New Balance

NBX 980 Fresh Foam Running Shoe - Women's

The New Balance Women's NBX 980 Fresh Foam Running Shoe blasts you into spring running. Shiny and new, this buzz-worthy shoe sports Fresh Foam in the midsole that's squishy soft in your hands and under your foot, too. Supple is sweet, but will it support your high-mile weeks? Quite simply, yes. Using data to drive the design, the New Balance shoe gurus put Fresh Foam in the midsole to give you an impossibly plush ride without turning your running shoe into a high-heeled experience.

Made from no-sew mesh, the upper lets your foot move naturally without fear of stitch-induced blisters. Overlays are welded on to offer subtle support without adding unnecessary pressure. The innovative (and elemental) Fresh Foam midsole design deserves explanation. After collecting years of data, the designers used shoe-savvy software to determine the location and magnitude of ground reaction forces on running feet. Armed with information, the shoe engineers completely reworked the concept of cushioning in a running shoe. Bigger hexagonal structures offer impact resistance in areas experience substantial forces. Areas that demand additional support, such as the medial edge of the heel, take on a concave shape so more material exists to support your gait. Where compressibility is key—the outer edge of the heel and the inner edge of the forefoot—a convex design helps the shoe compress through your gait cycle without impeding toe-off or sacrificing cushion.

The 4mm heel-forefoot drop makes the 980 more friendly towards midfoot strikers, but the sinfully soft cushioning won't leave heel strikers by the side of the road. The blown rubber sole ensures the line of communication between your foot and the ground stays crystal clear without forgoing any protection from the road.