Our verdict

The New Balance 796 v4 is an entry-level tennis shoe that simply gets the job done. We found that it ticks all the right boxes to make a racquet sports session enjoyable for most beginner and recreational players. Unless they play in hot conditions of course because it is a rather stuffy shoe! Overall, we believe that the value-to-price ratio of this New Balance shoe is fair but it might be worth exploring slightly more expensive alternatives for notably better performance.

Pros

  • Fair value for money
  • Comfortable step-in feel
  • Accommodating toebox
  • Good impact protection
  • Sufficient stability
  • Sturdy toe drag guard
  • Reliable grip

Cons

  • Not breathable at all
  • Not very durable

Audience verdict

76
Good!

Who should buy

In our opinion, the New Balance 796 v4 is worth considering if:

  • you are just starting out with racquet sports and don't want to invest a lot of money
  • you want a basic tennis shoe with decent performance on all fronts
  • you have medium-to-wide feet and need an accommodating toebox
  • you play in cooler weather

New Balance 796 v4 review

Who should NOT buy

Even as a budget-friendly shoe, the New Balance 796 v4 has some pretty tough competition in its price range. Thus, we urge you to consider a few more alternatives before going for this NB shoe.

Here are some of them:

New Balance 796 v4 lab test

Cushioning

Heel stack

We are very glad that New Balance added more cushioning to the 4th iteration of the 796 because its predecessor certainly lacked in that department.

New Balance 796 v4 Heel stack

Seeing 28.4 mm on the caliper, we can confirm that the 796 v4 has just as much cushioning as the average tennis shoe. And it offers a sufficient amount of impact protection too.

Test results
796 v4 28.4 mm
Average 29.3 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
25.3 mm
Heel stack
33.0 mm

Forefoot stack

Measuring the shoe's forefoot stack returned a reading of 20.9 mm which is also on par with the average.

New Balance 796 v4 Forefoot stack

Having this much cushioning for the balls of our feet helped us stay on our toes throughout the whole session.

Test results
796 v4 20.9 mm
Average 19.6 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
16.1 mm
Forefoot stack
23.4 mm

Drop

Based on our caliper measurements, the difference in stack heights in this NB shoe is 7.5 mm. This is not too far from what is stated by the brand (8.0 mm).

New Balance 796 v4 Drop

It is a very balanced offset which, in our opinion, is going to feel at home for the majority of players.

Test results
796 v4 7.5 mm
Average 9.7 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
6.2 mm
Drop
14.7 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

We are pleasantly surprised with the brand's choice to replace REVlite foam with FuelCell for the 4th version of the 796. The latter treated us to a notably softer and livelier ride as we dashed to the net and back.

Pressing a Shore A durometer against the shoe's cut-up midsole, we got a reading of 25.5 HA. This is 18% softer than the REVlite foam of the v3 and is 12% softer than the average tennis shoe midsole.

New Balance 796 v4 Midsole softness
Test results
796 v4 25.5 HA
Average 28.4 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
17.1 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
34.0 HA

Insole thickness

The cushioning is topped off with a padded insole. Our caliper shows 4.7 mm of thickness in the heel which is standard for a tennis shoe insole.

New Balance 796 v4 Insole thickness
Test results
796 v4 4.7 mm
Average 5.2 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
3.9 mm
Insole thickness
7.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

New Balance 796 v4 is true to size (10 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 22 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Our feet were happy with the toebox space that the New Balance 796 v4 provided in a D medium width.

New Balance 796 v4 fit

The widest part of the forefoot showed a caliper reading of 101.3 mm which is on par with the average we got in other tennis shoes in a men's US size 9.

New Balance 796 v4 Toebox width - widest part
Test results
796 v4 101.3 mm
Average 101.0 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
96.3 mm
Toebox width - widest part
105.0 mm

Toebox width - big toe

The rounded toebox shape also contributes to the in-shoe space of this New Balance shoe.

