Hardwear
Product 2018
Woman, Man
This road running shoe, focused on training or triathlon racing, is fascinating in more ways than one: its behavior and its design.
It is an extremely precise shoe in terms of foot envelopment. It reuses the sock concept that fully englobes the foot. They aren’t easy to put on, the opening is limited and the sock is stretchy but only up to a certain point. Wet feet don’t slide in easily. You also need to ensure that the upper part of the inner, which acts as a tongue, is well below the adjustment strap as it may cause rubbing when the foot is bent. With practice you find yourself putting them on quickly and also because the materials stretch a little. The small neon yellow strap at the heel that helps to hold the shoe seems very fragile in view of the pressure that it undergoes: how long will the seams last?
These are shoes for narrow feet that almost give the sensation of climbing shoes in terms of precision.
The New Balance 1500 major strong point is the Boa system, which provides a noticeable adjustment speed and a very well-distributed tightening power, across the entire foot. The Boa system has been very well-integrated by New Balance and it gives birth to a shoe with a very fluid design, snug foot envelopment and lightweight! If the Boa is very practical in terms of adjustment (millimetric precision), you can’t loosen the shoes, for example when your foot swells during effort. You then have to pull the Boa disc, which releases the lace and turn the knob again to find the desired adjustment.
The other point concerns the sole. It makes a characteristic noise when it comes into contact with the ground. You immediately feel that the materials are firm. In use, the sole softens a little but the heel remains rather stiff (it remains hard in cold weather). The hard point appears rapidly. Runners who start running on the heel will suffer over the kilometers as there is no cushioning to compensate.
On the other hand, if you run the 1500 Boa midfoot or even better, forefoot, you discover an alert, aerial shoe, which constantly stimulates and directly transmits energy. The sole, especially under the forefoot, allows a rocking forward motion and a good beginning to the stride. They have a 6mm drop.
The foot strike is precise and very stable for such light shoes. We didn’t notice any supination or pronation during the first kilometers: to be checked after several weeks of running. The heels are relatively well-held with a light but effective structure. The sole is notched, just enough for the road.
These are undeniably shoes for going fast, for competition or training. Designed for runners who are aerial in their stride, midfoot or forefoot runners. The others will end up with knee pain over long distances…
6 mm 
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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