New Balance Men's MR10v2 Minimus Running Shoe

I reviewed these before, but that was when I had just gotten another pair of shoes, so my review was biased. Here's a more objective review.I'm 30, devastatingly handsome and well proportioned...lol. NOT lifelong runner; I fell in love with running while in the Army Infantry, and we did a lot. I run anywhere from 2-10 miles at a time, up to 20mi/week. I try to run a 5/10k every month, but my gf makes me feel guilty if she doesn't go with, so I never get the chance to let loose and shine!SHOES: great shoes. Wish I cold stop thereNew Balance Minimus MR10 are designed with foot conscious runners in mind.Seamless, mesh upper gives great flex while not being too loose. Outsoles are cushy with less than 1/2" of material. I'd prefer not running on styrofoam inserts you find in TV boxes.The shoe itself is incredibly pliable, you could wrap it around itself with ease, much like the Nike Free, but easier, almost like a sock with a thick sole and awesome red color! The upper is a seamless one piece work of art which is breathable, not too flexible, and not too constrictive. The toe box is wonderfully accommodating, and THIS IS SOMETHING I REALLY APPRECIATE IN RUNNING SHOES. The heel is fairly narrow, but fits my foot well, without much stiffness.Vibram "pods" are "strategically" placed on the bottom, and after a year haven't worn out a bit.The tongue is part of the upper; it comes across from the instep into a wide, non flexible flap that stays in place across the outer part of the top of the foot. Apparently this is a new addition from previous models. I have no experience with those but I like the tongue on these. I WEAR A 9.5, which is true to size. However, in some others (Nike Free) I wear a 10. I transitioned into these during my barefoot Five Finger phase. It was a welcome transition. the shoe has a minimal 4mm drop (compared to the 2mm drop on the mizuno wave universe 5, which I also just bought :)). The arch and heel portions of the sole are rather narrow, which isn't really noticeable when running. The shoes certainly make for a somewhat uncomfortable ride when on rocky terrain, but I avoid those when possible, or I suck it up ;). Speaking of soles, I'd say these compare to the Nike free 3.0, but a bit more thin, and more "whole", as opposed to sliced and diced into tiny flexy squares.RUNNING: When I run, I have no idea how far I'm about to go, i just go. These shoes have carried me well from quick dog walks to my more frequent and recent 15k's. the "lack" of cushioning isn't noticeable and is welcome when I'm focusing on how my feet feel when they hit the ground. The shoes can be a bit loose if not tightened well, which translates to movement of the toes and subsequently blisters, especially on longer runs or when cross training. I prefer to get away from these on distances > 10k due to the pain I feel from running with a more forward strike, but that's more my own style, others may or may not have the same problem.I've taken these on a few 5k races, and they performed a little poorer than I'd hope. They're not racing flats, so traction is minimal (obviously on asphalt it's always good) especially when cornering. These don't translate into faster times for me, though I did hit my PR in a mile of 5.55 while wearing these, which I'm happy with considering I NEVER DID TRACK and was a smoker at the time! I would recommend finding something a bit more substantial for racing (like flats, such as the ones I shall be reviewing soon!!!) and longer distance (maybeDURABILITY: I've been running in these for nearly a year, with about 200 miles on them (I switch shoes A LOT...don't judge), and they've held up nicely, they even still look fairly clean. My boxer likes to go after my feet sometimes, and so they've withstood her constant "playful" biting and pulling (funny, she alone goes after shoes when they're ON feet), and they're still worth every mile. I often run on the indoor track on campus (UCDAVIS!) and find poor traction on the inside of the foot, where the non-vibram material has been smooshed a bit. This can't really be avoided, just be aware if running on smooth tile or waxed surfaces! These shoes don't pick up rocks as easily as I thought they would have considering the gaps and flexy-ness on the sole, which makes for nice trips out into the wilderness, but I'd advise not going too far off road. For that, try the NB MIMINUS TRAIL!Some have complained about water seeping in from puddles; I haven't really noticed, but whatever; wear thicker socks or suck it up.CONCLUSION: I love these shoes. I find myself always gravitating back to them, even after buying much more expensive and elaborate types such as Nike Free Flyknit and Nike free 5.0 (which is good for me for long distance). This shoe is nice and wide, which makes for a good feeling when the foot expands on impact, as well as providing good surface area for max contact with minimal material. These shoes take some getting used to, no matter your running style. Be sure to ease into them, unless you're longing for a good thrashing to the feet and calves.

