New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V1
Editor’s Conclusion
The New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V1 is a shoe that is made to tackle just about anything, and it does it with style. This is a shoe that is super lightweight and cushioned, and perfect for cross-training, casual runs, WODs, and even dabbles in weight lifting. If you float week to week to different styles of cardio and strength training, this is the shoe that can easily transition to each style of workout and give you just the right amount of support and comfort.
It boasts a highly cushioned midsole with an extra bit of oomph in the heel, and the lightweight upper helps to keep your feet cool and dry when the temperatures rise. Plus, it comes in a wide variety of unique color options at a very affordable price point. If you are in the market for a stylish shoe that does it all, you will want to check out this shoe.
Below, I wanted to take a moment to dive into all of the advanced features that make the New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V1 an excellent everyday trainer.
It boasts a highly cushioned midsole with an extra bit of oomph in the heel, and the lightweight upper helps to keep your feet cool and dry when the temperatures rise. Plus, it comes in a wide variety of unique color options at a very affordable price point. If you are in the market for a stylish shoe that does it all, you will want to check out this shoe.
Below, I wanted to take a moment to dive into all of the advanced features that make the New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V1 an excellent everyday trainer.
New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V1 Review Facts
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Great for heel strikers
Ultra Heel counter helps promote lockdown
Very squishy Fresh Foam midsole
Affordable price point
Breathable and lightweight mesh upper
Great for easy runs or weight training
Wide toe box
Cons
Not ideal for long-distance running
The rubber outsole is not very durable
Fits narrow in the forefoot
Key Features
MIDSOLE
The Roav V1 uses New Balance’s proprietary Fresh Foam midsole material that is found in many of their running shoes. Fresh Foam is an EVA compound that is engineered to give athletes a good balance of cushioning as well as responsiveness. As soon as you slip these shoes on your feet, you can immediately feel that EVA foam squish under your feet. It also boasts a higher concentration of foam in the heel that you can actually see squish as you put weight in your heel. If you love plush cushioning, this is a great option.
The downside to this midsole is that some users found that the high level of foam turns your stride into mush over time, to the point where you can feel the ground under your feet. While this foam allows for cushioned and snappy movements, it’s not ideal for running long distances. It holds up quite well for weight training and WODs, but the midsole isn’t quite built for very long workout sessions.
UPPER
I really love the design of the upper on the Fresh Foam Roav. While the midsole and outsole give you a ton of support similar to a stability shoe, the upper is lightweight and easy. It is composed of a single layer of stretchy mesh material that really contours to the shape of your foot and provides a good deal of flexibility and movement. Users found that it really helps move hot air up and away from your feet to keep them cool and dry.
If you are anything like me, you were probably taken aback by the design of the Ultra Heel. This unique heel design not only looks sleek and modern, but it also helps with lockdown and quick and snappy movements. The modern flared heel collar prevents running and chafing. The ribbed fabric helps to cradle the back of your foot for a customized fit that really helps to lock this shoe firmly in place as your train (as well as look super cool!).
OUTSOLE
The outsole to this design is fairly basic, but it gets the job done. It is composed of a blend of rubber and NDurance rubber in higher impact areas. The rubber sole of this design is slim and isn’t as bulky as other outsoles in the New Balance lineup. This thinner rubber outsole really helps to cut down on the overall weight of this shoe making it ideal for quick and snappy workouts when you need to turn on a dime. It’s bouncy and responsive, but it isn’t quite as durable as other outsoles from New Balance.
Overall, you are trading weight and responsiveness for overall durability. The lightweight outsole may help keep your movements light and snappy, but this shoe suffers a bit when it comes to durability. Some runners found that even before hitting the 100-mile mark, the outsole of this simple design suffered from some minor wear and tear.
PERFORMANCE
The New Balance Fresh Foam Roav is almost the master of all trades. I think this shoe really shines when it comes to WODs due to its lightweight design and Ultra Heel cap. The 8 mm drop and reinforced midsole padding in the heel also make it great for weight training because it gives you a ton of extra support when you need to drive up from your heels. While it’s perfect for weight training, it can also transition easily to cardio days as well. It really shines on short and easy runs but suffers a bit on longer distances.
