I got the New Balance Ellipse directly from New Balance, for the purpose of testing and review. However, they have no control over this review. I will try to give my honest opinion on the shoe.
In most of my reviews you can find data about my paces or how fast I ran in certain shoes. It will be different this time around. I decided to approach this review from another angle. If you wonder why, we first need to talk about the story behind the shoe.
What does New Balance say about this shoe
Whether you’re setting a 5AM alarm, putting in lunchtime road work, or heading out after dark, everyday miles are a labor of love. The all-new Ellipse matches this enthusiasm. The Ellipse combines the unparalleled comfort of Fresh Foam X cushioning with a bouncy underfoot feeling, designed to make your daily run the most enjoyable part of your day, every day.
There is also an inscription inside the shoe: Fun Comfort. For everyday runs.
Initial thoughts
Before I dive more into the technical details and performance of the shoe, there is one thing I never addressed in a review before. The look of the shoe. We all know, that New Balance produces good looking lifestyle shoes and I think, that for the first time, they made a running shoe with lifestyle vibes.
With looks out of the way, let me give you some running statistics. They will become important later in the review: The average length of a run typically falls between 5 to 8 kilometers or 3 to 5 miles. When looking at time, the average length of a run is between 30 and 45 minutes. There is no exact data on run-walk. It is presumed, that hundreds of thousands of runners use this method on a daily basis.
Fit and upper of the New Balance Ellipse
The shoe for me fits true to size. The upper hugs the foot nicely and there is no problem with the lockdown. I have normal wide feet but I think that even runners with wider feet will have no problem with the shoe.
The upper is very comfortable, with a roomy toe box and a very structured heal cup with a lot of padding, that holds the foot nicely. I had no heel slippage, no blisters and no hotspots during my runs. The material itself is on the thicker side. Same goes for the tongue, it is very plush and gusseted.
For the average runner overheating is not a problem. Therefore the dual layer upper material should even work in warmer climates. If however you prefer a running shoe with a thinner upper, try the New Balance Rebel.
Midsole, outsole and performance of the shoe
The midsole is made of New Balances Fresh Foam X, with a generous outsole coverage. Over the last weeks I used this shoe during most of my easy runs. All in all I ran about 150 kilometers in this shoe so far. The ride is a blend of soft and bouncy but not too soft or super bouncy. If I would need to describe the ride in one word, I would say that it’s comfortable.
It’s not a shoe you would use for marathon longruns. Probably also not the shoe you would pick for a fast track workout. But for everything in between it works. The grip is good. I had no issue, even during runs on wet surfaces. The shoe can handle also running on gravel roads. Not only running, also walking. And with the looks, you can easily use this shoe as a lifestyle / walking / running shoe.
As some of you might know, I’m mainly a marathon and half marathon runner. If you are in the same category and looking for a running shoe to use during long easy runs, that last longer than about 90 minutes or a shoe that you will also use during some faster tempo or interval runs, the New Balance Ellipse is not the best option. A far better shoe would be the New Balance Rebel.
My only concern is the lifetime of the midsole. A few years ago I had a pair of 1080’s with the Fresh Foam X midsole and after about 200 or 300 kilometers I retired the shoe. At that point the midsole felt dead.
Would I recommend the New Balance Ellipse
Back to the statistics. This shoe is made for the average runner. If you are a run-walker (or walk-runner), if you run 2-4 times each week and your longest run is not longer than 60-90 minutes. This shoe is for you.
I would even recommend the shoe as a travel / run shoe. If you are going on vacation or maybe just taking a short city break, this shoe can become handy if you decide to run or even to explore sights. And if you are traveling to a marathon / half marathon, you can use this shoe. It’s a comfortable travel option, you can use it while going to the expo, for your shakeout run and even as a shoe to warmup before your race.
It is stable, comfortable and provides just enough bounce, that you will enjoy every step in it.
I am an ambassador with Top4Running, the number one online store for runners in Europe. If you want to buy a pair of New Balance Ellipse running shoes (or any other pair of running shoes), please use this link to support the Run and Smile community.
Use the code: Roman for an additional 5% discount on most items in the store.
