It’s a modestly priced shoe that gains traction in popularity every year, but is still a sleeper hit. Mostly this is due to the fact that there isn’t a big demand for a racing flat that also gives support.

Even with the sweeping updates, the 6 mm drop midsole has a ride that you’ve come to expect from this series. The firm Revlite foam has a consistent underfoot feel that helps when you’re running faster than 7 min/mile or 5 min/km. One doesn’t have to expend energy trying to work through the softness – for the 1500 has very little of it. For example, you could look at the New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo V4 or Saucony Guide 13 as your daily trainer. For long-distance runs and marathons, ultra-cushy models such as the New Balance 1080V10 and the Saucony Triumph 17 add value with their cushioned and responsive midsoles. IS THE NEW BALANCE 1500V6 DURABLE? I was a little disappointed with the blisters I got from the snugger fit of the toe box and it’s what stopped me from giving this shoe a perfect rating. While this is not strictly the case anymore, the concept stays: you can expect the cost (and features) of the shoe to go up when moving from a “8” model to a “10” or a “12”. My only complaint about this shoe is the heel and it prevented me from giving the shoe a perfect rating. I wish it stopped at personal preference, but when I finished some runs with a raw heel with blood, I felt let down.The New Balance 1500 v6 is just right. It has just enough structure to give a solid ride but light enough to not drag you down in upper mileage.

But, this shoe does not overcorrect. So, if you are more of a heel-runner, this will not force you to place any differently. This is a light shoe—very light for its features. I have landed only a handful of shoes that have treated me as well as these. This is the second pair of this series after retiring the previous version. These are my go-to shoes for the half-marathon without question. After a few hundred miles on older 1500 design (V1 to V5), the foam around the hard medial-post would compress and make the latter more noticeable than it was on day 1. This shouldn’t be a problem with the V6 due to the low-slung medial wedge. This comes in as a stability shoe giving that function though the ride does not have an over-pronounced structure. Design The right equipment, such as the right running clothing, is the basis for good performance, and these shoes are certainly part of quality basic equipment. The design is classic as well as the lacing but, it is the sole and the grip on the ground that offers to make the difference compared to other models. New Balance 680v6: Best Price UKThe sensation on the ground is solid protection with minimal bounce and ease of rotation. There are no ridges or rises on the forefoot or midfoot area—the toe just eases into the forefoot to the midfoot to the hell seamlessly. Besides a miss in the heel, this continues to be a great shoe in my lineup for speed and function. If you want something fast, yet stable this is the shoe for you! These shoes have not been “hot” for me though I am a heavy sweater. The internal structure has no rough edges that cause any rubs or hotspots.

The plastic midfoot shank is also gone. Outsole rubber fills the spot where the shank used to be. As a sum of parts, the 1500V6 is more business-like and feels faster than the V5 due to the increased coverage. The weight goes up by 0.3-ounces due to these tweaks. Whoever designs the 1500s at New Balance needs a promotion. The pattern borrowed from their racing flats makes the shoe look fast. Forefoot flexibility is smoother. The previous generations of the 1500 had a forefoot outsole with deep flex grooves. As a result, flexibility was excellent yet confined to the grooves. The tongue top now has a foam padded section to prevent lace bite. This is helpful because the lacing near the top is wider than the front. This is new for the 1500V6; the V5 had evenly spaced eyelets. Here, the distance between the center eyelets is around 20% greater than the front three rows. This is one of the few shoes that I have burned through that felt right on the first lace and took no break-in to get accustomed to its features. This is one of the few shoes that I don’t “feel” when running.

THE RIDE EXPERIENCE

The design of the 1500’s is pretty cool. I really like the color options and the embedding NB into the design. It looks fast and is fast. The biggest change on the 1500’s bottom is the medial post redesign. If the earlier versions were barely noticeable, the V6’s medial post does a straight-up disappearing act. I was heel-running for a while and have moved to mid-foot. I do have the occasion where the heel will scrape. And, when fatigued, I can find myself on my heels a bit more often than I should. From the outside, it’s virtually unrecognizable from the past versions. At its core, you get the same speed-friendly ride experience and a non-intrusive medial post. THE NEW BALANCE 1500V6 vs. V5 The asymmetrical NB, color combination and the “New Balance Racing” logo with the bird on the insole had me hankering to take these out ASAP.