Our caliper showed a wider-than-average reading of 81.0 mm of toebox width in the area of the big toe. That's a few millimeters wider than average.

New Balance 796 v4 Toebox width - big toe
Test results
796 v4 81.0 mm
Average 76.9 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
74.7 mm
Toebox width - big toe
81.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

We didn't expect a lot of support from a shoe under $100 but the New Balance 796 v4 surprised us in a good way.

Quick cuts and crossover steps felt nice and stable in this NB shoe and its steady base also gave our feet and ankles sufficient push-off power.

But even though we felt a step up in stability over the v3, we can still think of even more stable shoes in the same price range. The TPU Wingwall of the ASICS Gel Challenger 14, for example, offers a lot more side support than the raised foam walls of the 796 v4.

New Balance 796 v4 vs ASICS Gel Challenger 14 comparison

Torsional rigidity

And yet we should give those foam walls some credit for generating enough stability in the 796 v4.

The shoe was almost unyielding in our manual test. And because of how hard it was to twist, we rated its torsional rigidity with a high score of 4 out of 5.

Test results
796 v4 4
Average 4.3
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

We should also mention the shoe's very sturdy heel counter as it did a great job locking our heels and ankles down in place.

You can see from our manual check how resistant the whole rearfoot is to squeezing and pushing. We readily gave it the highest stiffness score of 5.

Test results
796 v4 5
Average 3.9
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width - forefoot

Last but not least - platform width. It contributed to the overall stability of the NB 796 v4 quite significantly.

New Balance 796 v4 Midsole width - forefoot

The midsole flares out on the lateral side showing 114.6 mm in the widest area. It is even a few millimeters wider than average.

Test results
796 v4 114.6 mm
Average 111.9 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
105.3 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
117.4 mm

Midsole width - heel

Checking the widest part of the shoe's heel, we were amazed to see almost 10 mm more compared to v3!

New Balance 796 v4 Midsole width - heel

Now the widest part of the heel clocks in at 92.5 mm offering a broad and reliable base to lean on.

Test results
796 v4 92.5 mm
Average 89.5 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
82.4 mm
Midsole width - heel
99.7 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

Playtesting the 796 v4, we could feel its resistance to bending even though there was no shank inside the midsole! Such stiffness added a touch of snap and stability to the ride of this NB shoe.

When we measured the force it takes to bend it, our gauge indeed showed an above-average reading of 37.5N. That is 20% stiffer than the average tennis shoe.

New Balance 796 v4 flexibility

Test results
796 v4 37.5N
Average 31.3N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
18.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
52.0N

Weight

As a budget-friendly shoe that doesn't carry a ton of features, the New Balance 796 v4 doesn't weigh so much either.

New Balance 796 v4 Weight

Our scale recorded 12.2 oz (346g) in a men's US size 9 which is slightly lighter than a typical tennis shoe.

Test results
796 v4 12.20 oz (346g)
Average 12.84 oz (364g)
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
10.30 oz (292g)
Weight
14.71 oz (417g)

Breathability

Is this a tennis shoe for winter?

Because we have no idea what else could explain the total absence of breathability in the 796 v4!

Not even a tiny streak of smoke passed through the shoe's toebox in our smoke-pumping test!

We saw no hints of ventilation pores or perforations in the upper transparency test either.

New Balance 796 v4 Breathability microscope test

What's more, a closer look at the fabric through our microscope revealed the most tightly woven material we've ever seen on a tennis shoe.

New Balance 796 v4 Breathability under microscope

Maybe this New Balance shoe could work for chilly weather but it is otherwise a pretty suffocating experience. Thus, we gave it the lowest breathability score - 1 out of 5.

Test results
796 v4 1
Average 3.4
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toe guard durability

Most tennis shoes use large overlays made of rubber or TPU to protect the inner side of the forefoot from toe dragging.

New Balance 796 v4 toe drag guard comparison

However, the NB 796 v4 chose a more targeted approach by placing a rubber patch in the most high-wear area.

