New Balance’s maximum-cushioning flagship shoe: a full review of the More v4

New Balance’s proposition with the More v4 is as clear as it is honest: lots of material underfoot, a forgiving ride, and a protective feel designed to rack up miles without punishing the legs. It doesn’t try to look light or explosive. Its value lies elsewhere, in that mix of comfort, broad base, and predictable support that makes this model a benchmark among maximal-cushion road running shoes.

In a market full of pairs competing for attention with aggressive profiles or ever-softer foams, the More v4 plays a different card. It offers a calm, highly protected, and surprisingly stable running experience for the amount of shoe it carries. That’s why it has won over runners who prioritize easy outings, long runs, and days when the legs need a break.

A construction designed to put distance between the asphalt and the body

The geometry of the More v4 leaves no room for doubt: it’s a tall, generous shoe with a visual presence that recalls the large foam blocks that have shaped the recent evolution of training running. Its Fresh Foam X midsole reaches 34 mm in the heel and 30 mm in the forefoot, with a 4 mm drop that smooths the transition and promotes a fluid stride. That figure not only speaks to protection; it also explains why the shoe feels so enveloping from the very first step.

New Balance also refined the internal architecture so that all that volume wouldn’t translate into clumsiness. Part of the heel is hollowed out to reduce weight and add a touch of rebound, a solution that keeps the shoe from behaving like an immobile slab. The result is soft but not unruly cushioning, with a very gentle landing feel and a takeoff that’s livelier than its appearance suggests.

That balance matters because maximal-stack shoes usually fall into one of two extremes: either they’re extremely comfortable but inert, or they’re so soft that they lose composure. Here, neither happens to an extreme degree. The More v4 holds up on long runs and easy paces without requiring perfect technique to behave well.

The foam leads, but the base supports the whole package

The centerpiece of this shoe is, without a doubt, the Fresh Foam X. In the More v4, it appears in the softest version in the line and delivers a very pleasant sense of continuous cushioning. The key is not just softness, but how it distributes pressure when the foot lands and moves through the stance phase. There’s no abrupt collapse inward into the midsole, but rather a controlled sink, as if the ground were being cushioned by several carefully tuned layers of foam.

On long runs, that quality matters far more than it may seem. As the miles pile up, fatigue changes a runner’s mechanics and any small firmness gets magnified. The More v4 reduces that toll with cushioning that not only protects, but also helps you finish with less sense of punishment. It doesn’t turn a long session into a walk in the park, but it does smooth out a movement that sometimes becomes more about survival than enjoyment.

The wide platform also plays a decisive role. This isn’t a shoe trying to hide its height with visual tricks; on the contrary, it embraces its volume and organizes it well. The broad base, the foam contained along the sides, and the way the foot sits centered within the structure reduce the wobbling sensation that often accompanies other tall models. You notice that especially when the pace slows and technique relaxes.

How it performs on the run and why it works best at easy paces

The More v4 has a very clearly defined natural territory: easy runs. That’s where its behavior fits like a roomy, well-padded glove. The foot goes in easily, the transition is smooth, and ground contact feels pleasant from the first kilometer. Its way of running is reminiscent of a continuous, silent, and very civilized motion, the kind that lets you accumulate work without leaving an excessive mark on the legs.

It’s also a sensible shoe for recovery days. When the body feels beat up, the foam acts like a layer of relief. It doesn’t demand speed and it doesn’t become a tool for pace changes, but it does allow for a slightly livelier stride than many would expect. That little bit of versatility keeps it from being pigeonholed as an exclusively slow shoe.

That said, it’s worth being precise: it’s not a shoe for intervals, nor for chasing fast sensations, nor for racing. It can handle the occasional quicker segment, and in fact responds better than you might think, but its language is still different. It speaks the language of comfortable mileage, steady endurance, and persistent protection. In that register, it works more naturally than most of its direct rivals.

For that same reason, it also makes sense for everyday use beyond running. Anyone who spends many hours on their feet, walks a lot, or racks up long stretches in a single day will find it very agreeable. The shoe doesn’t fade quickly or lose its appeal after a few minutes; instead, it extends that stable, cushioned feel that makes it useful even outside training.

Wide last, generous fit, and room for demanding feet

One of the traits that most distinguishes the More v4 is its wide last. New Balance has made that room a signature feature in several of its models, and here it gets it right again. The forefoot offers enough space for the toes to spread naturally, something especially valuable on long runs, when the foot tends to swell and any lack of room turns into discomfort.

The upper supports that idea with a simple, comfortable technical mesh that doesn’t overdo it. It isn’t trying to surprise; it’s trying to deliver. It has discreet overlays, reflective details to improve visibility in low light, and pleasant padding in the tongue and collar. The feel when you put it on is immediate comfort, with no bothersome seams or aggressive areas that rub at the start of use.

The fit usually matches your regular size, although on slim feet it may feel a bit roomy. It doesn’t aim to hug the foot with glove-like tightness, but rather to give it space without losing control. That choice benefits runners with wide feet or sensitive forefeet, and also those who prefer a less compressed feel on long outings. The trade-off is that the lockdown isn’t as snug as in other more performance-oriented models.

