New Balance Fresh Foam X Evoz v4 review

The New Balance Fresh Foam X Evoz v4 is a good option for:

• Runners looking for a value-oriented shoe that doesn’t feel low-quality despite having a low price.
• Forefoot and midfoot strikers who want a dependable and stable daily trainer.
• Those who prefer a mid-drop shoe for short to medium-distance runs without spending too much.

We think the Evoz v4 isn’t the best option for runners looking for a plush ride. Its thick outsole paired with a dense midsole creates a muted experience that lacks bounce. If you’re after a softer feel on a budget, we recommend checking the Nike Winflo 11 instead.

Also, we believe the lower drop of this update won’t suit most heel strikers. For a higher-offset alternative, try the Adidas Pureboost 5 or Brooks Revel 7.

The New Balance Fresh Foam X Evoz v4 comes with 31.4 mm of stack height in the heel. This would’ve been average just a few years ago, but we discovered it now feels like a low-sitting option in today’s max-cushion market. 

Still, its above-30-mm setup offers enough joint protection for most short and medium-distance runs.

The forefoot is another story. At 25.9 mm, it sits around the average and makes this shoe a cushioned option for forefoot and midfoot strikers who don’t want to break the bank.

Despite New Balance claiming an 8 mm heel-to-toe drop, we found just 5.5 mm. That places the shoe as a less ideal choice for extreme heel strikers compared to the Fresh Foam X Evoz v3, which measured 7.9 mm.

New Balance loves long names and often includes the midsole compound in them—that’s why the “Evoz v4” is actually the “Fresh Foam X Evoz v4,” thanks to its use of that foam. However, don’t be fooled—this isn’t the same bouncy-and-plush foam found in the Fresh Foam X Balos. 

It’s a firmer, EVA-based, budget-focused version that still performs well for the price, but that's it. We tested it in the lab and measured 18.6 HA on our durometer, a Pareto-inspired softness that aims to satisfy around 80% of runners, while the other 20% seeking ultra-plush or super-firm foams might feel left out.

We put the Evoz v4 in the freezer for 20 minutes and were thrilled to report just a minor 7% increase in firmness.

The insole measures a pretty average 4.0 mm and doesn’t offer anything particularly unique.

The heel rocker of the shoe is quite pronounced, which makes sense given that the actual drop leans more mid than high—so a slightly stronger roll-forward effect feels great for rearfoot strikers.

We also found the forefoot rocker to be very mild, especially compared to the more aggressive designs found in many current daily trainers. This accessible geometry makes the Evoz v4 a beginner-friendly and casual-use-approved option that works well for both slow runs and all-day walking.

We made a gel mold of the Evoz v4's interiors to explore every detail of its fit, and we discovered it’s not great news for runners with wide feet.

While we wouldn’t call it a narrow shoe outright, the 93.5 mm measurement at its widest point confirms it’s not a wide-foot-friendly model either. But let's keep going!

We also measured the toebox width and got 72.2 mm using our precision calipers. That’s exactly the same as in the previous test—just a touch narrower than the average running shoe.

For our final measurement, we skipped our custom 3D-printed tool to check the toebox height directly, and at 27.3 mm, we discovered it lands right in the average zone.

That's a comfort-ready balance with enough toe space but no excess. It’s a safe-and-sensible design choice from New Balance.

Despite having more rubber coverage than its predecessor, the Evoz v4's gripping capacity actually went down!

The shoe's coefficient of friction came in at only 0.30 indicating its poor traction on wet surfaces, particularly on wet concrete. Not your best daily trainer for rainy days.

The outsole features a blend of black rubber pods and white exposed foam arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern—a familiar design we’ve seen in several New Balance trainers in recent years.

The exposed foam in the midfoot stands could be concerning, but key wear zones are well protected with thick rubber for added durability.

The New Balance Fresh Foam X Evoz v4 is still designed for neutral runners, but it feels more stable than its predecessor. With a wider midfoot and lower drop, it can work for midfoot or forefoot strikers who need light stability too.

We discovered a surprising level of torsional rigidity during our testing, and that's something we don’t usually find in lower-priced daily trainers, which tend to score below 4/5 and lean toward a more flexible build.

