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New Balance Boracay Review: Small Changes Make a Better Shoe

New Balance Fresh Foam BoracaySometimes all it takes is a few small changes to improve a shoe. This was the case with the Hoka Clifton 2, which I reviewed earlier this week. Hoka added a bit of padding to the tongue, an additional lace eyelet, and a new insole, but kept just about everything else on the shoe the same. Fix what’s broken, don’t change what people like – that’s how it should be done.

Last year I reviewed the New Balance Fresh Foam 980 and found that although I liked the shoe, it suffered from a fatal flaw that made it unwearable for me on longer runs. The problem was the toebox – it was too pointy up front and squeezed my toes together. The result was blistering between my toes on long runs, and going up a half size did not solve the problem.

The other problem I had with the Fresh Foam 980 wasn’t so much a problem with the shoe per se, but rather with how it was marketed. Ads for the 980 kept using the word “soft,” but the shoe was anything but cushy. Rather, it was quite firm and responsive. This isn’t a bad thing if that is how you like a shoe to ride, but it’s not what people might have expected given the marketing message.

I’d heard rumors that New Balance was going to address the fit issue with the 980 in an update to the shoe. Renamed the Fresh Foam Boracay, I received a pair of the updated model about a month ago and have run about 40 miles in them so far (Disclosure: these shoes were media samples provided free of charge by the manufacturer). Keep on reading to find out what has changed (and what hasn’t).

New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay Side

Specs

Per Running Warehouse, the New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay weighs in at 9 oz in men’s size 9 and has stack heights of 22mm heel, 18mm forefoot (4mm drop). As I did with the 980, I went up a half size in the Boracay and fit is perfect.

New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay Medial

Review

I’m happy to report that New Balance has indeed addressed the fit issue I had with the FF 980. Though the change is pretty subtle, there does seem to be just a bit more room up front, and I have less of a sensation of toe squeezing in the Boracay. More importantly, in runs as long as 10 miles I have not experienced any toe blistering. However, this is still not a particularly roomy shoe, so if you prefer a spacious toebox you may want to look elsewhere.

New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay Top

To be honest, the fit change is the only one that was particularly noticeable to me. The upper is new, but remains a breathable mesh with welded overlays. It appears that New Balance removed a bit of padding around the ankle collar, but I did not notice this until I compared the shoes side by side just now. The midsole has a new pattern of hexagons along the sides, but the ride is similarly firm compared to the original. The full coverage outsole also gets a new pattern, but functionally feels the same.

New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay Sole

One thing that I don’t like about the Boracay, though it is a rather minor annoyance, is that the edges of the tongue tend to curl under when putting the shoe on. This necessitates sticking you finger into the shoe to flatten it out. In their review, Sole Review noticed the same thing. Seems like it should be an easy fix next time around.

A quick note on durability – I have not experienced any issues with durability in the Boracay so far, but I have seen reports of the upper tearing where it meets the sole on the inner side of the shoe. I’m not sure how widespread this issue is, but it’s something to consider, and this may not be the best shoe to use off-road or in conditions that stress the upper attachment.

Conclusion

So what do you get in the Fresh Foam Boracay? Basically, this is a light weight, well-cushioned but firm shoe suitable for long miles. I found the ride to be smooth and I enjoyed running in them more than I typically do with firmish shoes. They are snappy enough to pick up the pace, but provide enough comfort and protection for double digit mileage.

One challenge that the Boracay faces is that in my opinion it has been eclipsed by it’s new sibling the Fresh Foam Zante. The Zante is one of my top shoes of 2015 so far, and it beats the Boracay in terms of fit, ride, and comfort. New Balance is pitching the Zante as the choice for more uptempo running, but its stack height is only 1mm lower in the heel and forefoot, and the heel feels softer to me which better fits my preference. If you haven’t yet tried the Zante, I highly recommend it. If you prefer a firmer ride and want to try a Fresh Foam, go for the Boracay.

Thanks for reading! For an additional take on the New Balance Boracay, see this review by Sam Winebaum.

Purchasing Options

The New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay is available for sale in the US at Running Warehouse, Zappos, and Amazon.com. Outside of the US, the Boracay is available at Running Warehouse EU. Purchases made via these links provide a small commission to Runblogger and help to support the production of reviews like this one – thanks!

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Recent Posts By Category: Running Shoe Reviews | Running Gear Reviews | Running Science
About Peter Larson

This post was authored by Peter Larson. Pete is a biology teacher, track/soccer coach, and dad (x3) with a passion for running, soccer, and science. If you'd like to learn a little bit more about who I am and what I do, click here, or visit petermlarson.com.

Comments

  1. I always say, “Little things make a huge difference in footwear.” Couldn’t agree more with your comparison of the Borocay to the 980-the fit was nasty on the 980 for me. The Borocay is still a little stiff/firm for my taste, but I think it will be appreciated by a wider running audience.

  2. I love these shoes. Thought the review was spot on. After having these for a 2.5 months and about 200miles of usage. They’ve started to wear quickly on the inside heel area and starting to wear the fresh foam sole. I’m not a heavy runner 140 pounds and run on urban roads. Not going to put me off get a new pair shortly. But thought I’d flag and ask if anyone else has noted the quicker than expected wear.

  3. I am curious if anyone has had a similar experience with this shoe. The toe area on the front of both shoes has worn thru to the midsole and starting to separate. I have 131 miles on the shoes, and run primarily on sandy desert trails and asphalt bike paths. I am 64, 6’3″ and 178 Lbs, and run midfoot when doing easy or long runs which I use these shoes for. I sent New Balance a picture, and they kind of just blew me off, telling me to contact the seller (Running Warehouse), which seems stupid, since they didn’t make the darn shoe! Anyway, has anyone else experienced this problem? Thanks Tom

  4. This shoe feels like it has no foam under the toes. More like a 10mm drop than a 4mm.

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