New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v15 Review: Max-cushion Stack Height, Daily Trainer Feel

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.
The New Balance 880 has long been known as a classic workhouse–a comfortable and versatile option offering no frills and just function. We compared the 880 v13 and v14 to a Honda Civic in our previous reviews, thanks to its classic dependability.
We’re not saying the v15 isn’t dependable or comfortable, but we may have to stop comparing it to a Honda Civic. With a whopping increase in Fresh Foam X cushioning, the 880 v15 might have broken into luxury SUV territory. Read on to find out what our reviewers thought.
New Balance 880 v15
Weight | 8.4 oz (W), 10.7 oz (M) |
---|---|
Stack height (heel/forefoot) | 40.5 mm/34.5 mm |
Heel-to-toe drop | 6 mm |
Category | Daily trainer |
Surface | Road |
Price | $140 |
Comparable to… | ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27, Saucony Ride 18 |
Ride
Cushioning
Energy
Goldilocks cushioning meets reliable durability

While the 880 v15 has a stack height of 40.5 millimeters in the heel, putting it well above the “moderately cushioned” category it used to reside in, reviewers thought it still felt like a “Goldilocks” shoe.
“Based on its looks, I was expecting the 880 to have a more cushioned feel,” says Heather. “But it ended up feeling like a middle-of-the-road trainer to me with not too much cushion, nor too little. It’s not too firm, nor too soft.”
Mandy agreed, saying “The 880 is a jack of all trades. At first, I felt that it was a bit firmer than the previous version, but the more I wear it the softer it feels. While it’s still a bit firmer than other shoes, the ride feels nice and easy. Decreasing the heel to toe drop [the distance in height between your heel and forefoot] while increasing the stack height makes walking and running in this shoe feel really smooth.”
The smooth feeling Mandy mentioned can also be attributed to a stiffer forefoot, which acts as a lever to aid your feet in heel-to-toe transitions.
“I had a great run in the 880,” says Heather. “I went out for four easy miles and I forgot that I was even supposed to be paying attention to how the shoe felt–a sign that New Balance did things right. It just kind of ‘disappeared’ on my foot for the duration of the run.”
I was curious about the updates to the new 880 and what they meant for the Fresh Foam X line as a whole. In the past, the 880 has been positioned just under the 1080, with the latter providing more cushion. However, the 880 v15 now surpasses the 1080 v14 in terms of stack height.
I posed my questions to Paul Zielinski, New Balance’s Senior Global Product Manager. He says that, despite the 880 v15 having more cushioning than ever, it still sits in the same spot amongst the lineup. While the 880 has more stack height than the 1080 v14, it’s built with a firmer version of Fresh Foam X.
And, just like a Honda Civic, the 880 v15 offers the level of durability long-time fans have come to expect from the franchise. The outsole design is a bit different on this latest version, particularly in the forefoot where the rubber is placed in a vertical pattern instead of the diagonal pattern used in the v14, creating that stiff, lever-like feel I mentioned above.
Does this upper make my foot look fat?

“Yes, it does,” says Heather in response to her above question. “Honestly, this is my only gripe about this shoe–my foot LOOKS terrible in it. I’m used to the 880 having a lot of space, but the v15 does not. With that said, it actually fits pretty well. I was really worried before going on a run that the top of my foot would feel smashed, but I didn’t experience that at all.”
Heather has a high instep and sometimes has trouble with the fit of our wear-test pairs, but rest assured that her feet felt nice and comfy in the 880 v15, regardless of how they looked.
Mandy also noticed that the fit seemed a bit snugger than previous versions. “New Balance is typically known as having ample space for those with wide feet, but I felt as though this version of the 880 is a bit tighter and narrower,” she says. “Although it fit well and felt good, it was tighter around the midfoot than other shoes have been recently. It may be that the tongue is more padded than usual.”
One of the best things about the 880 is its availability in different widths, making it accommodating to all foot shapes. The 880 v15 is available in narrow, (2A for women, B for men), wide (D for women, 2E for men) and extra-wide (2E for women, 4E for men) sizing, so if you enjoy the feel of the cushioning you’re likely to find a size that fits the shape of your feet.
If you aren’t sure about the width of your feet or height of your instep, your best bet will be to head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.
New Balance 880 v15 versus 880 v14
Tech Specs | New Balance 880 v15 | New Balance 880 v14 |
Weight | 8.4 oz (W), 10.7 oz (M) | 7.4 oz (W), 9.5 oz (M) |
Stack height | 40.5 mm/34.5 mm | 29 mm/21 mm |
Heel-to-toe drop | 6 mm | 8 mm |
Price | $140 | $140 |
As mentioned above, the 880 v15 has gained a massive amount of midsole cushioning and with that comes a little bit of weight, too. However, reviewers still find the v15 to be plenty versatile, just like the 880 v14.
“The 880 v15 is a Swiss-army-knife kind of shoe–it can do it all, from short runs to long runs, fast or slow paces,” says Heather.
The decreased heel-to-toe drop makes the ride feel a lot smoother and follows the trend we’ve been seeing of many running shoes gradually lowering their heel-to-toe drops.
If you enjoyed the previous version of the 880, you’ll likely enjoy this version, too, since reviewers still categorize it as a middle-of-the-road daily trainer. However, if you enjoyed the flexibility of the 880 v13 and v14, you may find the 15 to feel a bit too stiff.

How does the New Balance 880 v15 compare?
We took a look at some comparable models to see how the New Balance 880 v15 stacks up. Here’s what we found.
Tech Specs | New Balance 880 v15 | ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27 | Saucony Ride 18 |
Weight | 8.4 oz (W), 10.7 oz (M) | 8.1 oz (W), 9.3 oz (M) | 8 oz (W), 9.1 oz (M) |
Stack height (heel/forefoot) | 40.5 mm/34.5 mm | 37.5 mm/29.5 mm (W), 38.5 mm/30.5 mm (M) | 35 mm/27 mm |
Heel-to-toe drop | 6 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm |
Category | Daily trainer | Daily trainer | Daily trainer |
Price | $140 | $140 | $140 |
Just like the 880 v15, the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27 and the Saucony Ride 18 act as their respective brands’ version of the classic workhorse daily trainer. All three shoes offer a balanced soft-to-firm ratio without being overly plush, like you might find in a more premium daily trainer.
Reviewers noticed that, while the 880 has the highest stack height of all three shoes, it also feels the firmest.
Who is the New Balance 880 v15 best for?
With a thick stack of firm Fresh Foam X cushioning, the 880 v15 is best for runners who want a lot of protection underfoot without an overly soft, squishy feel.
While it’s not the fastest shoe on the market by any means, its firmness allows it to feel versatile enough to pick up the pace if the mood strikes.
And thanks to plenty of available sizing options, the 880 is a great choice for runners who need more or less room in the toebox.