Gender | Men , Women |
Men weight | 244 gr |
Women weight | 212 gr |
Drop | 6 mm |
Cushion | Neutral |
Runner weight | Light , Medium |
Running gait | Neutral |
Surface | Road |
Use | mixed |
Pace | Medium , High |
Foot | Normal feet |
Strike | heel |
Year | 2017 |
The hallmarks of the Fresh Foam Zante family from New Balance reside in a mixed model, which stands out for its great lightness and also for its excellent versatility. Traits that are still very present in the fourth version of this successful saga of the Boston-based brand. In fact, the NB Fresh Foam Zante v3 have taken the award in the category of best natural tread shoe to the fifth edition of the Runnea Awards to the best Running shoes and gadgets of 2017.
Apparently, and taking a look at the previous model, these New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4 seem not to bring very relevant changes, although there are, and these have as main mission to improve the fit of the shoe, as well as its running performance.
The Zante v4 brings with it an updated Fresh Foam foam in the midsole. New Balance has opted to reflect a new redesign of its geometric patterns, through which the runner's sensations improve notably, with a firmer footprint, yes, but also with a higher level of cushioning. This results in much smoother and lighter transitions.
But the changes in the midsole of the NB Fresh Foam Zante v4 can also be seen in the external part, where a series of laser cuts can be seen in order to increase the flexibility of the model.
Another area where the changes in the Zante v4 stand out is in its upper, where the shoe has undergone a change of look, thanks to the implementation of an engineered mesh, which not only provides better breathability but also greater freedom of movement of the foot.
However, the great innovation of these updated New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4 responds to the name of HYPOSKIN technology, consisting of a new wrap, like a seamless bootie, capable of providing a more natural support - as if it were a second skin - to the midfoot. In addition, this technology also helps to make movements more dynamic.
As in previous versions, the NB Fresh Foam Zante v4 also features an injected carbon rubber outsole of proven efficiency (Blown rubber), because with this compound, the shoe is lighter and more responsive. Not forgetting that aspects such as traction and durability are still guaranteed.
In short, with the things that have changed and those that have not, the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4 maintains that elegant, versatile aesthetics and appearance of a lightweight shoe for fast running, and also without touching its technical specifications with a drop of 6 millimeters, and weights of approximately 212 grams for the women's version, and about 244 grams for the men's model. The Fresh Foam Zante v4 continues to focus on the neutral runner who moves at fast paces to compete in short distance races, or to cover long distances.