5 Best New Balance Running Shoes For Women in 2023

Jovana Subic
Jovana Subic on
5 Best New Balance Running Shoes For Women in 2023
We earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you when you buy through us. Why trust us

Women’s running shoes from New Balance are not just stylish. They’re also ready to fuel your runs with unmatched energy return and comfort. 

With hundreds of New Balance running shoes for women, it can be confusing. But because our mission is to help all runners, we took it upon ourselves to test and painstakingly select the ten best women’s running shoes from New Balance from five different categories.

How we test running shoes

When we say “painstakingly,” we mean absolute thoroughness. As in, we buy them with our own money to avoid brand loyalty. Plus, we examine them carefully in our independent shoe testing facility. 

Those aside, we also go through the rigorous process of: 

  • Running in each New Balance women’s running shoes for at least 30 to 50 miles
  • Slicing them into pieces 
  • Measure and assess their parts via 30 parameters
  • Generate their Corescore using hundreds of comments from users and experts

Best women's New Balance running shoes overall

What makes it the best?

If you're looking for a great middle between the more traditional, lower-stacked NB 880 v11 and the uber cushy NB Fresh Foam More v3, that's where the Fresh Foam X 1080 v12 sits. It's a comfortable cruiser that's perfect for anything easy to moderate. And with the copious amount of foam it possesses, it's a gem in long-distance runs where protection and stability are at the forefront.

Pros

  • Protective cushion
  • Lively ride
  • Smooth transitions
  • Stable when cornering
  • Comfy upper
  • Durable outsole
  • Welcomes wide feet
  • For heavy runners
  • Grippy on snow, slush, and slick surfaces
  • No lace bites
  • Great heel hold
  • An eye-catcher

Cons

  • Not for narrow feet
  • Bottom-heavy for fast runs
  • Questionable breathability
Full review of New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black (W1080B12)
White/Arctic Fox (W1080G12)
Gray (W1080O12)
Black (W1080F12)
Pink (W1080P12)
Lemonade/Serene Blue (M1080Q12)
Starlight/Dusk Blue/Sea Salt (W1080A12)
Purple (W1080L12)
More colors

Best women's New Balance running shoes with wide toebox

What makes it the best?

New Balance’s stability running shoe provides amazing support for overpronators. Ever improving, the v12 has brought some new technology into this shoe while bringing back some of the features of the old upper.

Pros

  • Excellent stability shoe
  • Good lacing
  • Looks the part
  • Comfortable
  • Consistent ride in any condition
  • Good grip
  • Perfect daily runner

Cons

  • Runs half a size small
  • Heel counter is not for everyone
  • Quite heavy
Full review of New Balance Fresh Foam 860 v12

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Mountain Teal/Pale Blue Chill (W8601BN1)
Burgundy (W860V12)
Black (M860H12)
Vibrant Sky/Lemonade/Serene Blue (W860L12)
Black/White (W860M12)
LIBRA/NIGHT AIR/NIGHT SKY (W860D12)
Blue (W860B12)
White/Orange/Pink (M860A12)
More colors

Women's New Balance running shoes with best cushioning

What makes it the best?

With its 40+ mm stack, the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer is one of the highest road running shoes ever, so high that it’s not even allowed in World Athletics events. For all other situations, especially marathon training, this is a superb max cushioned carbon plated trainer that is so massive, protective, and fun to ride in that it surprised every runner who tested it.

Pros

  • Incredibly bouncy and soft
  • Extremely protective underfoot
  • Top-quality upper
  • Stable for a “super-shoe”
  • Versatile for different paces
  • Great lockdown
  • Ready straight out of the box
  • Welcomes wide feet
  • Massive, yet great-looking

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Collects some rocks
Full review of New Balance Fuelcell Supercomp Trainer

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black (WRCXBM2)
RED (MRCXCR2)
White (WRCXLW2)
Green (MRCXLG2)

Best women's New Balance running shoes for long distance

What makes it the best?

The Fresh Foam X More v4 from New Balance is a maxed-out daily trainer that's best suited for recovery days and anything easy. Whether it's a short walk or a long-distance run, this mammoth of a shoe will keep your feet comfy and well-protected at all times. And what's more awesome is it costs less than its precursor!

Pros

  • An armor from fatigue
  • REALLY cushy for long days
  • Puts life in your run
  • A stable ride
  • True to size
  • Superb heel clutch
  • Markdown price
  • Built to last
  • Reflective

Cons

  • Easily feels hot
  • Chunky and clunky
  • Low energy return
Full review of New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Quartz Grey/Washed Pink (WMORCM4)
White (WMORWT4)
Black (WMORBK4)
Purple Punch/Hot Marigold (WMORCP4)
Summer Fog/Rain Cloud (WMORNC4)
White (WMORCW4)
Blue (WMORCK4)
Blue (WMORBL4)
More colors

Best women's New Balance running shoes with plush cushioning

What makes it the best?

Version number 3 of the New Balance FuelCell Rebel is an all-rounder daily trainer that impresses with its ability to cross the line into a performance shoe when needed. It’s still surprisingly light and provides an amazing experience on the road. Runners are happy that it hasn’t changed that much and the few adjustments are for the better.

Pros

  • Fantastic soft and fun ride
  • Versatile for different paces
  • Very lightweight
  • Excellent breathability
  • More stable than version 2
  • Great lockdown
  • Visible at night
  • Not expensive

Cons

  • Not great on wet surfaces
  • Durability could be improved
  • Bottoms out easily
Full review of New Balance FuelCell Rebel v3

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Victory Blue/Magenta Pop (WFCXMN3)
Purple (WFCXMM3)
Light Aluminum/White (WFCXEG3)
Pink (WFCXCR3)
White/Gold Metallic/Light Gold Metallic (WFCXMW3)
Black/Aura (WFCXMB3)
White (WFCXCW3)
Starlight/Electric Red/Magenta Pop (WFCXCS3)
Green/Blue/Pink (WFCXCT3)

Comparison of the 5 best New Balance running shoes for women

+ + Add a product
+ + Add a product
+ + Add a product
+ + Add a product
+ + Add a product
+ + Add a product
Best
CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
Popularity
# of colorways
Author
Jovana Subic
Jovana Subic

Whether it's a vertical kilometre or an ultra, climbing in the Alps or exploring local mountains, Jovana uses every opportunity to trade walls and concrete for forests and trails. She logs at least 10h/week on trails, with no off-season, and 4x more on research on running and running shoes. With a background in physics and engineering management, she prefers her running spiced with data.