I have now put over 100 miles on these and wanted to wait till then to give a review.First off going from the New Balance website they have a "see how it fits" guide. Since I have been running in MT10's and MO10's I plugged those into the calculator and it indicated I should go a half size larger. This at least in my case is not correct. It is almost to the point of being too big, but since I have already run in them I couldn't send them back but I wanted to make everyone aware that I believe you should get whatever your actual size is and not a half size larger.Alright onto the shoe. As I said before I am coming from the 4mm drop trail shoe. I finally decided to get a set of road shoes since most of my running is on cement and asphalt. I was also having problems with my IT band on my left knee and figured my current shoes had over 800 miles on them so it was time to get a new set.Pros:Surprising amount of cushion for a minimal shoeSuper lightI love the soles of these shoes, I feel like I could trail run in them tooCons:I lost the loop on the heel, I used this to attach them to the outside of my gym bagIndifferent:I am not sold on the new tongue yet but it might grow on meNot for wet running, you WILL get wet feet (not really a problem though)As I said before, get your true size not a half size larger per New Balance's website.Overall these are great summer/fall shoe. I am going to have to get something different for the winter, I may get another pair of MO10's or the MT1010's.

I have to say I absolutely love these shoes for running on the road. I have been using the New Balance 10v2 Trail shoes for about a year now and they still run like new. However, those shoes I only generally use for off road trail runs. My experiences with them on pavement has been decent but I didn't want to wear them down too fast.I have been experimenting with a pair of Merrell Road Gloves for the past few months (zero drop shoes) for a hard ball short distance shoe. When I say short distance I mean less than 5 miles on a run. Anyway, the impact on my shins over the miles leaves me with an ache that lasts for hours. I am a mid foot striker but when I get fatigued I can fall back on bad form and heel strike. I finally had enough of went to my local shoe store to buy another pair of Merrell's. These had a bit more cushion in the heel while still being light weight. However, the ache remained and I never had an ache with my trusty 10v2 Trail shoes.I finally went on Amazon and looked around for a 4mm drop shoe like my trail and stumped upon the MR10v2. These shoes are great! They feel just like the 10v2 Trails with more padding to take the sting out of long runs. They are super light and I love the neon yellow color. I should have just stuck with my favorite shoe brand and never tested the waters in hindsight but at least I learned something. If you love the 10v2 Trails do yourself a favor and just get these shoes in the same size. You won't regret it.

I was impressed by all the positive reviews for the New Balance MR10WB2 and so I decided to purchase a pair, but on trying them out I am a little disappointed with these running shoes. They are a very snug fit (a little bit tight in the toe area) and the heel is a bit creased/crinkled. My running route included a gravel path and so gravel and pebbles ended up getting embedded in the sole of the shoes which left the run a little uncomfortable. On the positive side, the shoes are extremely light and flexible, but I'm afraid the negatives outweigh the positives for me: the lack of room in the toe area, the creased heel, and the sole not being suitable for running on gravel path, means that I will be returning to my previous running shoes, the Merrell Trail Glove 3, which are extremely comfortable, with ample room in the toe area, and suitable for all running surfaces.

These have become my preferred shoe for road running over all distances. (For trail I am wearing the NB MT10v2, which is also great. Note this shoe, the MR10v2, has sufficient tread for dry trails.) I love these shoes - they are super light and responsive. Unlike some of the other shoes being marketed as low drop / minimal, these give definitely a firm, responsive ride and are not for you unless you have properly adapted your form. There is no foam to speak of at all. Comments on the drop - they are marketed as 4mm heel to toe, but to me, they feel flatter than this, quite similar to a zero in fact. However, unlike zeroes there is a little bit of support under the arch which I prefer to have for longer runs. In terms of fit: be wary of NB sizes - I am only 11.5 or 12 UK in other running shoes, but 12.5 in these. For me, the fit is exactly right for a minimal shoe - tight around the heel, but with plenty of room to spread out in the toe box. However, the fit feels secure even on moderate downhill sections. I have the D width fitting which is wide enough for me - put potentially I wonder if I could go to shorter length and get the 2E. In summary: an excellent minimal running shoe.

I bought these trainers as I wanted to try a minimal style shoe. My regular road trainers are the Adidas Adistar boost and although you definitely notice much less cushioning in the sole with these shoes, they are by no means harsh on your feet. Extremely lightweight and I find ventilation good. The fit is slightly wide compared to my Adidas but not so much so that I'd say I needed a smaller size. Overall, I am very pleased with these trainers and at £40 they are excellent value for money in my opinion. Only slight pointer is I doubt i'll use these for runs any longer than 10k but that's just me being a little injury prone and needing more cushioning for longer distance, not a downfall of the shoe.

Slightly smaller than I expected as I ordered them in the same size that I wear normally. That aside they are extremely light and with thin socks and trimmed nails they are very comfortable for casual use

my favorite of the minimus designs has still been the original minimus road. However i found that this pair has an improved and stronger interior. The vibram bottom is also very durable and flexible and gives you a slightly more barefoot feel. Works as a good gym shoe as well which is nice.