New Balance 1080 v14 vs v15: What Changed, and Is the v15 Better?
New Balance replaced Fresh Foam X with a new foam, Infinion. In the lab the 1080 v15 came out the softest of the 33 shoes we review with that test, 30 g lighter than the v14 and 3.4 mm wider at the big toe, and the least resistant to twisting of the 24 we have on the lab’s newer torsion test.
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That makes the v15 the better 1080 for heel pain, long days on hard floors and toes that feel pinched, and the riskier one for a foot that rolls in or an ankle that gives way. If you liked the v14 because it felt a little more stable, the v15 went the other way.
This is a spec comparison. We have not measured, worn or scored either shoe. The brand figures below are New Balance’s own for the v15 and, for the v14, its launch figures as a lab review recorded them; the lab figures are RunRepeat’s, from one pair of each. We keep the two apart because they are not the same tier of evidence.
What New Balance says changed
The headline is the foam. After years on Fresh Foam X, New Balance built the v15 on Infinion, which it describes as “designed for long-lasting performance, with enhanced cushioning and energy return”, and dropped “Fresh Foam X” from the name. It lists the v15 at a 6 mm drop and 261 g, in men’s B, D, 2E and 4E, at $169.99, on sale from 15 January 2026. Its US product page gives no stack height.
| Specification | 1080 v14 | 1080 v15 |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $165 at launch | $169.99 |
| Stated heel-to-toe drop | 6 mm | 6 mm |
| Midsole | Fresh Foam X | Infinion |
| On sale on 28 September 2026? | Replaced by the v15 | Yes, at New Balance and running shops |
Sources: New Balance’s US 1080v15 page, read 28 September 2026; 1080 v14 launch figures from Believe in the Run and RunRepeat. Reviewers list different stack heights for both shoes and New Balance’s page gives none, so we leave stack to the lab below.
What the lab measured
RunRepeat cut, weighed and measured one pair of each. The heel stayed at 37.0 mm while the forefoot lost 2.2 mm, so the drop rose from 4.2 to 6.4 mm and now matches the label. The new foam measured about a quarter softer and bouncier, the shoe 30 g lighter, and the toe box 3.4 mm wider at the big toe.
| Measurement | 1080 v14 | 1080 v15 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toe-box width at the big toe | 69.8 mm | 73.2 mm | 3.4 mm wider |
| Width at the widest point | 95.4 mm | 94.8 mm | 0.6 mm narrower |
| Toe-box height | 27.0 mm | 27.1 mm | The same |
| Heel stack | 37.0 mm | 37.0 mm | The same |
| Forefoot stack | 32.8 mm | 30.6 mm | 2.2 mm lower |
| Measured drop | 4.2 mm | 6.4 mm | 2.2 mm steeper |
| Weight | 285 g | 255 g | 30 g lighter |
| Midsole hardness (Asker C, higher is firmer) | 28.5 AC | 21.5 AC | About 25% softer |
| Energy return at the heel | 58.0% | 65.9% | More bounce |
| Heel shock absorption | 142 SA | 147 SA | About 4% more |
| Force to bend the forefoot | 15.8 N | 15.1 N | Much the same |
| Heel counter stiffness (1 to 5) | 4 | 4 | The same |
| Insole thickness | 3.9 mm | 4.3 mm | 0.4 mm thicker |
| Force to twist (torsional rigidity) | 4 of 5, older test | 10.3 Nm | Not comparable; the v15 is the least rigid of the 24 we review |
Source: RunRepeat lab, one pair of each, read 28 September 2026, with the same toe-box, cushioning and bending tests on both shoes. Hardness is on the Asker C scale and shock absorption in RunRepeat’s SA units; the lab now measures torsional rigidity in newton-metres and tested the older shoe on a 1-to-5 scale, so the two cannot be compared (the median of the 24 shoes we review with the newer test is 14.5 Nm). Medians of the lab-measured shoes we review (34 for the toe-box figures, 35 for the rest): 72.8 mm at the big toe, 95.2 mm at the widest point, 27.0 mm of toe-box height, 38.7 mm of heel stack, 8.5 mm of drop, 137 SA and 15.3 N.
What a foot and ankle surgeon takes from this
The softest shoe we have lab figures for. At 21.5 on the Asker C scale the v15’s Infinion was the softest of the 33 shoes we review with that test, and its heel shock absorption ranked third of the 35. For plantar fasciitis, a thinning heel fat pad or long days on concrete that is a modest gain over the v14, about 4% more heel shock absorption on foam that was already soft at 28.5. The catch is steadiness: the v15 was the least resistant to twisting of the 24 shoes we review on the lab’s newer torsion test. For a foot that rolls in, a tired posterior tibial tendon, midfoot arthritis or an ankle that gives way, that much give is the wrong direction.