This unexpected stiffness added a touch of structure-enhancing support, and it clearly played a role in why the Evoz v4 felt more stable underfoot than version 3.

We also tested the heel counter and gave it a max score of 5. It felt unexpectedly firm and caught us slightly off guard—definitely not the most comfort-oriented setup, but as we found in the previous test, it's clearly built for added stability too.

Based on this test, we believe that runners sensitive to rigid heel structures might feel the Evoz v4 a bit stiff.

New Balance increased the midsole width to 116.4 mm, up from 112.3 mm in the previous version. Combined with the lower drop, it makes version 4 a much more appealing option for non-heel strikers.

On the flip side, the heel went from 91.2 mm in version 3 to 89.2 mm in version 4—a slight reduction that we didn’t feel while running, but it’s still a small change.

But the biggest change in feel from the Evoz v4 compared to the previous generation comes from its flexibility.

Using our custom-built machine, we discovered that longitudinal flexibility jumped from 12.9N to 17.4N in our 30-degree bend test—a 35% difference that makes the shoe less suited for walking, as more rigid-and-structured shoes can feel less comfortable during all-day wear.

Another negative update for the Evoz v4 comes from its weight. We found 9.1 oz or 257g in version 3, and now it seems the holiday season was rough—it snacked on too many sweets and ballooned to 10.1 oz or 286g.

That’s a disappointing change, and there's no way to sugarcoat it.

One of the ways the Evoz v4 truly sets itself apart from ultra-budget shoes is the upper. With its $100 price tag, New Balance could afford to use higher-quality materials than what you usually find in the $70-80 range.

We fired up our smoke machine and were genuinely pleased to see solid airflow. That’s a rare find in value-tier trainers, and it led us to assign a 4/5 score for breathability—more than enough for year-round runs.

The secret lies in the toebox. Most of the airflow happens there, and we know that’s exactly where it matters most. It’s not just a style element, it’s functional and performance-oriented.

Curious to learn more, we turned on our digital microscope.

What we saw confirmed our impressions. The Evoz v4 uses the same kind of double-layer mesh we’ve seen in pricier daily trainers.

Padding is also generous. That was expected, since this isn’t a feather-light shoe by any means.

Despite having a good amount of ventilation holes, we found that the Evoz v4’s upper held up surprisingly well against the tip of our Dremel. It scored a 3/5, which is not standout, but worthy for its price.

The heel padding scored lower at 2/5, which didn’t catch us off guard. This shoe relies on thick cushioning to balance the rigid heel counter, so we expected reduced resiliency in that area based on our lab experience.

We fired up the Dremel again for another test—this time on the outsole. The results were underwhelming, with 1.4 mm of damage, but that’s not unusual for a budget-friendly shoe. Brands often cut costs here, sacrificing both grip and wear resistance.

Of course, New Balance was aware of this—they run plenty of tests before us—and compensated with a massive 5.0 mm of rubber thickness.

We discovered that it might even be too much, creating a slightly muted ride by placing a super-thick layer between the foam and the ground. For runners prioritizing outsole longevity, though, this foam-protecting choice is a clear win.

The price is definitely one of the highlights of the Evoz v4. But at the same time, it’s fair to say that by spending around a third more, you could grab a premium-grade daily trainer like the ASICS Novablast 5, placing the Evoz v4 in a middle-ground spot.

Some things have to be left out to keep the price low. Other NB shoes feature a light-catching “N,” but this one skips that cool reflective element.

The lacing system of the Evoz v4 is surprisingly good for its price range. It includes eyelets reinforced with extra-durable TPU pieces that help prevent early tearing. We also appreciated the presence of an extra eyelet on top.

And we also liked the tongue’s design. It’s cleverly padded just where you need it. At 4.8 mm, we discovered it delivers day-long comfort.

This was a very nice surprise. Budget-friendly shoes often come with tongues that shift around, but the Evoz v4 features a semi-gusseted tongue. That's a comfort-boosting detail that sets it apart from many of its competitors.

New Balance has been dropping the finger-loop heel tabs lately, but at least they were adding the model number on the heel collar like in the 1080 v14. However, the Evoz v4 doesn’t get either!

You won’t lose much by swapping out the removable insole of the Evoz v4, so go ahead and slide in your favorite one if needed.