New Balance Leadville V3 – very disappointed

[Randy Nelson]

I’m a long time time fan of New Balance. Not just trail runners, all my shoes are NB. With my 4E feet, they have always been the best and most consistent option. I’ve tried many versions of their trail runners over the years and have liked all but one. The cheaper ones seemed to work as good as the more expensive models, just not quite as cushy.  Although the cheap ones tend to have exposed stitching that can easily get ripped. After a suggestion on here, I started coating the stitches with Shoe Goop and that problem was solved.

I had heard negative things about the previous versions of the Leadville not being very durable so i hadn’t tried them. The V3’s are supposed to be more durable from what I read. My PT, who also works at a running store, recommended I try them. I ordered a pair and loved them. Put around 200 miles on them walking the gravel/dirt/hilly roads where we live and also on the local trails. I thought it was the best shoe I had ever hiked in. I loved them so much I ordered a second set. I had less than 50 miles on them when we headed out to our yearly Winds trip.

All good for the first bit but on the second day we went off trail to go up to a lake. As soon as I was walking on side hills I knew they were going to be a problem. They had zero lateral stability. It was like walking in bedroom slippers that had good traction. I made it to the lake and back but immediately changed the rest of my plans that involved mostly off trail hiking so I could stay on trail. I was really disappointed although it all worked out in the end as we ended up in a great place to see the eclipse and do some fishing.

I never thought to test this out based on my previous experiences with NB shoes but I certainly will on any pair I order in the future.

Do others find these acceptable for off trail use? I can’t imagine how if you weren’t walking in mostly flat areas but maybe it’s just me.

 

 

[Nathan Watts]

Maybe they’re too wide for your feet for that application.

I see a lot of push for shoes to get wider and wider lately, but that trend is counter to what I need in a shoe.  I’ve concluded that most people here aren’t running and/or hiking the same types of trails that I frequent. I spend a lot of time on steep, technical, often off-camber trails where a wide shoe becomes a liability for me, as they’re sloppy and imprecise. Even having a narrow shoe that can lock in the heel and mid foot with a wide forefoot behaves poorly for my typical use.  I can see the appeal, though, for more moderate terrain.

Edit:

i thought I’d elaborate on my comment with respect to lateral stability. I would say that almost none of the shoes I use offer much for lateral stability. They fit my feet well and connect my foot to the sole of the shoe, but don’t offer what you might be thinking of in terms of lateral support. I’ll reiterate that I don’t think your issue stems from lateral stability features of the shoe, but rather that they don’t fit your feet well enough for that off-trail off-camber type environment. You’re probably stuck trying to find a compromise between a shoe that you love on trail vs. one that fits tighter to your foot for off trail. Just my guess, based on what I’ve found works for me. Maybe you could add a thicker footbed to tighten up the fit when you go off trail like that.

[Alex Wallace]

They worked fine for me last year on many miles of steep Sierra granite, and at times loose talus, which included a northern section of the SHR. They’re much more durable than my prior pair of Cascadia 8s, but I wish for stickier rubber. I think I’m going to try a pair of Saucony Peregrine 7s next to hopefully get a bit more grip.

Here’s a couple of photos from a trip earlier this year that you can somewhat see the condition of the shoes. Durability is impressive considering I have a couple hundred miles of rough terrain on them at this point:

Typical terrain:

Yes, up & over that ridge.

heading up

…and miles of this. 

 

[Randy Nelson]

It could be that the shoes are too wide for this model to work well. But I can’t wear less than a 4E width so I guess that’s a moot point. I’m attaching a pic of a pair of 510s and the Leadvilles. If I grab the sole of each shoe and then grab the material just above and rock sideways, there’s a big difference in the resistance felt between the two. The 510 has a taller and larger leather piece on the upper where the Leadville’s have a shorter and smaller synthetic piece there. I think this is the crux of the issue. I took the 510s on 2 previous trips to the Winds with significant off trail travel and they were great. That probably makes the 510s a bit slower to dry but I’ve never been bothered by wet feet anyway so I can live with that.

I didn’t really have an issue with them on talus where I can pick my path. Part of that is probably because I have a balance disorder and I have to focus on where I’m stepping. And going straight uphill isn’t a problem. It’s really where I’m walking up the side of a hill like the one pictured below. It’s a pretty steep, mostly grassy area under the cliff and approaching the small snow fields. That’s exactly the kind of terrain where I really had a problem.

Also, the stitching is coming loose on one of the Leadvilles already. That abrasion is to be expected but I’m surprised that side stitching is detaching. In the future, I think I’ll put Shoe Goop on all the lower stitching. Can’t hurt.

[Greg Mihalik]

I just got back from 2 weeks in the Winds …

… in Leadville V3s, size 11 D.  Boulder Lake to Wall Lake, with a couple of days of cross country, and typical horse-trashed trails – Fremont, Highline, Pole Creek. All stitching is intact. No abrasion holes. One toe-cap is peeling – I tend to “drag” that foot when tired.

Sorry they didn’t work for you. It is amazing how gear works, or doesn’t, for each of us. It is very disappointing that we can’t rely on “history” to trust a new version.

I’ll be ordering another pair, and keeping my fingers crossed.

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