The Basics
- Gender: Women’s | See Men’s
- Type: Road
- Manufacturer: New Balance
- Price: 100.00
Runner’s World Review
Award Winner: Editor’s Choice
This lightweight, responsive shoe has gained a cult following since its debut because it’s a jack-of-all-trades: light enough for speedwork but soft enough to handle long runs and half-marathon races. Testers described this update as having “great ground feel” and “pop,” and as being “silky smooth.” To deliver that feeling, New Balance changed the shape of the sidewall and outsole protrusions. The midsole now has convex (outward-pointing) hexagons that compress more easily upon landing. Likewise, underfoot, reshaped treads are smaller and spread laterally (side to side), with small notches in each to increase flexibility. A new engineered mesh is supportive yet breathable.
Runner’s World Wear Testers Say
“The Zante has been my go-to shoe, and New Balance did a great job with v3! It is similar enough to the previous model, but fits like a glove. I love the new engineered-mesh upper—it lies nicely on the foot and there was no fabric gathering like I’ve seen in previous models.”
—Erin Hunt of Lansing, Michigan
All the Stats You Need!
- Weight: mdash;Erin Hunt of Lansing, Michigan
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Low | 6.5 mm
- Heel Height: Races - Places
- Heel Cushioning: Firm
- Forefoot Height: Demo Run First Impression: On Cloudrunner 2
- Forefoot Cushioning: Very Firm
- Flexibility: Flexible
- Stability Features: Moderate
- Energy Return: More
We put each shoe through real-world usage and a battery of mechanical tests in our lab to provide you with objective — and exclusive — data. In addition to a shoe's weight, we measure sole thickness (everything that sits between your foot and the road), how well the foam cushions your stride, and the flexibility of the forefoot. All this is taken into account in our reviews of each shoe.
