Fresh Foam 1080v11 shoes
Last year’s 1080 earned NB an Editors’ Choice award, and this update was a hit with our test crew too. That’s because it’s almost identical to last year’s model. Perhaps the biggest change is v11’s knit upper, which has a stretchier forefoot that makes the shoe fit better for runners with wide feet. That change also makes the shoe a little more breathable. But a few wear-testers noted that the upper creates extra pressure through the midfoot, making the shoe a little uncomfortable on long runs. The sole remains unchanged, except for a slight cosmetic tweak to the dot pattern on the sidewall. You still get the thick slab of Fresh Foam X, which boasts higher energy return and comfort than the classic Fresh Foam. On the run, it doesn’t feel overly soft or slow, which we like because that boosts the shoe’s versatility. Those small tweaks might make the new version a better option for some runners; if not, you can probably find last year’s equally good model at a deep discount.