The highly cushioned midsole performs quite well for short bursts of energy, but it starts to flatten down into a pancake on long-distance runs. I found that around the 2-3 mile mark, the midsole starts to flatten out into a pancake and you will start to feel the grooves in the pavement underfoot.
FIT
Overall, these shoes run true to size. If you wear a size 8 in other New Balance shoes, the same can be said for the Fresh Foam Roav. It boasts a stretchy Ultra Heel counter that cups your heel in place, and also boasts a wide toe box that allows your toes to naturally splay inside of the shoe. The upper is made from stretchy materials, but some users found that the laces made it a little difficult to achieve that perfect lockdown due to the laces.
I found it a little unusual that New Balance only elected to put 4 eyelet loops on their laces. While few laces reduce the risk of hot spots and rubbing the top of your foot as you train, it makes achieving that perfect lockdown a little difficult. Users found that as they tinker with the laces to achieve that ideal fit, some of the fabric would bunch up at the top of their foot. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it is certainly something worth noting.
In true New Balance fashion, this shoe is also available in wide sizes as well. Be sure that you take ample measurements of your foot and compare those measurements to the sizing chart provided by New Balance to ensure that you get the perfect size for your feet!
STYLE
For me, New Balance sneakers are always a hit or miss. I often find their sneakers to be a little bit big and clumsy, but the Fresh Foam Roav V1 is definitely a hit. I love the sleek and modern design of this shoe that possesses many of the modern features found on many cutting-edge training shoes. It has sleek lines in the midsole like a sports car, and the Ultra Heel is unlike anything else out there on the market.
Plus, it comes in a ton of different color options as well as patterns that are sure to appease those that love neutral shades or something with a bright and colorful eye-catching design.
PRICE
This shoe is a great overall trainer with a few distinct disadvantages. However, you might be more willing to forgive some of these design missteps when you take into consideration the incredibly affordable price point. Overall, I would classify this shoe as a budget-friendly design that clocks in well under 100 bucks.
Sure, it may not be the most durable cross-trainer out there on the market, but it also doesn’t possess a highly durable price point. If you want something that you can take to the gym for a wide variety of workouts without breaking the bank, I feel that this shoe is well worth every penny!
The Roav V1 uses New Balance’s proprietary Fresh Foam midsole material that is found in many of their running shoes. Fresh Foam is an EVA compound that is engineered to give athletes a good balance of cushioning as well as responsiveness. As soon as you slip these shoes on your feet, you can immediately feel that EVA foam squish under your feet. It also boasts a higher concentration of foam in the heel that you can actually see squish as you put weight in your heel. If you love plush cushioning, this is a great option.
The downside to this midsole is that some users found that the high level of foam turns your stride into mush over time, to the point where you can feel the ground under your feet. While this foam allows for cushioned and snappy movements, it’s not ideal for running long distances. It holds up quite well for weight training and WODs, but the midsole isn’t quite built for very long workout sessions.
UPPER
I really love the design of the upper on the Fresh Foam Roav. While the midsole and outsole give you a ton of support similar to a stability shoe, the upper is lightweight and easy. It is composed of a single layer of stretchy mesh material that really contours to the shape of your foot and provides a good deal of flexibility and movement. Users found that it really helps move hot air up and away from your feet to keep them cool and dry.
If you are anything like me, you were probably taken aback by the design of the Ultra Heel. This unique heel design not only looks sleek and modern, but it also helps with lockdown and quick and snappy movements. The modern flared heel collar prevents running and chafing. The ribbed fabric helps to cradle the back of your foot for a customized fit that really helps to lock this shoe firmly in place as your train (as well as look super cool!).
OUTSOLE
The outsole to this design is fairly basic, but it gets the job done. It is composed of a blend of rubber and NDurance rubber in higher impact areas. The rubber sole of this design is slim and isn’t as bulky as other outsoles in the New Balance lineup. This thinner rubber outsole really helps to cut down on the overall weight of this shoe making it ideal for quick and snappy workouts when you need to turn on a dime. It’s bouncy and responsive, but it isn’t quite as durable as other outsoles from New Balance.
