7 Best New Balance Walking Shoes in 2024

As we pushed Fresh Foam X 1080 v13 to its limits in and out of the lab, it easily emerged as our top New Balance walking shoe. It gave an unparalleled experience and satisfied our craving for supreme comfort. With its ultra-breathable upper and pillowy cushion, standing on our feet all day is a breeze.

From the moment we set our foot into the shoe, we were blown away by its cloud-like touch. As we thoroughly tested it on the streets, it absorbed much of the impact, leaving us with fresh legs after a long day. To take a deeper look, we pressed our durometer into the midsole and the result confirmed our observation: 10.0 HA, one of the softest we’ve ever measured in the lab!

Another feature that makes it so comfortable is its free-flowing nature. Our 90-degree bend test shows it’s 30.0% more malleable than average, further establishing that it’s highly suitable for walking.

We spent long hours in this shoe with no sweat and blisters! This came as a surprise since knit uppers tend to limit airflow, but this pair defied all odds with a perfect score on our breathability test.

Given its marshmallow-like cushion, we advise those with mild pronation and stability needs to find a more supportive shoe.

For us, the best New Balance walking shoe with arch support should be able to provide a consistently stable ride without any hiccups. After testing the New Balance Fresh Foam 860 v12 in our lab and on foot, we found it to be beyond reliable - having tons of features that put in the work day in and day out. What blew us away was its stability features, its satisfyingly firm cushioning, and its rain-or-shine grip.

Having the New Balance Fresh Foam 860 v12 on our feet felt like going to stability heaven. Its medial post was satisfyingly firm, forcing our feet to the right positions whenever they tried to roll in. Plus, its heel counter locks feet without fail. Heel slips never crossed our minds as we strolled through the streets. We tested this in the lab by prodding it systematically to see how stiff it was. It scored a 3 out of 5 for our heel counter stiffness test (with 5 as the stiffest), which translates to a superb feeling of being locked in.

As we pounded the ground with the New Balance Fresh Foam 860 v12, we found its sole to be extremely comfy, especially as we clocked in longer times. We took a deeper look into this in our lab by pressing our durometer to its midsole (5 times for improved accuracy). We found that its hardness of 32.3 HA is on the firmer side (17.0% more firm than the average walking shoe), but it still has some softness when compared to other stability shoes.

Another great thing about the New Balance Fresh Foam 860 v12’s sole is that it grabs the ground well. We found it to be particularly grippy across several surfaces and weather conditions. We measured its outsole thickness with our caliper, yielding a result of 4.6 mm. This measurement is a whopping 170.6% thicker than the average walking shoe. Plus, wiith an outsole hardness that’s 22.3% tougher than the average walking shoe, this translates to a strong outsole that will last a long time.

While it provides a lot of structure to feet, it’s rather weighty, being 24.6% heavier than the average walking shoe. We cannot recommend it to those looking for a lightweight walking partner.

We assessed the performance of New Balance walking shoes both in and out of our lab, and the pair with top-notch cushioning is none other than the New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4. This is without a doubt the best because our feet are welcomed by a footbed that’s packed with all-in-one goodness: softness, comfort, bounce, and protection!

On the outside, the stack height of v4 can be deceiving. So we delved inside and measured the height at the heel and forefoot, which are 32.5 mm and 27.9 mm, respectively. The heel is 0.7 mm narrower than the average while the forefoot is 3.6 mm greater. While this equates to a 4.6 mm drop, we are absolutely safeguarded from any shock even during our brisk walks.

We also enjoyed the springs on each of our steps in v4. We investigated more and discovered that the midsole is 15.5 HA soft. Compared to the average, this is 36.2% softer, giving us a pillowy platform without the unwanted squish. Even though v4’s super soft, we are still unfazed by the thought of unsteadiness because we measured the base widths at 119.5 mm in the forefoot and 102.1 mm in the heel. They are 5.8% and 13.3% wider than the averages, suggesting stable rides.

However, with more cushioning comes more weight. v4 tipped our scales at 10.62 oz (301g), which is 12.3% heftier than other shoes. If this does not fall within your weight criteria, select other lighter walking shoes.

