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Writer's pictureRUN Magazine

Hierrro v7 from New Balance

New Balance, a shoe that has a model to suit most runners and budgets. We were intrigued to check out their new, neutral, seemingly uncomplicated shoe, featuring their signature Fresh Foam technology X.

The shoe has gone its own direction, rather than following the crowd, much like the brand urges its wearers to do. 20grams lighter than the Hierro 6 and with slightly deeper (from 3.5 to 4.5mm outsole lugs), this shoe is distinctively improved.


The New Balance Hierro V7 is essentially a high-mileage trail shoe. It could be considered as a trail model of the popular New Balance 1080. Both shoes feature the same midsole material, Fresh Foam X.


In a nutshell its a great shoe for a variety of trails and offering excellent value. Proven Vibram Megagrip outsole grip keeps you upright and sure footed on trails. The shoe is well suited to forests, trails and some slightly more technical trail, yet, at the same time, can easily be worn for shorter distance runs on farm roads, pavements and even tar.

Here's some additional detail for more technical readers:


The shoe has 22 grams less weight compared to the Hierro V6, now weighing only 298 grams in size 9.


The upper now includes 50% recycled materials which is progressive, well done to NB. The toe bumper works well and the heel counter kicks off your forward rolling stride motion.


Chatting to athletes using them, the shoes sit comfortably on your feet from run 1 and don't feel strange wearing them casually, even though they are designed for trail training.


In addition, small grooves under the shoe and on the lugs have been incorporated into the design to provide better friction on the ground, as well as marginally reducing the overall weight.


It is a very fine balance when designing midsoles for trail running shoes, since on the one hand you want as soft and comfortable a midsole as possible, but on the other hand you need slightly more stability, since being able to feel the uneven terrain beneath your feet is key.

This soft midsole trail shoe still offers good stability, meaning you shouldn't feel unsafe or uneasy when running on uneven terrain.


The lightweight mesh upper is both comfortable and breathable. In addition, New Balance has added a toe protector, which protects your feet from smashing into rocks and roots.


The shoes also feature targeted zones, such as the heel, where you can feel that the upper has been reinforced - this helps to protect the foot, but also helps to provide some stability.


Lastly, the shoe has a simple and effective lacing system that holds your foot snugly in place when trail running in uneven terrain.


In summary, a good and soft all-round trail shoe that is well suited for trails, forests and less technical trail terrain. In our opinion, New Balance have managed to combine functionality, sustainability and a unique design in the Hierro 7.

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