Overall, you are trading weight and responsiveness for overall durability. The lightweight outsole may help keep your movements light and snappy, but this shoe suffers a bit when it comes to durability. Some runners found that even before hitting the 100-mile mark, the outsole of this simple design suffered from some minor wear and tear.
PERFORMANCE
The New Balance Fresh Foam Roav is almost the master of all trades. I think this shoe really shines when it comes to WODs due to its lightweight design and Ultra Heel cap. The 8 mm drop and reinforced midsole padding in the heel also make it great for weight training because it gives you a ton of extra support when you need to drive up from your heels. While it’s perfect for weight training, it can also transition easily to cardio days as well. It really shines on short and easy runs but suffers a bit on longer distances.
The highly cushioned midsole performs quite well for short bursts of energy, but it starts to flatten down into a pancake on long-distance runs. I found that around the 2-3 mile mark, the midsole starts to flatten out into a pancake and you will start to feel the grooves in the pavement underfoot.
FIT
Overall, these shoes run true to size. If you wear a size 8 in other New Balance shoes, the same can be said for the Fresh Foam Roav. It boasts a stretchy Ultra Heel counter that cups your heel in place, and also boasts a wide toe box that allows your toes to naturally splay inside of the shoe. The upper is made from stretchy materials, but some users found that the laces made it a little difficult to achieve that perfect lockdown due to the laces.
I found it a little unusual that New Balance only elected to put 4 eyelet loops on their laces. While few laces reduce the risk of hot spots and rubbing the top of your foot as you train, it makes achieving that perfect lockdown a little difficult. Users found that as they tinker with the laces to achieve that ideal fit, some of the fabric would bunch up at the top of their foot. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it is certainly something worth noting.
In true New Balance fashion, this shoe is also available in wide sizes as well. Be sure that you take ample measurements of your foot and compare those measurements to the sizing chart provided by New Balance to ensure that you get the perfect size for your feet!
STYLE
For me, New Balance sneakers are always a hit or miss. I often find their sneakers to be a little bit big and clumsy, but the Fresh Foam Roav V1 is definitely a hit. I love the sleek and modern design of this shoe that possesses many of the modern features found on many cutting-edge training shoes. It has sleek lines in the midsole like a sports car, and the Ultra Heel is unlike anything else out there on the market.
Plus, it comes in a ton of different color options as well as patterns that are sure to appease those that love neutral shades or something with a bright and colorful eye-catching design.
PRICE
This shoe is a great overall trainer with a few distinct disadvantages. However, you might be more willing to forgive some of these design missteps when you take into consideration the incredibly affordable price point. Overall, I would classify this shoe as a budget-friendly design that clocks in well under 100 bucks.
Sure, it may not be the most durable cross-trainer out there on the market, but it also doesn’t possess a highly durable price point. If you want something that you can take to the gym for a wide variety of workouts without breaking the bank, I feel that this shoe is well worth every penny!
Verdict
If you are in the market for a versatile cross-training shoe that you can wear on nice and easy runs on recovery days that can also transition to the weight rack or WODs, the Fresh Foam Roav from New Balance is worth checking out. The Ultra Heel design is what makes this shoe stand out in a crowd of boring and simple cross-training shoes. This unique heel counter really helps to boost lockdown for a unique and comfortable fit, and looks good while doing it!
I also love that it has a highly cushioning midsole that delivers that plush step-in feel that everyone loves, and it still clocks in at just over 8 ounces.
Whether you need it for casual running or high-intensity CrossFit sessions, this gym shoe really delivers. It also comes in a wide variety of unique color options that are bound to generate a few envious glances and compliments at the gym. The best part? It comes in at a super affordable price point that won’t break the bank.
I also love that it has a highly cushioning midsole that delivers that plush step-in feel that everyone loves, and it still clocks in at just over 8 ounces.
Whether you need it for casual running or high-intensity CrossFit sessions, this gym shoe really delivers. It also comes in a wide variety of unique color options that are bound to generate a few envious glances and compliments at the gym. The best part? It comes in at a super affordable price point that won’t break the bank.
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