

The 2000s established New Balance’s norm-core and techwear reputation. Voluminous, comfortable sneakers were often seen on rappers like Tupac Shakir and LL Cool J, hinting towards ugly-cool aesthetics to come. When sportswear began trending in the ‘90s, sneaker silhouettes grew bulkier with thick midsoles and added mesh, shown in New Balance’s 580 sneaker that displays the quintessential dad shoe silhouette that’s coveted today.
#New balance fresh foam roav pro#
The brand grew to provide high-performance shoes to pro athletes in the 1970s and ’80s, such as the 547, 990, and 550 heritage models. New Balance is a longtime leader in supportive footwear technology, dating back to 1906 when it debuted with a flexible arch support insole. Ever since, New Balance’s chunky sneakers have been a streetwear staple, worn by everyone from celebs, trendsetters, chic professionals, and perhaps your old man. Vintage New Balance models inspired ‘ugly sneaker’ designs by Balenciaga and Gucci in 2017, where ‘Normcore’ and ‘dad shoe’ aesthetics turned aspirational, and put the brand back on fashion’s radar. The cult-favorite sneaker brand has evolved over a century, and full-circle retro shoe trends have only amplified New Balance’s authority in comfort, performance, and innovation. New Balance shoes have seen a remarkable renaissance in recent years, but they’re no fleeting moment in fashion. It’s just more of a daily sneaker and is best when your work requires you to stand or walk all day.If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Footwear News may receive an affiliate commission. The Fresh Foam Roavs are fine as athleisure shoes, but they lack support as running shoes. It served its purpose well today because I went to work and wanted to be in comfortable shoes.Īfter work, I went to the gym and did a light workout. I’m wearing my pair as I’m writing down this review. Just go find another pair of running shoes. The Fresh Foam Roavs are marketed by New Balance as running shoes for on-the-go athletes with the tagline “from morning miles to the rest of your day”, but I find this misleading. I only use it in the gym when I know I’m not going all out (just a few minutes on the treadmill, some light weights, a few squats here and there).Īlso, I suggest that you must always wear ankle socks with these because not wearing socks will cause your heel to hurt or blister. I would not recommend it if you plan to have an intense workout at the gym (HIIT, circuit, plyometrics, etc.). The Fresh Foam Roavs are cushioned, but my legs still hurt after a run. The first few times I used it for a run, I found it to be lightweight, but I slipped in these shoes a couple of times. New Balance Roav is not a performance shoe The grip and traction for these shoes are so-so. No problem with the laces as they stay in place. These shoes are great for people with wide feet and toes because you have an option if you want a standard or wide width. When buying a pair of Fresh Foam Roavs, I suggest that you go a size down. Even with all those, my feet would still tend to move inside. I placed running footpads and wear thick socks just so my feet wouldn’t move around much in my shoes. I got the 8.5 for these shoes, and they run large! I’m usually an 8.5 or 9 in US shoe sizes. The cushion gives you an extra inch of height. The Fresh Foam Roavs are lightweight and comfortable because the upper part is made of mesh. I use the Fresh Foam Roavs more when going on a stroll and when I have to go from place to place for work and errands. I got a few compliments when I first wore these. It’s a modern take on New Balance running shoes. It looks so fresh and stylish! New Balance definitely did a great job on the look of these shoes. It sometimes slips when I do intense sessions at the gym, and it slips when I do a sprint run. The heel slips, affecting the overall shoe experience.


New Balance boasts of their Ultra Heel technology for this model (it’s on the shoe description on NB’s website), but they could have done better. New Balance takes pride in Fresh Foam as they promote it to be lightweight, comfortable, and responsive-and it is! Your feet won’t hurt standing and walking in these all day long. Fresh Foam to New Balance is what Boost is to Adidas. What is Fresh Foam, you ask? This is the cushioning used by New Balance.
