New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo v3

I was surprised how much I like the Vongo V2 (because the shoes felt clunky when I picked them up). But, when I ran in those shoes, they weren't clunky at all. So, I was a little nervous when I picked up a pair of the V3's , because they seemed like a noticeable departure from the previous version. But, right in my first run the V3's, I knew this was a great hoe for me. Is was softer than the V2, but not so mushy as to take away energy from my stride. I've logged a bunch of miles in these shoes, and they continue to look and feel great.

I use them for running and leisure. And they are pretty good for any situation.

They remind of the the Adidas Super Nova Glide 3. Very durable cushioning, rubber, etc.. Just enough support to keep you sturdy and Neutral. Like always they never make a narrow version for us tall unorthodox runners with large feet. Its like finding a needle in the haystack for us 14-15 sizes.

I have trained for two marathons wearing New Balance’s Fresh Foam Vongo. As a runner who requires a supportive shoe, I have found the Vongo to be one of the best that I have run in to date. Previously, I found New Balance shoes to feel heavier than other companies but this is not the case with the Vongo. It is light weight, supportive and responsive.

I am neutral when I hit the ground, pronator when leave. So far (6 months) my experience with these shoes is very good!

As other reviews have said, the Vongo is a great option if you want a more natural feeling stability shoe. It is still very much on the heavier/plush side of things, but the lack of a medial post/guide rail and a more natural 4mm drop (vs the 12mm you see in most competitors) makes these feel less "forced" than other options. Note that if you are coming from a 12mm drop, you'll need to ease into using these, but now that I'm used to it I greatly prefer the lower drop

The one major downside is that these feel like mush when going faster - they simply aren't responsive enough (the ~23mm toe stack height is certainly part of the problem), so plan on using something else for your tempos or interval work.

This shoe is a great every day trainer and can handle a ton of mileage without transferring to much of a beating on your legs. The cushioning is great with the stack height and Fresh Foam really shining through in this category. Even in hard asphalt my feet don't start feeling tired until at the very least the 8 mile mark. I also love the offset of the shoe being 3-4 mm. Usually shoe with that low of a offset are pretty minimalist and aren't great daily trainers. Because of the low offset I was noticing that my foot strike was more efficient than normal on even recovery run. The last note on this is this lack of a medial post despite being a stability shoe. This was something I was wary of at first but ended up loving as it made the shoe much much less like a brick than your typical stability shoe.

Now for what I didn't like, and If I had to sum this up in one word it would be Responsiveness. I know trainers like this aren't meant to be used for things like tempos or speed workouts. With that being said when picking ups the pay and getting on your toes at all feels more forced than normal.

Pros:

- The offset of the shoe felt like it really helps with a more efficient foot strike (Not heel striking as much)

- Cushioned and durable ride

- Can handle long runs well

- Upper was secure

- No medial post

Cons:

- Hard shoe to do any speed in

- Cushioning does wear out faster than some other brands

Stable, soft, and has that lightweight feel. Works well with my foot strike and stride so I easily glide along in these shoes. Have 300 miles on my first pair and they're holding up great thanks to all the foam packed in there and a fully covered outsole. I'm noticing that they don't ventilate very well, which means that my foot or insole will slide around on especially hot days. If I'm running fast - 5:30-6:00 pace - I just lock the laces down a bit tighter and usually don't have a problem with the sliding.

I never write reviews, but felt compelled to after running 100 miles in the New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo 3's. First off, I'm a supinator (under pronation) who typically runs in neutral cushioned shoes. But after trying these on at my local running store, they fit my feet perfectly, and were too good to pass up. Went for an easy 6 mile run out the box, and the ride was like butter. This plush, stable, high mileage trainer reminds me a lot like Hoka One One Clifton 3 that I currently run in. Max cushion, 4-5mm drop, but a better fit, and more responsive. I've since taken them on an 20+ mile run and my legs felt protected and fresh after. I've found my new race day marathon shoe! While the Vongo is listed as stability, it was minimal, and worked just fine for me. Just goes to show that you need to try the shoe regardless of what the "type" it's categorized as. You may just pass up a good thing. If you're looking for a daily trainer with mild stability, and can go the distance, this is the one!

A nicely cushioned, relatively responsive shoe. Not for tempo sessions, but good for everyday easy and recovery runs. Low profile feels good compared to other competitors.