If there is one thing to expect in hiking trails, that’s unpredictability. However, with New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v7, we are not even the least worried about a trail’s variability, from treacherous routes to bumpy rides and everything in between! And its invincibility on all our treks is just the deal-sealer as to why this is the best NB for hiking!

Hierro v7 really supported us all the way through our rocky journeys. We felt sustained with balance at every step we took. Poking around inside the shoe, we discovered that it has more than enough platform width to keep us stable, even on uneven roads. We measured the midsole in the forefoot at 113 mm, which is 1.8 mm wider than average. Meanwhile, the heel is 90.6 mm wide, trumping other shoes by 1.4 mm.

Stability doesn’t always come with stiffness, and this is actually the case with Hierro v7. We enjoyed traversing trails with this comfy pair, especially because bending our feet is as smooth as ever. Amusingly, in our lab, folding the shoe using our digital force gauge is also as effortless. Our device only picked up a resistance of 16.6 N, meaning it’s 46.1% more flexible than average.

The 88.4 HC hard outsole, which by the way is almost 4% harder than others, is what verified our impression that Hierro v7 is hard-wearing. But if we could wish for something to improve for our hikes, it would be breathability because our smoke test revealed that the shoe’s ventilation is only so-so. We suggest bringing other shoes but Hierro v7 during your summer hikes.

We could take the New Balance 574 for an entire day of foot travel without protest. It is a sneaker but walking in it encourages our optimal foot posture, lasting us hours and miles of stability and pleasure. Stepping things up is its modest price of $90, which is 23.1% more favorable than the average cost of walking shoes.

We cracked open the shoe and discovered two layers of foam. Both seemed unyielding and true enough, pressing our durometer to each revealed that the primary foam is 44 HA hard, while the secondary one is 33% softer than the former at 29.5 HA. While both are significantly firm, the combination afforded us impact protection and defense against foot collapsing. 

Further proving the stability of the New Balance 574 is our caliper which measured the midsole widths of 114.3 mm in the forefoot and 80.2 mm in the heel. These values are broader than their averages by 8 mm and 2.5 mm, both of which exhibit a significant increase.

All day is not a long time in 574 but one thing that might change our minds is the lackluster air circulation. Earning a 3/5 breathability rating in our smoke test, 574 is not the best during sun-drenched trips. We recommend wearing more breathable pairs in warm weather.

Comfort isn’t the only thing we value in a great walking shoe, but also aesthetics. With that, the one with the best style from New Balance is the New Balance 327. It showcases a contemporary yet sporty appeal which we found to be one of the main reasons for its versatility. We are able to bring this shoe to most of our walking affairs because of how pleasurable it is on the foot and in the eyes!

Outdoors and indoors, we navigated surfaces in this NB kick with maximum safety, because of its exceptional traction. Not only that but because of its super grippy outsole, we found it to be an excellent driving shoe in addition to being a great walking companion. 

In terms of on-foot feel, this shoe got us floating on air because of how plush its midsole is and how light its build is. The only thing we are not thrilled about is the tightness that we felt around our mid and toe areas. If you have wide feet, we recommend looking at other wide options.

In our comprehensive evaluation of NB walking shoes, 530 is without equal when it comes to being retro. It has classic written all over it and we have no complaints as it’s the reason why we looked good on our walks. This might be retro, but the level of foot satisfaction it gave us never felt outmoded.

We discovered that the shoe’s ENCAP technology was responsible for our steady and impact-mitigated rides in 530. Even though the midsole was on the firmer side, we didn’t mind because we were soaked in comfort. On the other hand, the encapsulation that this shoe provided our feet also granted us exquisite foot support, making sure they were secure in place.

Another thing that made this NB shoe the best is its heavy-duty construction despite its $100 price. It might be 13% pricier than other walking shoes we’ve tested, but its durability made every cent worth it. 

Our only gripe is its narrow fit that tends to scrape our toes. For individuals with broad feet, we advise considering other wide shoes or sizing up in the 530s.