Let’s talk a little bit about the 1089v9 from New Balance. It’s a really interesting dichotomy and change for New Balance and we can lead right off by saying we have some mixed feelings about it. It is better than past editions without question and the lighter weight is warranted, but there’s a lot happening in the shoe so we put it through its paces to get some thoughts.
Construction: Upper
The upper on the 1080v9 has a nice slipper-like interior which engulfs your foot nicely. The upper is a mix of engineered mesh on the forefoot which transitions to this newly redesigned heel. New Balance dropped the foam heel from the V8 in favor of a new molded heel which honestly just feels a little lower than it should be and doesn’t grip all too well. The laces have been updated with a pseudo-elastic version which we quite like and the logos are reflective.
Construction: Midsole
The 1080v9 features the same Fresh Foam tech that has been standard on many other New Balance shoes lately and over 30mm of it. They have also lightened up the shoe and a lot of that is happening in the midsole presumably because it has more injected into it. The toebox area also flares a bit wider, but due to the softness in the midsole sidewalls, it will feel less stable than the V8.
Construction: Outsole
Layered under that midsole you have a firmer rubber in the heel and then a softer rubber in the forefoot. It definitely has a better bounce to it than ever before. Their hexagon-shaped lugs that litter the sole spread apart as you run and help do a great job with ground control and given it is a full rubber outsole, durability on here will be very high.
Style & Aesthetics
The New Balance 1080v9 only comes in a few colors and honestly, while it’s a clean visual, it isn’t especially compelling.
Run Test
My first impression was that the shoe looks pretty cool. I actually dug the styling, but I had this weird moment where I couldn’t decide if it looked cooler to wear out with jeans or to run in. It just doesn’t necessarily feel at first glance like a normal running shoe or what you would from a normal running shoe. The visually strange mix of on the upper and the way the front half overlays the back half is a little visually awkward. The interior does hug you very nicely though. The heel was strangely off-putting for me as it just hits a little low. It feels like it could slip, but it doesn’t… yet I couldn’t escape the sensation. In the run, the 1080v9 is comfortable and maintains nice responsiveness at varying distances. You can actually really dial these things up if you want to, but they are really better kept to your every day or even long runs at mid to slower paces. I definitely liked it over the v8, but the heel issue really bothers me so hoping they resolve that in the next iteration.
Overall Conclusion
Overall, the 1080v9 is a solid cushioned trainer from New Balance and a nice update from the v8. The mix of materials in the upper, while striking from an aesthetic perspective, is also a little weird on your foot and the heel implementation is not great. We love the direction they are headed and can’t wait to see how the v10 plays out.
Technical Stats, Pricing & Availability
- Weight: 10.4oz (size 9)
- Drop: 8mm heel/toe
- Cushion: 30mm
- Type: Neutral Road
- MSRP: $149.99
- Available: Now
