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New Balance 890 V3 Running Shoe Review

Wow, am I having fun running in these New Balance 890 V3s! I had started to question my quest for the holy grail of shoes—and I’m sure the very kind folks at Running Warehouse were getting tired of my returned shoes. I thought perhaps I’d have to settle for a few different shoes that were all perfectly acceptable, but didn’t wow me. And then I wound up putting on the New Balance 890 V3.

What New Balance says:

Built to meet the demands of world-class runners, the 890 V3 brings peak performance to every run. The 890 features a REVlite midsole and an ABZORB crash pad for a lightweight, comfortable run.

TYPE:Lightweight

WEIGHT:271 grams (9.55 oz)

Features

  • 8mm drop
  • No sew overlays in optimal areas
  • Blown rubber outsole
  • Thin TPU welds provide seamless application
  • Crash Pad allows enhanced motion control and stability within the heel

The Good:

Fit: After recent problems with shoes that I liked certain things about, but didn’t fit my feet that well—(Adidas Adios 2 and Saucony Virrata), the New Balance 890 V3’s came as a welcome relief. They feel cushy and comfortable, the fit is snug without being tight and the heel feels locked in.

Feel: This is my Cinderella shoe. The 8mm drop feels just right, the sole gives a nice blend of cushioning, energy return and maintains good road feel. I’ve put long slow miles on it and have stepped up the speed considerably and both have felt really natural. The shoe feels lighter than it is.

The Bad:

The only thing about this shoe that I might change if I could, would be the ankle collar. I don’t know that it needs to be as thick as is it. That said, it doesn’t bother me in the least.

Conclusion:

Every run I’ve had in the New Balance 890 V3 shoes has been great, and every mile has been more enjoyable than the last. I’ve been adding miles to runs and running on days off—that’s how much I love these shoes. They feel great on slow runs, are super responsive when I pick up the pace, and make me feel like a more efficient runner. For whatever reasons, this shoe and my form just match up perfectly.

About Guest reviewer Peter Stuart

If nothing else, please donate to www.stayclassy.org/peterstuart I am running the LA Marathon on March 17 to raise money for the Pablove Foundation—raising money to fight pediatric cancer. Check my page out and contribute if you can.

Peter (@theloudmouse) is a runner, triathlete, shoe addict and psychotherapist in Los Angeles, California. There, I said it. Admitting that I have a problem is the first step, right? For the past several years I’ve been on a search for the perfect shoe. I know I’m an addict because every time I think I’ve found the ‘perfect’ shoe and convince myself (and my wife) that I’m done, my mind starts to wander and I start to think that there just might be a shoe out there that’s a little better for me—that fits a little better, disappears underfoot a bit more, that miraculously keeps mile 22 of a marathon from hurting, etc. Sometimes I run in a shoe for a week before starting to dream of other shoes, sometimes it’s several months (as it has been with the Saucony Kinvara 3). Sadly, sometimes I start researching new shoes while the ones I’ve ordered are still in transit. It’s a problem. I’ve been addicted to much more expensive and destructive things in my life—so this last bastion of madness is somewhat acceptable to me. All of this is to say that I think about running shoes a lot—and I’ve run in lots of them. In the past couple of years I’ve run  decent mileage in Saucony Kinvara 2 and 3, Fastwitch 4 and 5, Ride, Guide and A5; Mizuno Wave Rider 13 and Precision 12; K-Swiss Kwicky Blade Light and Kona; Brooks Pure Cadence and Flow, Brooks Green Silence, New Balance 890 Versions 1 and 2 the NB RC 1400 and Newton Distance. I’ve liked some, loved some and some…not so much.

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  1. Stein says:

    Thanks for the writeup! I had an long term affair with an earlier 890. Will have to check these out.

  2. PJ says:

    After much research I bought these shoes about three weeks ago. I am not dissappointed in any way. I also got them very inexpensively.

    At first I though the toe area was a little tight, but now I really like the feel. They are light, cushioning is nice, but great feel of the road, as all reviews say.

    My racing shoes are Asics Hyperspeed 5’s but I could race in these shoes very happily, maybe a little soft. The 8mm drop and however else they are build really do force one onto the front or mid-foot, which is another reason I bought them.

    I use them as my everyday trainer, heavier runners may find them too low profile.

    Out of interest my comfortable pace is 7:10, faster pace 6, front/mid foot runner.

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