New Balance Ellipse review

In our opinion, the New Balance Ellipse is a great match for:

• Runners looking for a unusual combination of incredible comfort, amazing looks and impressive daily-training performance.
• Fans of Fresh Foam X who wanted a more energetic and responsive ride than previous versions delivered.
• Anyone seeking a versatile shoe that feels equally impressive on runs and as an everyday sneaker.

Runners looking for a plush and comfort-focused daily trainer will likely enjoy the Ellipse. However, if you prefer a more balanced or firmer ride, this shoe may feel even frustrating. In that case, we recommend alternatives such as the Saucony Ride 19 or the HOKA Mach 7.

We also found that, despite its impressive improvement in energy return, the Ellipse still prioritizes comfort over outright speed. Therefore, runners seeking a more performance-oriented experience may be better served by the adidas Adizero EVO SL or the Saucony Endorphin Azura, both of which feel noticeably faster and more responsive on the run.

Impact protection is one area where the Ellipse leaves no room for concern. We found in the lab that it delivered 146 SA in the heel and 113 SA in the forefoot, providing excellent shock absorption that makes the shoe well suited for everything from short daily runs to longer weekend efforts.

When New Balance announced that the Ellipse would use Fresh Foam X, we initially felt a bit disappointed. Another EVA-based foam with average energy return? Fortunately, this is not the same compound we've tested in many previous models.

While Fresh Foam X has historically delivered energy return figures in the 55-60% range in our lab, the Ellipse produced 64.6% in the heel and an outstanding 71.6% in the forefoot in our lab. Those results place it much closer to today's most competitive daily trainers and far beyond what we expected from this foam family.

The Ellipse features a heel stack of 36.9 mm, which keeps it below the towering heights of today's most maximalist trainers. In our view, that was a smart decision by New Balance, helping the shoe maintain a more balanced blend of cushioning, stability, and versatility.

However, if the Ellipse proves successful, we wouldn't be surprised to see the lineup expand in the future with a max-stack model. Many brands have followed this strategy with popular franchises, introducing variants such as the Nike Vomero Plus and Brooks Ghost Max 3 to build on an already successful platform.

The forefoot follows the same balanced philosophy with 27.4 mm of cushioning. A few years ago, that amount of foam would have been considered highly cushioned, but in today's market it feels right in line with many daily trainers.

Again, we think this is another smart choice by New Balance, as excessively thick midsoles often feel bulky and less practical for everyday wear too.

New Balance lists the Ellipse with an 8 mm drop, but our measurements revealed a slightly higher figure of 9.5 mm. Nothing surprising given that it's a daily trainer, though.

The difference is fairly small and unlikely to be noticeable for most runners. In fact, heel strikers may even welcome the extra bit of offset...

While New Balance took a conservative approach with the stack height and drop, the same can't be said about the midsole softness. Here, the brand fully embraced the signature Fresh Foam X experience, delivering an exceptionally plush feel underfoot that immediately stood out during our test runs.

Our lab measurements confirmed those impressions. The Asker C durometer returned a remarkably soft 25.8 AC reading, placing the Ellipse among the softest daily trainers we've tested. Therefore, runners who enjoy a cushioned, sink-in feel should feel right at home, while those who prefer firmer and more stable foams may want to look elsewhere.

While the Ellipse doesn't feature an aggressive forefoot rocker, its moderate stack height doesn't really require one. Instead, New Balance focused on adding a noticeable heel rocker paired with a big flare, which helps create smoother transitions for heel strikers.

This design choice didn't surprise us. With such a plush Fresh Foam X midsole, a flatter heel geometry could have caused runners to sink too deeply into the foam and lose some forward momentum with every step. The rocker helps keep the ride flowing smoothly and prevents the shoe from feeling sluggish.

New Balance states that the Ellipse is built around a new last named PLR-8, so we followed our standard lab protocol and created a replica of the shoe's interior to analyze its fit in detail.

Our first measurement came in at 95.4 mm, placing the Ellipse close to the current lab average. In our view, this suggests that New Balance aimed for a balanced fit designed to accommodate the widest possible range of runners.

Our second measurement revealed that New Balance avoided the aggressively tapered toebox that some of you may have been worried about.

Instead, the 73.8 mm result strikes what we believe is a smart middle ground, balancing comfort and toe splay with the secure fit expected from a daily trainer.

New Balance also played it safe with the toebox height. In fact, it almost feels as if the designers looked at our lab averages and decided to build the shoe right around them.

We say that jokingly because, once again, the result lands squarely in the middle of the pack. At 26.6 mm, the Ellipse follows a conservative approach that should work for most runners.

New Balance has rarely stood out in our traction tests for road running shoes, as several competing brands consistently deliver stronger results. 

However, the Ellipse marks a noticeable step forward. It achieved an impressive 0.77 score in our wet-concrete grip test, proving that New Balance has made meaningful progress in this area. We hope this is the direction the brand continues to follow.

The outsole layout follows a familiar New Balance formula seen on several recent Fresh Foam X models. It uses two separate rubber pods in the heel, paired with a larger forefoot section that is split into four segments to enhance flexibility.

While the coverage isn't especially generous, we found that it provides decent rubber in the key areas to deliver reliable performance for daily training. However, for those who really value a fully-covered outsole, this is not a good shoe.

