Customer Reviews New Balance UX200v1

Not a bad shoe. I was looking for a replacement for my New Balance MT10v2 Minimus Trail and this was the only thing I could find that had both a zero drop and no arch support. They fit well, and were generally what I was looking for, but I returned them because they were kind of uncomfortable. The sole was unforgiving and didn't conform to my foot at all. And then the material just under the balls of my feet was bothersome after a few hours of wear. The shoes didn't seem to break in at all.

Great shoe for a variety of uses: running, sprints, lifting, dance. The rubber sole keeps you planted on gym floors and mats and give enough grip when running outdoors to avoid losing traction on multiple surfaces. I used the Minimus line exclusively from its release-onward but the women's line went way downhill; they never improved from the first year IMO. I got by on worn out WT200's and tried to make the Nike Bionic's work - but they were far too narrow and had too much arch support for my flat feet. The UX200 is what the Bionics wish they could be. I found these under the men's line in a 6.5 and love their performance and their look (green). I don't recommend these as casual walking shoes. I use these weekly for running my dog, sprints at the gym, kettlebell and resistance circuit training indoors.

Overall this a good shoe. New Balance corrected a couple of the issues with the MT00 Minimus, however they created a couple more. The problems with the MT00 were many; not very durable (typical New Balance), used cheap glue that would not stand up to warm water and soap; used plastic mesh that cracked and ripped easily, did not have enough heel cushion for running on very hard surfaces (cement) or on uneven ground, and due to the breathable sole, would get your feet wet in on damp ground. Not a problem really since I don't usually wear socks. The breathability would allow my feet to dry sufficiently as not be uncomfortable. The MT00 had even more positives however. Excellent breathability, very light weight and flexible, and very comfortable. I have never gone back to regular shoes after wearing these. In contrast, the UX200v1 seemed to attempt to correct some of these negatives of the MT00, however New Balance should have just made the materials corrections and re-released the MT00. The UX200v1 uses a plastic upper, that while durable, is not breathable. Also, the the UX200v1 uses a full Vibram sole, so it is no longer breathable. This in effect forces you to wear socks for moisture control. This shoe has slightly more arch support and heal cushioning than the MT00, however. I had to eventually order 2 pairs as the build quality, shape of the toe box, and fit were inconsistent. I will probably buy another pair, but they aren't as good as the model they replace. Zappos is great; won't buy my shoes any other way now.

Lighter-weight than expected. Synthetic solid upper in parts will not breath. Custom shape design requires that foot be pretty exact shape otherwise causes issues because not going to adapt as leather or other materials would. Tight/short in toe area, as I recall.