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We are not shy to call some running shoes the best. We create many articles and videos about the best running shoes for easy runs, the best for tempo, and so on. But we have never called anything “world's best running shoe” and definitely not “world's best running shoe for everyone.” Now used it for their , and although it is likely something their marketing department came up with, it has certainly raised my expectations for the shoe quite a bit.
The 1080 series is New Balance's top running shoe for easy runs and versatile use. Traditionally, it is a mileage training shoe that ensures you have a comfortable run time after time.
In my eyes, New Balance has done many things right with the 1080v13. They have looked towards one of their latest successes, the More series, and taken many of its good qualities. They have looked at the large and soft midsole, the low drop, and the smooth rolling feel you get from the shoe's rocker geometry.
But the is also quite extreme. You can already sense it from the name “More,” you get a lot – maybe more than necessary? This is where the genius of the 1080v13 arises. New Balance has made a shoe that isn't too much but is precisely what you need.
In the 1080, you get both the soft midsole in a scaled-down package, and you also get a 6mm drop, which is lower than we traditionally see in classic mileage training shoes, which typically are 8-10mm.
New Balance 1080v13 – Uncomplicated and comfortable
I love simple running shoes. Not simple in a bad way, but simple in the sense that they are constructed with few but well-chosen materials. It doesn't need to be complicated, just that the materials are good. I typically prefer it if there's one midsole material and an upper without a lot of layers and reinforcements.
Such a shoe is New Balance 1080v13. The midsole consists of Fresh Foam X foam, which is perfectly tuned to be soft but also responsive, so you don't feel like the energy dies in your stride.
New Balance 1080v13 – A small (but warm) minus
Additionally, the upper is made of a mesh material that keeps my foot in place without any tightness. However, I'm not completely thrilled about the upper, as it's where the shoe's only downside is, in my view. The material is on the thicker side.
I've been lucky enough to get the shoe before its official release and have therefore run several times in the Danish Indian summer, where temperatures have been around 20 degrees Celsius. And in those temperatures, my feet have become warmer than I'd like.
There are no other things in the upper that press or irritate my foot. It's also pleasantly soft and nice to wear – it would have hit the bullseye if it were a bit more ventilating.
New Balance 1080v13 – Outsole in a new direction
On the outsole, has also changed the design. has received a different rubber pattern that should feel more natural through the gait cycle. The rubber coatings run along the foot instead of across. The grip still works very well, and additionally, New Balance says the coatings' direction helps make the forefoot slightly stiffer. Whether it's due to the outsole, the midsole, or perhaps a combination of the two, I don't know, but I think it's nice that there's a bit of structure under the forefoot that aids the gait cycle.
Whether New Balance is right in saying it's the world's best running shoe for everyone is hard to say. I can say that it immediately became the shoe I reach for first when going for a run. Because I'm fond of the low weight, the comfortable yet responsive feel underfoot, and the easy stride I feel I get when running in it. So maybe it's the world's best running shoe for me; the question is, is it also the world's best running shoe for you?
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