That piece resisted our sandpaper test rather well. Even though we applied the Dremel at 10K RPM speed for 22 seconds, it didn't burn through the entire patch. For that, we give the shoe's toe guard durability a high score of 4.

New Balance 796 v4 Toe guard durability test

But we are still in doubt that the exposed mesh and foam around this patch can stand up to aggressive sliding.

Test results
796 v4 4
Average 2.6
Compared to 8 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Toe guard durability
5

Toebox durability

Our next test shows that the shoe's mesh won't survive regular brushes against outdoor courts.

Our Dremel dug into the fabric quite easily, cutting almost all the way through. But because the material showed some resistance, we bumped up the toebox durability score to 3 out of 5.

New Balance 796 v4 toebox durability test

Test results
796 v4 3
Average 3.8
Compared to 31 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

The inner lining, on the other hand, is a very frail one. Only 4 seconds of exposure to sandpaper destroyed the shoe's interior mesh completely.

Thus, we couldn't rate the heel padding durability of this NB shoe any higher than 1 out of 5.

New Balance 796 v4 Heel padding durability comparison
Test results
796 v4 1
Average 3.1
Compared to 31 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

Disclaimer: In this review, we are testing the Padel version of the NB 796 v4.

According to specs, the New Balance 796 v4 uses NDurance rubber for the outsole. But the more NB shoes we test, the more we find that this compound can vary from one model to another. Especially when you are comparing a $90 shoe (NB 796) and a $135 shoe (NB 996).

New Balance 796 v4 Outsole hardness

In the case of 796 v4, the hardness measurement showed a fairly standard durometer reading of 84.0 HC. However, its wear resistance doesn't seem to live up to the average...

Test results
796 v4 84.0 HC
Average 86.1 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
79.0 HC
Outsole hardness
92.0 HC

Outsole durability

Drilling the shoe's rubber outsole for 22 seconds at 10K RPM speed, our Dremel burned a 1.2-mm deep dent.

This is deeper than what we normally see in tennis shoes. But let's not forget that the 796 v4 is also cheaper than the average.

New Balance 796 v4 Outsole durability test
Test results
796 v4 1.2 mm
Average 0.8 mm
Compared to 31 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

The fact that the NB 796 v4 packs an extra millimeter of rubber in the outsole (5.1 mm) gives us hope for its decent durability.

New Balance 796 v4 Outsole thickness

Test results
796 v4 5.1 mm
Average 4.2 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
3.0 mm
Outsole thickness
5.1 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

Disclaimer: In this review, we are testing the Padel version of the NB 796 v4.

Even though the shoe's grip wasn't the tackiest, we found it solid for a beginner/recreational player whose playing style is not very aggressive.

New Balance 796 v4 traction pattern

Price

We believe that the below-average retail price of the New Balance 796 v4 is fair and the shoe offers great value for money. It is a solid entry-level option that's over 50% cheaper than the average tennis shoe.

New Balance 796 v4 Price

Test results
796 v4 $90
Average $136
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
$80
Price
$200

Tongue padding

The tongue and collar of this New Balance shoe are nicely padded. We recorded 7.0 mm of padding in the tongue which is a common amount of foam for tennis shoes.

New Balance 796 v4 Tongue padding

The padding gets even more generous in the collar of the shoe.

Test results
796 v4 7.0 mm
Average 7.7 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
2.5 mm
Tongue padding
13.1 mm

Tongue: gusset type

More affordable tennis shoes rarely gussets on the tongue and the 796 v4 doesn't have one either.

New Balance 796 v4 Tongue: gusset type

This resulted in some minor tongue shifting during side-to-side movements.

Test results
796 v4 None

Heel tab

There are no heel tabs or finger loops but it is easy to get the 796 v4 on as it is.

New Balance 796 v4 Heel tab
Test results
796 v4 None

Removable insole

The shoe's insole is easily removable.

New Balance 796 v4 Removable insole
Test results
796 v4 Yes