New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6 review

The New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6 is an ideal choice for:

• Runners seeking a super-soft, cushioned shoe that still offers decent flexibility for daily use.
• High-mileage athletes who want a recovery or easy-day option to refresh tired legs after tough sessions.
• Anyone looking for off-the-charts shock absorption in every stride.

We think the More v6 is not the best choice if you dislike heavy shoes. For a lighter yet still super-cushioned option, we suggest the ASICS Novablast 5, which offers a maximalist midsole with a lower weight.

Additionally, we believe runners who dislike ultra-plush midsoles will struggle with the More v6, as it delivers a very soft ride. If you prefer a more balanced feel, we recommend alternatives like the HOKA Clifton 10 or the Brooks Glycerin Max.

When is too much shock absorption really too much? We’ll let you decide, but in our lab we measured 152 SA in the heel—slightly lower than the More v5—and an astounding, record-breaking 144 SA in the forefoot, making the More v6 the most cushioned forefoot we’ve ever tested so far.

This pillow-like design feels built for heavier runners, long-distance specialists, or simply anyone who prefers not to feel the ground at any pace.

One of our main critiques of the Fresh Foam X More line has always been its weak energy return, which was below the average in earlier models. But New Balance listened, and we discovered an improvement: 60.1% in the heel and 58.8% in the forefoot.

Sure, it’s not a game-changing result, but now we can’t complain either. That’s exactly what we asked for, because this upgrade delivers a more lively ride that's especially interesting for those long runs where an energy-boosting feel matters most.

The heel stack firmly enters the maximalist category, measuring 41.8 mm with our calipers. While this height is slowly becoming the new normal in running shoes, it’s still a strikingly tall figure!

This is where the More v6 truly separates from the competition. While the heel stack is matched by many running shoes, the forefoot stack rises like a tower at 38.5 mm.

To give perspective, we discovered that this forefoot height is actually higher than the heel stack of most shoes tested in our lab. We know that a setup like this is controversial—on one side, it makes the ride a dream for forefoot strikers with a heavy build or joint issues that need extra shock absorption, yet on the other, it creates a ground-disconnected feel that strips away proprioception and a natural ride.

The massive forefoot stack is achieved through a low-drop design, setting this shoe apart from most rivals. 

While New Balance lists a 4 mm drop, our measurement showed just 3.3 mm. That's an ideal setup for forefoot strikers or fans of flatter geometry.

This shoe feels like slipping onto a pillow underfoot, not only for its massive cushioning but also for its cloud-soft Fresh Foam X compound. We tested just 9.5 HA on our durometer, creating a sink-in ride we’ve discovered only in a few models here in the lab. 

While this extra-plush midsole can be dreamlike for some, runners who want a balanced experience underfoot won't find it to be their ideal match.

The rocker of the New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6 is less pronounced than in version 5, which we see as a positive since the previous More felt a bit overdone. The updated geometry delivers a subtler rolling-forward motion, making the shoe more comfortable for recovery runs, easy jogs and walking.

New Balance is one of the few brands that truly supports runners with multiple width options in many of their models, a feature always appreciated by the wide-feet community.

And this matters a lot here, as the standard fit runs narrow. In fact, our gel mould measurement showed just 93.5 mm.

We also measured the toebox width, and it came out on the narrow side at 71.3 mm.

While not far from the average, runners who dislike a snug fit should consider a wide size or a roomier option like the Adidas Ultraboost 5.

Height-wise, the upper is also restrictive, measuring just 24.4 mm in our calliper reading.

This makes the More v6 a solid choice for those who like a glove-like fit, but less suitable for runners seeking a roomier feel.

We tested the outsole using the SATRA TM144 method and found a friction score of 0.44. While this result is slightly lower than the previous version, it still reflects good forefoot grip even on wet surfaces.

The outsole of the New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6 uses large sections of exposed Fresh Foam X with rubber placed only in high-wear areas. At the heel, New Balance added extra rubber on the lateral side while leaving the medial side more exposed.

The massive foam stack of the More v6 gives it a slightly stiffer feel, measuring 17.7N in our 30-degree bend test.

While it’s evident that this isn't a highly-flexible shoe, this result is reasonable for a model with such thickness.

One of the most noticeable downsides of every More generation is its bottom-heavy underfoot feel, though we concede that part of this might be some bias from its oversized frame.

