Customer Reviews New Balance 1540v3

1540v3 are not nearly as omfortable or stable on my feet and the shoe laces are a joke way to short. The previous version of the shoe I bought in February 2019 is much better shoe for me.

My feet are an 8.5B (40 standard), and I have been using New Balance shoes for at least 15 years. I use green SuperFeet due to very low arches, as recommended by my sports therapist. A plus is that the material is synthetic and not pigskin. The material feels more durable, so I don't have to worry about boring a hole into the toebox. I changed from the 990s in search of more durable (and non-pig) material for my shoes, but I regret it on the fit. The shoes are true to size in that if I changed the size, the shoe would feel worse than what they feel now (too long/short and too narrow/wide). This shoe is so stiff. My feet are in pain within 5 minutes of walking around in them, and I can run a max of 15 minutes without wanting to take them off. The back of the shoe is quite shallow, making my feet feel like flopping out, the midfoot is painful even with the NB suggested lacing to relieve mid-foot pressure, and the laces are too short. I really wish that these were more comfortable, and for a shoe that is advertised as having a lot of support (higher number), I find the opposite.

The cut of the shoe has changed -- especially through the instep and across the toe box. NB still hasn't done anything to improve the quality control of the eyelets for the laces so they will eventually break just like v2. They also increased the price and eliminated the spare set of laces to extend the life of the shoe.

The shoes run small and narrow. They are too tight for the size across the top of the foot and the shoestrings are too short to really tie. They are a good 12 inches shorter than all my other New Balance shoestrings. Seemed to cheap out on these.

I have worn the 1540s for over 10 years, owning at least 8 pairs, probably more. They fixed all of my foot issues, including over-pronation and arch issues. I have NEVER had a problem with the shoe. All of a sudden NB puts out a new version, saying that they only changed the look of the shoe, mainly the upper, and that the fit of the shoe hasn't changed. That is not true!! These shoes fit completely different that they original version of the 1540s- they are much more narrow and no matter how loose you tie the shoelaces, the uppers press down on the top of the foot to the point of bruising. Very disappointed after being a loyal NB customer for over 10 years!

I got these shoes recently and took them on a trip out of the country. I was walking over 3 miles a day and am now noticing a hole in the top of the fabric where my toe is.