New Balance Fresh Foam Roav

This review is for the New Balance ROAV v1. This shoe has a convex heel that makes it a perfect choice for anyone who has a Hagland's deformity, aka. "pump bump," a calcium deposit on the heel that can make running painful for some (for your reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haglund%27s_syndrome).

I've had this condition for several years and wad lucky to have the pain resolve without surgery. However, standard running shoes sometimes irritate the back of my heel, and I have worn shoes that have rubbed this spot raw and caused me to limit my training. The New Balance ROAV v1 solved this problem. It gives me enough space between the deformity and the back of my shoe while still fitting snugly. It has been my "daily driver" for a couple years, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has this specific medical condition.

The shoe isn't perfect, however, and there are a few points I hope they fixed in the subsequent v2 (or in future versions). Cushioning is adequate, but sometimes feels sparse. The shoes seem to wear quickly; I alternate two pairs to make them last as long as I can, but sometimes have a hard time getting 500 miles per pair without significant wear patterns that change my gait. Still, they are light and comfortable and suited for training and (all but the most competitive) racing.

If your training is limited due to Hagland's deformity, the plusses far outweigh the minuses. Anyone with heel issues who can't find a satisfactory pair of shoes due to friction ought to consider them as an option.

P