The New Balance 759

Don't Dexter's legs look nice.

And now a word from New Balance representative, Mike Moran:

The 759 is our latest neutral trainer built on our Acteva Light Midsole to provide a light, responsive, cushioned ride.

The 759 was given a hyper focus on the internal construction to achieve our best midfoot fit to date and unwavering security with in the upper. Building off of the success of the 758, we have left alone what should remain consistent, and significantly improved the over-the-foot-feel through material modernity and construction. The fit improvements of the PL-1 last are achieved at a greater degree through discerning construction and relentless design insight, overlay placement and suppleness--we use the term "deconstructed upper". This is one of the most supple uppers you will find in a running shoe. The toe cap is just one of many major improvements on this shoe as it is incredibly soft and plush.

DEXTER--
When we received the 759 I was indifferent about trying them because New Balance has typically not been the best of road shoes for me in the past. I wore New Balance when I first started running, but over the last couple years haven't found a pair that has worked for me (this excludes trail shoes because New Balance is the only trail shoe I wear). So as I slipped them on I was really surprised by the great improvements they've made with the 759.

The first thing I noticed was the cushion. It felt as soft as any shoe we had (I compare it to a bag of marshmallows that have been packed together--you know, when they have been pressed together to form a big blob, but are still very soft); almost too cushioned for the $95 price point we sell it at. Also, the fit has been greatly improved with the rounded toe box--getting rid of the pointy, narrow toe box they had in the old version. In the past, the arch in the shoe seemed non-existent, but that seems to have been remedied by the cushion in the foot bed so now it contours to the arch better. The overall shoe, to me, has been a great fit all around. So good, in fact, that I haven't taken them off since receiving them 5 days ago. The 759 is a neutral shoe and a great one for training in. Its light weight and overall plushness made my 6-mile, 8-minute-pace run fun and enjoyable. My theory is: the less I think about the shoe and my legs and feet during the run, the better I know the shoe works.

BEN--
A few people I know didn't like the previous version of this shoe, but for some reason I did. The toe box was very spacious (which I love), but the mid-foot wrapped my foot pretty comfortably. At the time, I had to wear a Superfeet insole to give me a little arch support though. But that was the past...

I pretty much like everything about this new version. The sockliner cradles my foot so nicely and although the arch is still a little lower than I would like it's still not bad for me. Folks with a medium height arch will probably love it. The toe box remains roomy enough for my wide forefoot without feeling sloppy. The mid-foot wraps my foot like the old pair--snug, not tight, but now it seems to have a more plush feel. And I know this is going to sound crazy to some, but I really like that this shoe isn't loaded down with a lot of unnecessary EVA foam and with that said, it still feels very cushioned. It's light and simple which is why I'm diggin' it so much.