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Did New Balance Already Drop Next Year’s Best Everyday Running Shoe?

With a brand-new midsole and redesigned upper, the brand’s most important everyday trainer moves up a class.

Close-up of neon yellow New Balance sneaker heel with "INFINION" text on white sole.New Balance
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By Jack Seemer

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Running shoes don’t become classics by standing still. And perhaps more than any version that has come before, the next 1080 proves that New Balance’s fan-favorite trainer moves near the front of the pack.

A slew of changes define the 15th iteration of this longtime staple, set to arrive in early 2026. Nut none are more notable than the foam found within the midsole.

Pair of neon yellow New Balance running shoes with blue logos and thick white soles on a white background.
Available in early 2026, the 1080v15 brings a slew of changes to New Balance’s long-running staple.
New Balance

Called Infinion, it replaces the EVA-based Fresh Foam in many previous versions, effectively retiring the 1080’s chief cushioning platform over the past decade.

Oddly the brand has remained tight-lipped about Infinion’s specific properties. However, vice president of running Kevin FitzPatrick did confirm it was a supercritical foam, meaning it’s filled with tiny pockets of air that make it more responsive, resilient and lighter.

Close-up of the sole and side of a neon yellow running shoe with a blue logo and black tread accents.
A new supercritcal foam called Infinion retires Fresh Foam as the 1080’s cushioning platform.
New Balance

One small step

All told, Infinion transforms the complexion of the 1080 from a max-cushioned trainer for easy running to a versatile workhorse for racking up miles across the pace spectrum.

Close-up of the heel of a yellow-green New Balance sneaker with "INFINION" printed in green on the white sole.
Supercritical foams, such as those found in many of today’s premium racers, are lighter, more resilient and highly responsive.
New Balance

It also tracks with changes underfoot across the rest of the industry, as premium materials from raceday super shoes trickle into footwear designed for daily use. Adidas’s fan-favorite Adizero Evo SL and the Asics Megablast have found their ways into many runners’ rotations by taking a similar approach to the 1080v15.

That said, the composition of the foam isn’t the only notable update. The shoe gains an extra 2mm of foam in both the heel and forefoot, maintaining the same 6mm drop but moving to 39.9mm and 33.99mm, respectively.

Close-up of a neon yellow New Balance sneaker with a blue "N" logo and a gray sole.
The upper is comprised of two layers of mesh, molded together for breathability and structure.
New Balance

Lest New Balance ignore what many runners really care about, the brand also gave the 1080v15 a new upper comprised of two layers of mesh, molded together under heat for equal parts breathability and structure.

Availability and pricing

Available from January 16, 2026, the 1080v15 costs $170 and comes in eight colors at launch. The product page is already live on New Balance’s official website.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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