New Balance Hierro Shoe Review
Brand
Model
What Activity Were These Shoes Used For?
Casual running
Goals
Training towards comfortably running 5km 2-3x/week
Comparable To…
NB 1080
True To Size?
Yes
The New Balance Hierro
The Hierro has been a great addition to the Kintec trail shoe line-up this season. It comes in both medium and wide widths for men and women and fits quite true to size in terms of length/width. This is the perfect shoe for the casual trail runner looking to run or walk a few times a week, but also for the avid runner who is looking for a durable and form-fitting trail shoe with great attributes. You can wear the Hierro for daily use on the trails – even for walking or light activities like hiking.
The Hierro is a lightweight trail runner (approx. 11.6 oz) that uses Fresh Foam technology to provide a stable and consistent ride, much like a lot of other NB runners such as the NB 1080. The shoe has an 8mm heel pitch which feels quite right on the trails and has removable insoles which can create a little extra space for an insole or orthotic device. The Vibram single piece outsole is extremely rugged. Because of this, the Megagrip technology has great grip on slippery surfaces.
The Hyposkin liner gives the shoe a very form fitting feel, which adapts to the shape of the foot to support it in all directions of movement and exhibited a no stitch upper which can help to avoid the possibility of skin irritation inside of the shoe. This also allowed for the foot to slide quite easily into the shoe and the laces were placed on the top of the shoe to give it more adjustability.
When you’re taking part in activities such as hiking and running, tie your shoes up tight – even though the Hyposkin liner feels very snug around the foot. The Hierro is not waterproof or water-resistant, but the idea of a Gore-tex liner or waterproofing membrane would have significantly increased the likability of the shoe. Depending on the preference of the runner and the conditions run in, you might not need to waterproof them.
WATCH: New Balance Hierro Review
The durability of the shoe was the aspect I was most impressed with. Furthermore, the shoe had minimal wear on the outsole, no punctures, rips or tears in the upper material. It fit the same every single time when putting it on! Even though this aspect impressed me the most, my favourite component of the shoe was the Vibram Megagrip outsole. It has been difficult to find a trail running shoe which gives great grip and stability on a variety of surfaces, but this did the trick.
The Hierro was very sticky on rock, gravel, roots and wet surfaces. It gave me the comfort I needed when running in rugged conditions on the shores of North Vancouver. I would highly recommend this shoe to any new or experienced runners. Also, to those who are looking for a fashionable yet very functional, comfortable trail runner.
Star Rating
★★★★☆
Why?
This shoe has many qualities to look for in a high-performance trail shoe. The rugged Vibram outsole has great grip on slippery surfaces. The Hyposkin liner gave the shoe a very form fitting feel. Hierro is quite light and feels very comfortable under the foot. The idea of a Gore-tex liner or waterproofing membrane would have significantly increased the likability of the shoe.
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