Wider at the toes, not at the ball of the foot. The v14 measured 69.8 mm at the big toe, narrower than all but three of the 34 shoes we review that the lab has measured there; the v15 measured 73.2, just above the median. That is room for a big toe that drifts and crowded lesser toes; the toe box is no taller, so hammertoes gain little. At the widest point the two are within 0.6 mm, so a bunion or tailor’s bunion still wants the 2E or 4E. Compare both on our toe box width chart.
Lighter, livelier, and true to its 6 mm. The v15 weighed 30 g less, the fifth lightest of the 35 shoes we review, and returned 65.9% of the energy at the heel against 58.0%. Its drop measured 6.4 mm against the v14’s 4.2, so the v15 asks a little less of the Achilles and calf. Both sit in the low-to-middle range on our heel-to-toe drop chart.
Should you switch?
Buy the 1080 v15 if…
- Heel pain or a thinning heel fat pad is the problem. It is the softest shoe we have lab figures for, with the third most heel cushioning.
- Your toes feel pinched: 3.4 mm wider at the big toe than the v14.
- You want a lighter shoe, 30 g lighter in the lab.
- Your Achilles or calf prefers a little more drop: 6.4 mm against 4.2.
Look for a leftover 1080 v14 if…
- You feel unsteady in very soft shoes. The v14 was only a little firmer, 28.5 against 21.5; a foot that rolls in needs a stability shoe, not either 1080.
- You liked its lower drop, 4.2 mm in the lab, for a sore forefoot.
- It already works for you, or you want more forefoot foam: 32.8 mm against 30.6.
Orthotics and inserts
Both insoles come out; the lab measured 3.9 and 4.3 mm, among the thinnest we have figures for, so removing them frees less depth than in most shoes. The v15’s wider toe box helps a full-length device. On very soft foam an orthotic can rock rather than sit, so if you wear one to control a flat foot, try it in the v15 before you commit. Our Orthotic Volume Rating explains how to check the fit.
Questions runners ask
Is the New Balance 1080 v15 better than the v14?
For heel pain, crowded toes or a lighter shoe, yes: the lab found softer foam, more heel cushioning, 3.4 mm more width at the big toe and 30 g less weight. For a foot that needs stability, neither is the answer: the v14 was only a little firmer, and the v15 was the least resistant to twisting of the 24 shoes we review on the newer torsion test.
What changed from the 1080 v14 to the v15?
New Balance replaced Fresh Foam X with Infinion foam and dropped “Fresh Foam X” from the name. In the lab the v15 measured about 25% softer, 30 g lighter and bouncier, with 2.2 mm less foam under the forefoot, 2.2 mm more drop and a wider toe box at the big toe.
Is the 1080 v15 wider than the v14?
At the big toe, yes: 73.2 mm against 69.8. At the widest point the two are within 0.6 mm, 94.8 against 95.4. New Balance sells the v15 in men’s B, D, 2E and 4E, and retailers list women’s 2A, B, D and 2E.
Is the 1080 v15 too soft?
For some feet. It was the softest of the 33 shoes we review with the lab’s hardness test and the least resistant to twisting of the 24 with its newer torsion test. That suits a sore heel on hard floors; it does not suit a foot that rolls in or an unstable ankle.
Is the 1080 v14 discontinued?
New Balance replaced it with the v15, released in January 2026. Leftover v14 pairs may still turn up at discount retailers, usually in a thinning range of sizes.
Is the 1080 v15 good for plantar fasciitis?
For heel cushioning it is one of the best shoes we have lab figures for, third of the 35 for heel shock absorption. If your plantar fasciitis comes with a flat, rolling foot, a firmer stability shoe or an orthotic will do more. Our running shoes for plantar fasciitis guide compares the options.
Read the full analysis
Our spec analysis of the New Balance 1080v15 carries its full figures and sources. For New Balance’s other cushioned trainers, see 860 vs 880 and Ghost Max 4 vs More v6.
Sources
- New Balance, 1080v15 men’s product page ($169.99, 6 mm drop, 261 g, Infinion, men’s B, D, 2E and 4E, available 15 January 2026, no stack height), read 28 September 2026.
- Believe in the Run, New Balance 1080 v14 review (launch price $165, 6 mm drop, Fresh Foam X), read 28 September 2026. Women’s widths per Running Warehouse.
- RunRepeat, New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 and New Balance 1080 v15 lab reviews, read 28 September 2026.
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