One detail is worth noting: the tongue is not gusseted. In practice, that can allow slight shifting if the laces are pulled very tight. It’s not a major issue, but it is a characteristic worth knowing because it’s part of the shoe’s overall personality: comfortable, roomy, and not inclined to squeeze more than necessary.

A stability that’s unusual in such a tall shoe

The big trap of many heavily cushioned shoes is obvious: the higher the stack, the easier it is to end up with a tower-like unstable feel. The More v4 handles that risk quite well. The base is wide, the midsole flares outward, and the foot sits securely on the chassis, which conveys confidence even when the landing isn’t perfect or the asphalt has small irregularities.

This stability doesn’t come from hard corrective elements or an aggressive plate, but from the shape of the whole package itself. The shoe distributes support well between the heel and the midfoot, and that’s noticeable for neutral runners as well as for heavier runners or those simply looking for a calm ride. It doesn’t correct the stride, but it does support it with a more dependable base than its height might suggest.

That’s one of the reasons it has been so well received by runners who want a comfortable shoe for many miles without giving up a certain sense of control. The More v4 doesn’t force the foot to fight the foam volume; it organizes it. And that difference, subtle on paper, changes the real-world experience quite a bit when you head out with accumulated fatigue.

Weight, feel, and price: the three factors that define its personality

The least forgiving part of the model is its weight. In a men’s reference size 10.5 US, the figure is around 330 grams, while in women’s size 7 US, it comes in close to 252 grams. It’s not a lightweight shoe, and you feel that in hand as well as in cadence when the run gets longer. Even so, the foam and rebound soften that sense of bulk quite a bit.

On easy runs, the weight doesn’t become a serious problem. But when the heat is on, technique drops, or the runner starts feeling tired, the shoe reminds you that it carries a lot of material with it. That’s the logical trade-off for putting so much emphasis on protection. Anyone looking for agility or an instant light-on-the-foot sensation won’t find it here, because the More v4 wasn’t designed with that goal.

Where it did surprise was in its launch price. It hit the market at $150, ten less than the previous version, which sat at $160. In a segment where many brands have pushed the price of their most cushioned models upward, that decision placed the More v4 in a very competitive position. In terms of performance, comfort, and perceived durability, the value it offers fits well with a thoughtful, not impulsive, purchase.

Traction, wear, and the details revealed by the miles

The outsole uses rubber only in the areas where it really matters, leaving the foam to do much of the work. That choice reduces weight and lets the shoe flex more naturally, although it also slightly limits protective coverage in the highest-wear zones. Traction on asphalt is solid and inspires confidence in dry conditions and on slightly damp surfaces, which is exactly the scenario it was built for.

Wear deserves a cautious reading. In the forefoot, some areas may show marks sooner than you’d expect if the landing frequently falls there. It’s not a warning sign, but it is a clue that durability will depend quite a bit on the strike pattern. Runners who land more on the heel or midfoot usually have a better experience than those who pound the forefoot heavily.

In practice, the outsole compound does its job without fanfare, and that restraint matches the rest of the design. It’s not a mud shoe, not a disguised lightweight trainer, and not a tool for unpredictable surfaces. Its natural terrain is the road, urban asphalt, long walks, and repeated easy runs. In that context, it performs with a very valuable kind of consistency.

Which runner it makes the most sense for

The More v4 fits especially well for runners who want plenty of cushioning without ending up with a sense of instability. It also suits those who log quite a lot of weekly mileage and need a dependable shoe for easy days. Its profile is closer to a long-run, recovery, and heavy-use companion than to an option for alternating intensities or chasing pop.

It’s a very logical choice for medium- to higher-weight runners, for wide feet, and for those who value a forgiving transition on long outings. It also works well as a walking shoe, which broadens its real-world usefulness. Some shoes only make sense when you’re running; this one retains part of its purpose in everyday routines as well.

It’s not the best option for lively workouts, pace changes, or sessions where lightness rules. Nor does it try to be. Its territory is more human and less spectacular: accumulating miles without punishment, protecting without destabilizing, and supporting without distracting. In a sport where intense sensations are often overrated, that quiet usefulness carries a lot of weight.

Seen in perspective, the More v4 represents the evolution of high-cushion shoes when they’re designed with judgment very well. It doesn’t try to impress with gimmicks, but to convince through the sum of its details: abundant foam, a wide base, generous fit, solid stability, and a price that doesn’t get out of hand. That makes it one of the most serious options in its category, not because it promises more, but because it delivers on its promise better.

Its greatest virtue is that it understands its role very well. It doesn’t want to change the way you run, but to make it more pleasant. And in an era when almost every shoe seems forced to be fast, light, and eye-catching all at once, finding one that simply focuses on being comfortable, stable, and reliable already says a lot. Sometimes the best argument isn’t dazzling; it’s holding up well over the miles.

The More v4 isn’t a shoe for everyone, but it is for a very specific group of runners who know what they’re looking for: lots of protection, a rested feel underfoot, and a stride that doesn’t fall apart when the miles start to add up. In that space, New Balance delivered a mature, solid, and very well-executed model.

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