Gear Review: New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail V3
Cushy Rides, dude
I walk a LOT of trails, and this year I’ve been trying to get more miles in. So far this season I’ve logged 110 miles just hiking: mostly gravel trails, but some woodlands and sand/pavement combos as well. Sun and cloud, dry or wet… I’m gonna be out there.
And with all of those miles under foot, proper footwear is of paramount importance. I’ve actually worn out at least one pair of shoes already this year, and my hiking boots are starting to see signs of a strain too. So in the process of trying to find something new to wear, I picked up a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail v3 trail runners.
These More Trails are the highest cushion trail shoes that New Balance currently offers, more so than the mid-range Hierros and definitely more than their Minimus series. I got them specifically for the cushioning, as my hikes are more longer in length and I wanted something with more pep for longer durations.
While having the highest cushion stack, the shoe still offers a 4mm drop, secure lacing, and deep lugs for good traction. And the colorways! I got these blaze-orange models only because my desired choice (a white and forest-green combo) weren’t available. But as a Wisconsinite, blaze orange is as natural in a trail setting as deep-fried cheese curds.
The Test: Kettle Moraine forest trail
While I did take the shoes out for an inaugural jog on gravel roads, their real test was done while hiking/trail walking on this 10.5 mile route in the Wisconsin Kettle Moraine forest system. Of the route, slightly less than half was gravel and boardwalk, while the remainder was made up of grass, dirt, and some mud. Elevation changes gave me a chance to test the shoes out on hills as well; both up and down.
Elevation changes early on in the trail gave me the chance to test out the More Trail v3’s lug system on the bottom of the shoe, and the results were telling. Uphill on most terrains, the lugs held fast and let me grip onto things quite well. Downhill? My worst experience while wearing these shoes. The lugs seemed to have a real issue going downhill over wet rocks and damp greenery; I slipped around a bit and ended up rolling my ankle while jogging down a smaller downhill area. Level elevations and some uphill work see good traction, but not do with heading downhill.
Having maximum cushioning in the v3’s makes for a supremely forgiving ride; I found that the cushion is very forgiving, and makes you believe you can walk farther distances. Comfort on most terrains is really easy with this much padding! The shoe’s upper also makes for a comfortable ride, as the material has some breathing room and helps to keep your feet a bit more dry and breathable.
As for the lacing, I found that the standard lacing arrangement worked well for most of the trail, but upon taking the shoes off at the end of my time outside, I discovered that the insoles had slid towards the back of the shoe (possibly from maneuvering the hills) and felt some heel slippage towards the end of the trek as well. One may need to lace the shoe a bit more securely to get past that, but at the same time I felt I had laced them tightly enough for my feet and arches.
One real downside of wearing the More Trail v3’s is… their sound. Like, the sound you make while walking. On gravel and rocks you’re OK, but on wet greenery and concrete, prepare to sound like you’re in a video game squeaking every time you land a step. It may be the lugs needing some time to wear down from their near-new state, but personally I ended up putting my earbuds in to get away from the cacophony.
Conclusion
At the end of the day I didn’t break an ankle (although I am still a bit sore today) and wasn’t more fatigued than usual. The New Balance More Trail v3 has the potential to keep you comfortable on longer trails, with great cushioning and really cool colorways. But I also found the shoe to miss out on needed stability on downhill treks, hybrid action on short concrete portions of the trail, and… that… noise… Just couldn’t get past that. If you’re looking for a trail shoe with maximum cushioning, this option is (to me at least) OK for that purpose, but maybe not the best out there.
Jake is a content creator, writer, and travel photographer based in the US, living the digital nomad lifestyle. Subscribe to join him on his journey of exploring, hiking, and discovering more of our amazing world.