I have been looking for a shoe for years that is comfortable enough and lightweight enough for teaching tai chi and qigong -- this shoe is it! I have been wearing thick socks for teaching before I found the Fresh Foam 680 V7. It is not only the fresh foam cushioning technology, it is also how lightweight they are, the general comfort of the shoe, the room in the toe box and feeling almost like a moccasin I would say -- just sooooo comfortable in every respect, yet beautifully supportive. (How'd they do that???) The laces length is just right. It's a good idea to loosen the laces a bit from the way they arrive before trying on. The mesh material all around the front and sides is great for this shoe's ultra and breathable comfort too!
It is necessary to buy a whole size up -- I tried my size, 8 W, then 8 1/2 W, but 9 W was the right size in this style -- these variations of sizing between styles seems to be typical for New Balance sizing, but Amazon's "Prime Try Before You Buy" was very helpful to happily get the right size. If you get the wrong size, for one thing, the area around the laces will be widened and the laces will seem too short. If you get the right size, you'll love them!
C'mon . . . Amazon has packageless returns or exchanges now -- it's easy! Please don't settle for a shoe that doesn't fit correctly. It makes me sad reading people think the shoe will stretch or the size they ordered will just make do. That's not comfort. As a foot reflexologist, the first thing I learned is that you won't break your shoe in, the shoe will break your foot in -- not good.
Orthotics fit nicely underneath the shoe inserts.
They wash well in cold water, gentle, air dry.
They slip on easier using a small shoe horn, which can be purchased for $5 at any shoe repair store. The way they fit like a glove around the heel is worth this small trouble!
I purchased 6 pairs in different colors -- 2 of them dedicated to just my tai chi/qigong personal practice and for teaching my classes. The colors are beautiful and snazzy!
Thank you Amazon and New Balance! Please keep producing these Fresh Foam 680 V7's New Balance!
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New Balance 1080v9 vs Brooks Glycerin16
I was looking for high quality shoes that had a lot of cushion and room in the toe box. I would be using them primarily for walking around town and jogging on a treadmill. I have flat feel and pronate but didn't want a support shoe because the arch and rigidity is not comfortable for me. I prefer to use an arch support sock or arch wrap. I narrowed my choices to the New Balance 1080v9 (NB) vs Brooks Glycerin16 (Brooks) and tried them both. While looking at reviews, many people noted the Brooks ran narrow so I purchased that shoe in wide to accommodate the bunions I earned during my stiletto days. I found them to be very similar in fit. I wear 8.5 and they both ran true in length but the NB regular width felt as wide as the Brooks wide. The NB also looked a bit wider when wearing one of each side by side but that may be because of the pastel vs dark color. The NB in light cashmere is a very pretty muted pink color. The Brooks black/pink online photos show it as a medium pink accent but it's more of a deep fuschia/magenta. There were three fit/feel differences that I noticed. In the NB, my heel slipped up with every step, even with a runners loop. I don't have heel slip in the Brooks. While the cushioning in stepping down on both heels is exceptional, it seemed where the Brooks was pure cushion, the NB had a bit of a cupping feel when bottoming out. It may be a good thing but I wondered if over long distance and wear that might become uncomfortable. Finally, the Brooks has a one piece sock-like smooth interior that makes wearing it barefoot, or with a toeless sock, just a bit more comfortable. If not for the heel slippage, it would have been tough to decide a clear winner. I may have gone for the NB for looks but ended up with the Brooks for the fit. I don't usually leave such lengthy reviews but when I searched for a comparison of these two shoes there weren't any so I thought this might help someone.
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2019
I was looking for high quality shoes that had a lot of cushion and room in the toe box. I would be using them primarily for walking around town and jogging on a treadmill. I have flat feel and pronate but didn't want a support shoe because the arch and rigidity is not comfortable for me. I prefer to use an arch support sock or arch wrap.
New Balance 1080v9 vs Brooks Glycerin16
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2019
I narrowed my choices to the New Balance 1080v9 (NB) vs Brooks Glycerin16 (Brooks) and tried them both. While looking at reviews, many people noted the Brooks ran narrow so I purchased that shoe in wide to accommodate the bunions I earned during my stiletto days. I found them to be very similar in fit. I wear 8.5 and they both ran true in length but the NB regular width felt as wide as the Brooks wide. The NB also looked a bit wider when wearing one of each side by side but that may be because of the pastel vs dark color. The NB in light cashmere is a very pretty muted pink color. The Brooks black/pink online photos show it as a medium pink accent but it's more of a deep fuschia/magenta.
There were three fit/feel differences that I noticed. In the NB, my heel slipped up with every step, even with a runners loop. I don't have heel slip in the Brooks. While the cushioning in stepping down on both heels is exceptional, it seemed where the Brooks was pure cushion, the NB had a bit of a cupping feel when bottoming out. It may be a good thing but I wondered if over long distance and wear that might become uncomfortable. Finally, the Brooks has a one piece sock-like smooth interior that makes wearing it barefoot, or with a toeless sock, just a bit more comfortable.
If not for the heel slippage, it would have been tough to decide a clear winner. I may have gone for the NB for looks but ended up with the Brooks for the fit. I don't usually leave such lengthy reviews but when I searched for a comparison of these two shoes there weren't any so I thought this might help someone.
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- Sumitri s.Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on August 24, 2024
Comfortable
Size: 5.5Color: White/Quartz Grey/Virtual BlueVerified Purchase -
Excelente, era para una amiga y quedó encantada , próximamente encara otras , esta felizzzReviewed in Spain on May 7, 2024
Feliz
