From the moment our toes touched the sole of the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12, we were in awe of the softness we witnessed. As we thoroughly tested it on long walks and heavy runs, we found its impact absorption to be superb. We didn’t feel any amount of stress or fatigue! To take a deeper look into this, we pressed our durometer to its midsole in our lab. The result: its hardness of 12.5 HA is one of the softest we’ve ever tested! For reference, it’s 54.7% softer than the average walking shoe. Still, we didn’t find it squishy at all. The design felt adequately stable on foot, effectively letting us have our cake and eat it too!

Multiple width options. New Balance is one of the very few major athletic brands that make shoes in several width options, from Extra Narrow to Extra Wide. For us, the best New Balance walking shoe with arch support should be able to provide a consistently stable ride without any hiccups. After testing the New Balance Fresh Foam 860 v12 in our lab and on foot, we found it to be beyond reliable - having tons of features that put in the work day in and day out. What blew us away was its stability features, its satisfyingly firm cushioning, and its rain-or-shine grip.

If you need a walking shoe for commuting, working on concrete or tile floors, going shopping, or simply getting through your day, consider New Balance shoes for urban use.

We also enjoyed the springs on each of our steps in v4. We investigated more and discovered that the midsole is 15.5 HA soft. Compared to the average, this is 36.2% softer, giving us a pillowy platform without the unwanted squish. Even though v4’s super soft, we are still unfazed by the thought of unsteadiness because we measured the base widths at 119.5 mm in the forefoot and 102.1 mm in the heel. They are 5.8% and 13.3% wider than the averages, suggesting stable rides.

New Balance: The history

New Balance heritage isn’t just about decades-old craftsmanship, it’s also a celebration of timeless style. Classic New Balance designs have proved to be ageless, but we never stop trying to innovate and take the New Balance aesthetic forward with daring new styles and exciting collaborations. Big focus on arch support. Originally started as an arch support manufacturer, the brand has always taken flat feet and overpronation seriously. As we went at it for miles in the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12, we found our strides noticeably balanced. We measured its midsole to be 113.8 mm at the forefoot and 89.1 mm at the heel. These figures are significantly wider than that of the average walking shoe at 107.5 mm and 85.2 mm, respectively - providing a nice and stable platform for feet. Its upper is also pleasantly roomy! Its forefoot width of 97.0 mm provides more than enough room for wide and swollen feet.

Our expansive collection of New Balance clothing, footwear and accessories is designed to cater to absolutely everyone. Whether you’re looking for serious sporting gear for pro athletes or fashion forward leisurewear to complete your latest look, there’s plenty to explore in the New Balance men’s and the New Balance women’scollections. Apart from the dedicated walking shoes, your daily walking needs may also be satisfied by New Balance sneakers and running shoes. However, the choice will depend on your personal preferences in footwear. Here is how these three categories differ: If you have a proven case of flat feet, complemented by a noticeable inward rolling of the foot (see image below), we recommend NB’s motion control walking shoes.If in doubt, see the illustration below to guide you. You can also learn more about pronation and arch support in our meta-analysis of 150+ studies on the topic.