In our 30-degree bend test, the New Balance Ellipse required 14.7N of force, another result that lands almost perfectly in balanced territory. Given its plate-free design and highly cushioned midsole, we expected a result in the 13N-16N bracket, and this outcome aligned closely with our expectations.

We found the weight of the Ellipse perfectly reasonable, although it doesn't stand out in today's market at 9.2 oz or 261g.

It's clear to us that New Balance intentionally accepted a few extra grams in exchange for a more substantial upper, one that adds comfort, durability, and everyday versatility beyond what a lighter, more stripped-down design could offer. And for many runners this will be a positive trade-off.

The upper of the Ellipse strikes an impressive balance between comfort and ventilation. Despite its heavily cushioned design, New Balance incorporated several strategically placed zones that allow air to move efficiently through the shoe.

After evaluating it in the lab, we awarded the Ellipse a strong 4/5 for breathability. That's an excellent result for a comfort-focused daily trainer and one that should provide enough airflow for year-round use.

When we examined the upper under our digital microscope, we were impressed by the quality of the mesh.

The material feels refined and premium, easily matching the standards we often see in shoes positioned a tier above this price point.

Comfort is another area where the Ellipse truly shines.

The heel is packed with generous cushioning, creating an exceptionally soft and welcoming step-in feel from the moment you put the shoe on.

From a stability standpoint, the New Balance Ellipse is a neutral running shoe, and we would not recommend it to runners seeking meaningful lateral support. The Fresh Foam X midsole delivers an exceptionally soft and comfortable ride, but stability was clearly not a primary goal of its design.

Thanks to its plate-free construction and soft midsole, the Ellipse maintains a moderate level of torsional rigidity that feels well matched to its intended purpose.

Using our custom-built testing machine, we measured 12.5 Nm, a result that aligns perfectly with the shoe's comfort-focused design.

The heel counter is heavily padded, which helps soften its overall feel and prevent it from becoming intrusive. Even so, we found only a moderate amount of structure during testing, leading to a balanced 3/5 rating.

Another reason why we recommend the Ellipse primarily for neutral runners is that New Balance resisted the trend of making the platform excessively wide. Instead, the brand kept the dimensions relatively controlled compared to many modern daily trainers.

We actually welcome that decision. At 110.8 mm, the platform feels refreshingly restrained by today's trends, helping the shoe deliver a more agile, engaging, and fun ride. The trade-off, of course, is that it sacrifices some stability.

The heel follows a more conservative approach, measuring 91.6 mm and landing very close to our current lab average. In our view, this was a sensible design choice that helps preserve the shoe's balanced character without making it feel overly bulky.

The Dremel test is often a difficult challenge for comfort-focused shoes, especially those with highly breathable uppers and ventilation openings in the toebox. However, the Ellipse handled the test surprisingly well, earning a respectable 3/5 durability score.

We also recorded a strong result in our heel padding durability test. The Ellipse earned a 4/5 score, outperforming the current lab average and giving us no reason to worry about long-term durability in this area.

The result that disappointed us most came from the outsole durability test. The 1.3 mm indentation is not alarming by any means, but given the relatively limited rubber coverage, we were hoping for a stronger showing in this area.

At least the Ellipse features a fairly substantial 3.3 mm outsole, which helps offset that result to some extent and should contribute to a reasonable lifespan despite the average durability score.

There are no surprises here, as the insole measures 4.5 mm in thickness, a figure that closely matches what we typically find in daily trainers.

We found that the insole comes out effortlessly, making it quick and easy to swap for an aftermarket alternative or one from another shoe.

While the Ellipse delivers impressive energy return, it still shows some of the well-known limitations associated with EVA-based foams. The combination of EVA in the midsole and the shoe's ultra-plush tuning played a major role in its poor performance during our freezer test.

After spending 20 minutes in the freezer, the Fresh Foam X midsole became 57% firmer. That's a substantial change and one of the biggest cold-weather penalties we've recorded in this category.

The New Balance Ellipse features a reflective N logo, a thoughtful detail.

New Balance kept things simple here, using a classic combination of punched eyelets and flat laces that suits well the retro style of the Ellipse. In our experience, this setup remains one of the most reliable solutions for achieving a secure fit without unnecessary complexity.

We were also impressed by the comfy tongue. At 8.8 mm thick, it shines especially during easy runs and casual wear, helping the Ellipse feel just as enjoyable as a sneaker as it does as a daily trainer.

The tongue of the New Balance Ellipse uses a semi-gusseted design combined with a breathable fabric, a feature we always welcome in a daily trainer.

It improves lockdown, helps keep the tongue centered throughout the run, and adds to the overall comfort. And this is a detail that some shoes in the same price range fail to offer.

The New Balance Ellipse features a plush heel collar without a pull tab, creating a sleek and uncluttered appearance. We also appreciated the small TPU overlay covering the rear stitching, a subtle detail that enhances the shoe's refined design.

For runners drawn to its retro-inspired design, the Ellipse delivers outstanding value as a daily trainer. It sits in the same price range as workhorses like the Nike Pegasus 42 and Brooks Ghost 19, yet we found in the lab that it offers a stronger overall performance for the money.