New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé

I love long-distance and ultra long-distance running, especially when it comes to those that allow continuous running: this is the case when running on trails and paths with very little technical and why not with some stretches of asphalt. In this type of race or outing, the question always surge: what shoes to use? There are 3 options to consider.

Trail running shoes. They are technical, have grip and protection, but often lack the comfort, responsiveness and cushioning needed for continuous running.

Running shoes.They are comfortable, responsive and equipped with the best cushioning compounds, but do not offer the protection and grip needed for mountain or technical terrain.

Mixed shoes.These are running shoes "tuned" for trail running, such as the more v3 Trail for example. These shoes with asphalt DNA have added lugs and a super with protection.

I give you a concrete example, if you are going to run the Madrid / Segovia in Spain or the Ultra Marin in France, which running shoes do you choose? Asphalt? trail? trail running? trail tuned trail? They are long races, not very technical, and with little slope, the necessary ingredients to be able to run a large part of the time.

New Balance provides a fourth possible answer with the new Garoé. Instead of tuning a running shoe with trail elements, the American manufacturer has tuned a trail shoe so that it can have asphalt qualities. In fact, the first glance you take at the Garoé may give it a very familiar feel and remind you of the legendary New Balance Hierro trail shoes.

In my test of the New Balance Garoé, I've focused on finding out if it really lives up to New Balance Balance's statement of intent: a mixed shoe that can accompany the runner on trails and on asphalt.

What type of runner are the New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé recommended for?

The Garoé has a supportive upper with seamless overlays. This provides a fit that I found to be secure and comfortable. This feature has also provided me with excellent stability on uneven terrain. Overall, I found the New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé to be very versatile in terms of surfaces. A good summary would be an all-rounder with cushioning.

I see them as ideal for runners who run trails without venturing into technical areas, whether they are beginners or trail running enthusiasts. They can also be a great option for people who venture into hiking or trekking by stage like the Camino de Santiago for example.

Best shoes for doing the Camino de Santiago

What did we like most about the New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé?

First of all, I loved the combination of comfort and performance that this shoe offers. The Fresh Foam midsole provides excellent cushioning that protected me well during my long trail runs, while the AT Tread outsole gave me very interesting traction as long as there wasn't too much mud.

One of the days I went out in a very steep and muddy bush area and my evolution in this terrain was complex. But it would have been the case with any other shoe that doesn't have an outsole with an AT Tread that is suitable for greasy terrain.

Opportunities for improvement of New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé

As for areas of improvement, there is clearly room for improvement for asphalt use. For one thing, they could be made lighter in weight. When I used them in mixed road/mountain/asphalt outings at trail paces, the weight didn't bother me. But when I went out in asphalt-only mode, I found them heavy. Another element that should be improved for asphalt is the breathability. In my mountain outings I didn't feel any heat on my feet, but in the asphalt-only outing it seemed to me that the heat was increasing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think the New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé is a good mixed shoe for trail and mountain running, and maybe for a little bit of asphalt running. But they are not an asphalt running shoe. They are very versatile and I see them perfect for long runs with little gradient, that is, on run able trails.

My personal opinion has not changed, whenever I have to face a less technical race, I prefer to wear structured running shoes like the 1080 for example. Now if the terrain starts to become a bit more technical, with descents that require safety and stability, I would probably opt for a Garoé. On asphalt, I see them for a few stretches, but not for more. In the end, we can say that New Balance fulfills 80% of its versatility proposal. Which is quite an achievement, since we could ask ourselves who does better in this segment?

Rivals of the New Balance Fresh Foam Garoé

• Asics Novablast 3 TR
• Mizuno Wave Rider TT
• HOKA Speedgoat 5
• Nike Juniper Trail 2