more padding than the 880 with same comfort and sizing. A little bright, but good for exercise. I wear these all the time. Zappos service and delivery time was as promised. A consistent plus of this great company!

I love this shoe! I had it before and got on specifically to order it again. I have a narrow foot, and getting a regular width fit it fine. Great support and lasted a long time!

It wasn't until my podiatrist told me I needed a New Balance shoe that was an 800 or above that I realized that little number had anything to do with support. These shoes offer more support than I've ever had and they're stylish too! They are so comfortable and have helped my foot issue greatly! Love them!

I have tremendous problems with my feet so the person at the New Balance store put me in these shoes 3 years ago and I haven't looked back! They are so comfortable, even for my extremely narrow, flat feet. I wouldn't consider wearing any other athletic shoe ever again.

Best tennis shoe ever! I have very wide feet, that were made wider by surgery, and I have been searching for a tennis shoe that would fit. I ordered these in a wide and they fit perfectly!

FINALLY! First I have to say THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU ZAPPOS!! My feet are very hard to please! They didn't use to be...I used to be able to wear whatever shoe I wanted....then- it happened...I got older, heavier, and achey-er. I am an elementary school PE teacher and I"m on my feet ALL day! on a bad floor (not a nice wooden gym floor) I tile floor with laminate on top of it.... I developed plantar fasciitis s, and an autoimmune disease...my joints, and feet hurt all the freaking time! I settled for a while with a supportive walking shoe from Ascics..but realized my feet were to swollen..so i tried on literally over 50 shoes!!! and I FINALLY found it! This NB in WIDE!!! is the answer to my prayers, problems, and achey feet! why didn't i try wide 3 years ago?! I"ve worn them every day for a week and my feet are happy happy happy! they are neutral and a great combo of support and cushioning! Thank you Zappos for your free shipping both ways! If you are like me and having trouble finding a supportive comfotable shoe for feet that are overworked! this is it!!!!!

This shoe is purple NOT blue. Nice shoe though if you like purple. I returned it though. Can't really comment on comfort, etc.

These shoes are awesome. You can put them on in the morning and your feet are not tired, nor do they hurt when you take them off at night. The fit is great. The heel doesn't slide. Great shoe. I bought 2 pair!!

I was looking for a size 11-12 women's shoe for everyday walking. Sometimes I am walking with a friend for 4-5 miles. I was diagnosed with persistent Mortons Neuroma in my left foot and my Asics were not helping! I usually wear size 12 in Asics. Size 11 wide gave me plenty of room in the toe box and my toes could move around freely. Better than this: I have walked around extensively and my left foot does not hurt at all!!! Thanks so much Zappos for carrying a great sneaker at a cheaper price than local sneaker stores!!

I love these sneakers. Very comfortable However, they are not "blue" by any means. I thought they looked a litte purple in the picture, but was hoping that the color was just off on my laptop. Nope, they are very much purple. While disappointed in the color, since I think blue goes with more, not enough to go through the hassle of returning them.

This show was recommended to me by my physical trainer when I developed a hip muscle problem. It provides the right stability and positioning for my feet. I have felt an improvement since I began wearing these for my daily walks (I am not a runner). I also like the styling of the shoe. Some dark color choices for women would be a nice addition to the current selection.

On my hunt for running shoes that were neutral and would take my custom orthotics, I found these and they are a winner! They are very comfortable, for running and walking and yet sturdy enough for cross training. I have a high instep/arches and need a Wide shoes even more so with my orthotics, and I had no issues with getting these on. They are roomy in the toe bed without any constriction and I used the extra lace hole to tighten the heel so they don't slip. Just wish they had more colors in my size/width so I'm not stuck wearing the same shoes everyday while my plantar fasciitis heals. As usual I wear a 7 in other shoes but wear a 7 1/2 in athletic shoes, no the 7 1/2 were perfect!