New Balance 880 v5

I moved to the NB 880 from Brooks Ghost 12 and am impressed. The treads and uppers on the 880s have lasted longer and look great. I've worn through each of my last 4 pairs of Brooks in 300 miles or so and these NBs are still going strong at 400. I've not had any pain or issues, after the initial break-in, with the NB 880s.

This is my go-to shoe. I love this shoe so much because of its appearance, durability, and cushioning. I am a gal who loves cushioned shoes to train in.

This shoe fits my average feet well, is light, not bulky and is good for any kind of run! I have done long runs, tempo runs and interval training (indoor and outdoor) in this shoe. The cushion is sufficient enough to be comfortable for long runs up to 18 miles. The lack of bulk and weight allow the shoe to be an effective speed trainer. I have zero complaints other than I wish it could last a little bit longer and was cheaper.

As someone who pronates, the sides on this shoe wear out quickly. To compare, the side of the shoe wears out as quickly as the Nike Pegasus 33s and 34s. At least it is better than the Pegasus 35s- those shoes are brilliant but wear out in no time. I am also a college student that prefers to save money- this shoe is the same price as the average newest pair of running shoes on the market.

One pretty unique bad experience came at the bitter end of the shoe's life cycle when I ran into broken glass that was frozen down into the side of the road. When this shoe is worn down, protection from sharp objects on the ground is nonexistent.

I have never worn shoes that were from New Balance before but this shoe has given me a glimpse at the competency and expertise that goes on within the development team.

Good for long runs and general mileage days

Consistently reliable go-to shoe for the neutral runner. I switched to the 880 from the ASICS Cumulus around 5 years ago when the ASICS prices rose that bit too far. My early New Balance’s 880 experience was that it was the equal of the Cumulus, although around 20% less expensive. As time has gone on - and I did buy a pair of Cumulus’ on a deal a couple of year ago - I feel it is the superior shoe. I’ve now worn 6 pairs of 880s, which continue to improve with each version. Highly recommended.

This shoe had great cushion and comfort. Also holding up great over the miles.

I've been wearing NB 880 for years now and I really like it! It's a solid, neutral shoe that protects my feet from wear and tear day in and day out. It's not super light (particularly as I use orthotics with it) but I rotate in other shoes like NB 1500 or NB 1400 on workout days. My major complaint is that in the past years, the soles of NB shoes seem to be wearing down like butter on a hot day. This hadn't been as much of an issue for me as I was running for a club that provided shoes. However, now that I'm purchasing my own, it does make me think about switching brands! Too bad as I think otherwise, this shoe is great for me...

I recently purchase the 880v5 to add to my rotation of running shoes. As a distance runner, I am a huge fan of any running shoe with some extra toe box space. I was already running in the new Fresh Foam 1080s and love my New Balance trails shoes (Leadville and 910 Goretx version) but i needed a high mileage road shoe so I gave these a try. I find them to run 1/2 size smaller than my normal size 9 in the Fresh Foam 1080. The upper mesh is tough (in a good way), comfortable while providing a snug fit and seems to wear well. The treads are much better than the Fresh Foam and because of the stiffness in this shoe I find myself running on both dirt roads and paved roads comfortably. I find there to be less toe box space in the 880 vs the Fresh Foam 1080 and the fit is slightly narrower.

The New Balance 880v5 is a good trainer for people looking to run high mileage on an old-school platform in the age of dropped heels. It's comfortable and smooth, particularly for a shoe with an 11mm+ heel-to-toe drop, and it survived reasonably well.

I am a semi-pro runner (i.e. I get free stuff from my local running store and get free race entries, usually) so I put in around 70-80 miles per week. These shoes will reasonably last you about 300 miles, but once you hit above 350 the quality diminishes quickly. You'll notice tears in the lining and feel like the cushioning has effectively worn through, so be prepared to replace them after 2 months of use.

They are light enough that you can make use of them during longer, slower workout efforts like tempos or fast-paced longer runs, but I don't recommend them for standard intervals or shorter speedwork. They feel a little to 'clunky', in part due to a wider toebox.

The New Balance 880v5's have a fatal flaw, however; the shoe's tongue was designed in a manner that causes it to slide down your foot within the first few minutes of running and requires that you either, a) Stop to retie it, or b) Tie the laces tight and ignore the slippage when it happens. While this seems like a small issue, it makes a big difference in finding your rhythm with the shoe. Even walking around in these at work causes the tongue to slip down and the shoes to lose their snug feeling. The tongue issue is such a problem that I recommend looking for a different pair for people looking at trainers with a similar profile to the 880. Unless New Balance changes the material of the tongue, it will continue to be too slippery against a sock.