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TESTED Tried & Tested by THE MODERN ATHLETE TEAM
More , Please !
Whether you think size does matter or not , when it comes to shoes , it sure makes a difference , as I found out when wear-testing the New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail v3 … and then I put the New Balance Fuelcell Propel v4 through its paces as well . Talk about a balanced approach to my running . – BY RICHARD LASKEY
When I first opened the box from New Balance with the new Fresh Foam More Trail Fresh Foam X , I was completely taken aback by its appearance . The mere size of the shoe was intimidating , to say the least ! I wear a size 12 shoe , so my shoes already look big , but these look massive next to my other shoes . That said , I think it ’ s a superb-looking design , and very different to the ‘ traditional ’ look and feel of running shoes .
Maximalist running shoes with a high stack midsole are becoming more common in trail shoe design . It makes sense , since that ’ s what a lot of runners are looking for in their road shoes , so why not also go for maximum cushioning on rougher terrain , too ? That said , I ’ ve read that some runners feel too much cushioning means they lose the ‘ feel ’ of the trails , but here it comes down to different tastes , or needs . I say , give them a try and decide for yourself … and that ’ s exactly what I did . In fact , I couldn ’ t wait to play on the trails in these machines !
Much More Midsole
The More Trail features a Fresh Foam X midsole that provides a soft , responsive and comfortable feel . No , make that an exceptionally comfortable feel , and I was I was truly impressed with how forgiving the shoes are when needed , and how well they respond to an increase of cadence . The midsole is actually made of two sections of Fresh Foam , with a slightly firmer lower layer , and slightly softer top layer . This gives the shoe terrific cushioning directly under the foot , but also a bit more stability and structure lower down , where it counts .
My size 12 samples weigh in at 345g , and according to New Balance , the midsole is 30.5mm in the heel and 25.9mm in the forefoot , with a drop of just over 4mm . However , the shoe feels taller – in fact , I felt 10cm taller in these shoes – but I never felt unstable , and it ’ s important to understand that the look of the shoe is a bit deceptive . The midsole foam rubber wraps up the sides of the feet , to cradle and guide the foot , but this makes the shoe look even taller . In other words , your feet do not sit as high as the top of the Fresh Foam midsole .
The real benefit of that cradle is not just cosmetic , though . When you combine the cradle with the angled sidewalls of the midsole , plus the design of the outsole , you get a really wide , stable platform , and the support of the cradle also means the shoe is usable by runners who need moderate anti-pronation support .
Also contributing to the height is the Vibram outsole , which has great big lugs for grip on loose or rough surfaces . The lugs are evenly distributed in both forefoot and heel , with prominent flex grooves that allow the forefoot and arch to flex to a certain extent , but with all that midsole rubber , the shoe simply cannot flex as much as lower-stack shoes . That ’ s not a problem , though , because the cushioning is what this shoe is all about , and it still flexes comfortably so as not feel too rigid .
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