Still, the scale tells the truth: 10.65 oz or 302g. That number is far from feather-light as you can see in our interactive chart, but at least it's a 3% improvement over version 5!

In our smoke test, the More v6 scored only 2/5. Airflow is clearly limited, which can feel uncomfortable on hot days but pleasantly warm when temperatures drop.

Our light test confirmed this, as the small ventilation holes in the upper didn’t allow photons to pass through. Despite appearing more breathable at first glance, the design proved otherwise.

Under our digital microscope, we found a dense engineered mesh.

The holes are tiny and backed by another layer, which explains the restricted airflow. This construction makes the shoe feel very comfortable but far less airy than the average running shoe.

From our perspective, this results in what we’d call a 360-degree plush build. The foot feels cushioned and wrapped in soft padding, but ventilation is the clear sacrifice.

You might think that with such a sky-high stack the More v6 couldn’t be stable, but we discovered in the lab that many maximalist shoes are actually more secure than lower-stacked daily trainers.

This happens because these super-sized builds usually expand in all directions, and sometimes are even wider than dedicated stability shoes. That’s exactly what we tested here, and we think that the More v6 works comfortably even for runners with mild to moderate pronation.

One of the things that usually goes hand in hand in the running shoe world is a maximalist design paired with a high torsional rigidity score. But during our tests, we discovered that this model takes a different path and gets a 3/5.

New Balance managed to make the More v6 even more flexible than the average shoe by skipping a lot of outsole rubber coverage and using a super-soft foam that twists with ease. This combination delivers a comfy feel underfoot that makes daily wear and easy runs far more pleasant than a stiff, brick-like build.

In the heel, we discovered it isn’t very stiff. Since the shoe already delivers strong stability, we think this is a smart choice, as added flex in the heel brings extra comfort.

Earlier we mentioned how shoes expand in every direction, not just upward, and here’s the proof.

At 122.5 mm wide in the forefoot, the More v6 provides a huge landing platform that, combined with its snug fit, delivers outstanding stability for midfoot and forefoot strikers.

In the heel we measured 102.0 mm, showing again that New Balance clearly prioritised maximum width to deliver strong support for every footstrike.

The trade-off is reduced agility, as the shoe feels far from nimble and performs best at slower paces.

One of the common benefits of thick, low-ventilated uppers is greater durability, with fewer weak points and less chance of tearing. That’s why the More v6 earned a solid 3/5 score, a score that's reliable against early wear.

We expected a stronger result in our second test, and that’s exactly what we got, a solid 4/5. Still, when stacked against the average shoe, the outcome remains almost identical to the earlier score.

The rubber performed well too. While it’s not the grippiest shoe available, showing only 0.8 mm of wear after our test makes this outcome a clear positive in terms of durability.

We found the outsole layer thinner than in many other shoes, and there’s a reason. Using less rubber reduces weight, while also making each stride smoother and more cushioned—creating the More’s signature, pillow-like identity.

The insole measures slightly thinner than average at 3.5 mm, though the difference isn’t huge.

The insole is removable and can be swapped if needed, but since it’s already on the thinner side and the toebox isn’t very roomy, adding a thicker one may not work well.

Fresh Foam X has improved compared to earlier versions, but it’s still EVA foam, which is known to firm up more than Pebax or TPU in cold conditions.

Therefore, it wasn't a surprise to measured a 68% change in softness after leaving the More v6 for 20 minutes next to our ice creams.

Kudos to New Balance for adding large reflective elements on both the heel and tongue, something we truly appreciate seeing in a running shoe.

The lacing system is fully reinforced for durability, a detail often overlooked but absolutely essential in a daily trainer built to withstand the demands of consistent, heavy use.

The tongue plays a key role in creating an all-around plush feel, and we think New Balance nailed it here. Instead of going overboard with 10-mm-plus thickness, they kept it at 7.4 mm. In our view, that's just right without adding unnecessary weight.

Nice move by New Balance in adding a semi-gusseted tongue to improve the fit. While this should be standard at this price point, many brands still skip it, as we saw with the Nike Structure 26.

The Fresh Foam X More v6 holds the same price as its predecessor, which feels like a win in today’s rising market. We also found it fairly priced for the insane comfort it delivers, making it one of the top recovery shoes available.

The heel tab here doesn’t include a finger-loop for pulling the shoe on, but it’s well-padded and nicely cushioned to enhance comfort. It’s also reinforced to hide and protect the stitching, giving a cleaner look.