New Balance 100
Light flexible and still protective the NB 100 is the new minimalist trail shoe king. No it is not perfect, but for us barefoot trail runners there is now an over-the-counter option with only having to do minimal surgery. Having now run 100 miles on these babies capped by a tough and rocky 20 miler over the weekend I give my analysis:
Pros- This thing is super light (6 oz). There are road-racing flats that are heavier. I was however still very impressed with the forefoot rock protection plate. I did not feel any sharp rocks throughout the runs yet it remained nimble and flexible. I think that the EVA heel wrap is brilliant and it has a nice snug heel cup. It does take a couple of runs for that EVA to break in though. After 100 miles, the shoe has no durability issues which for such a light shoe is impressive. Breathable upper with a nice roomy toe box and s a great fit. Overall it was a quick feeling nimble ride that experienced barefooters and minimalistic proponents will love. And at $75 it’s a bargin.
Cons- Despite the look it still has a 10mm drop from heel to toe (for a barefoot experience that’s 10mm too much with a 17mm heel and a 7 mm forefoot). Considering that I had no forefoot issues why that extra 10mm in the heel? I thought that the paper thin tongue would bug me but to my surprise I never noticed it. What I did notice was all the debris getting into the shoe since the tongue isn’t gusseted. The toe bumper is worthless. The glued-in inserts are almost insulting and since they don’t wrap the foot very well I experienced some hot spots and even got a small blister from the seam on my 20 miler. I have since put them in the microwave for 10 seconds and pulled out the cheap glued-in insert and replaced it with a better fitting one. Uphill traction is fine but what about downhill traction? I still midfoot strike when going downhill yet with all that downward force there is very little traction for control or slowing down.
Yes I am picky but out of the box this is still one of the best if not the best minimal trail shoe on the market. Let me be clear…this is an intermediate to advanced shoe. Not for a beginning barefooter to run a 50 miler in. Strengthen your feet first or use only in small amounts in the beginning. Two years ago a 20 miler in this shoe would have killed my feet. This time however I loved it. The New Balance 100 is for real.
Anyone else run in this shoe? What are your thoughts?
December 10th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Nice review and analysis, Brian!!! I haven’t tried this shoe, and NB shoes generally fit me poorly (though my wife loves them). As I mention in a comment on the “Elements of the Perfect Trail Running Shoe” article on my site, this is an argument why we need more than just one or two shoe manufacturers making minimalist trail shoes. I’ll be interested to see if NB offers the full range of widths in this shoe.
A few general thoughts:
I have for years constructed tongue gussets from duct tape for cheaper trail shoes that don’t have them. Gaitors will somewhat eliminate the need for tongue gussets, but I hate gaitors and only (grudgingly) wear them for races.
Likewise I often find it necessary to cover poorly constructed/placed seams with duct tape.
The 10 mm drop from heel to toe may in fact be a reasonable compromise. For those of us older/slower runners, some power hiking in long races is a necessity. Hiking (as opposed to running) is more efficient with some heel rise, and the point of power hiking in a long race is to give running muscles a break. Several of the more popular (and relatively more minimalist) La Sportiva shoes have this same amount of heel rise.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Thanks Brian, very informative. I’m seriously considering a pair to try out on some short runs.
December 19th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Brian,
Good review. I don’t know if its something you’ve done with many shoes but I’m gonna go home and put a few of mine in the MICROWAVE to take out some of the cushioning guts. I didn’t realize shoes are microwave safe. lol. I also didn’t realize the New Balance 100 has an entire 10mm heel elevation. That’s over twice as high of a heel!
December 25th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Bruce- I love the adjustments you make! Very creative. However I did the Bear 100 in shoes without a raised heel and I had absolutely no leg problems. I think the elevated heel is nothing more then tradition and marketing hype.
Jeff- Try a pair out. I think you will like them and it will help you to run lighter and smoother.
Andrew-Shoe technology is overrated. A little microwave time or hacksaw time only helps the shoes! Keep in mind that the 10mm heel lift doesn’t include the strobel board, outsole, or insole heights. It’s probably closer to 16mm-26mm total height. I’m interested to see what you are doing with shoes.
April 10th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
I have no reason to be on this site since i run <15 per week. However, i was desperate when i purchased this shoe. For years i have suffered from severe shin splints. The only way i could run was if i spaced my runs out by 2 days/wk. I tried every type of shoe, orthotic, and technique. I purchased these shoes 2 weeks ago for $59 and have been running 6 out of 7 days with no pain (except some muscle pain in calves but that doesn't count). I know you're thinking "get off our site poser this place is for real runners" but for years i have been trying to run and now with these shoes i want to run constantly. I am now consumed with running thanks to these new balance shoes.
April 22nd, 2010 at 12:29 am
Rick you’re a freaking stud! This site is for runners of all abilities, especially beginners and those just discovering minimalist running. Welcome and I hope your running consumption continues!