Review: NB902, Trainer's trainer
I have always loved New Balance shoes. Except for the standard army-issued new balance trainers, my take on New Balance is that they make durable, comfortable and affordable shoes. Not so long ago I came across a shoe review on Runner's World, which gave the New Balance NB902 the coveted Editor's Choice award under the performance training shoes category. Now, the NB902 is one of the first models of the NBx range. The NBx range is basically the premier range of New Balance shoes made for the serious athlete. Needless to say, the NB902 features some of New Balance's more innovative and cutting-edge technologies.
Following my reading of the review was a period of eager anticipation for the local release of the shoes. But alas, when it was finally released, somehow the conservative personality in me took over! I simply cannot agree with the colourway of the first release... Striking luminous Orange no less!!
It took a longer while before I finally made up my mind (when my old trainer is about to go) to just f**k the colourway and go buy the shoes. To my disappointment, the shoes had sold out at most places. This took me totally by surprise as I didn't know there are so many people out there daring enough to wear such a colourway. I was later told by a sales rep at the New Balance shop that a bunch of commandos had bulk-purchased the NB902, which could be the reason why the stocks ran out so fast. Damn those commandos....
So when the new white and red colourway is released, I wasted no time to requisite the shoes that so many raved about. Here's my review of the trainer of trainers.
Weight 4.5/5
Fresh out of the box, the first thing I notice was how light the shoes felt. Given that this shoe is housed under the performance training category, which means being capable of doing 1/2 marathon, the light weight of the shoes is certainly a welcomed factor. Contributing to this could be New Balance employment of minimum overlays to keep the weight low. The shoes are also extremely breathable. Once put on, the shoes felt like an extension of the feet. I certainly don't feel weighed down by it.
Cushioning, Stability, Responsiveness 4/5
The NB902 features a full length Ultralite Acteva midsole foam, abzorb material in the forefoot and heel and dual-density foam called TS2 on the medial side. There is also a torsional thermoplastic underfoot in the midfoot area to combat over-pronation. The shoes provide a feedback that's firm on heel strike yet at the same time provide a very quick bouncy feel through the heel-toe transition. To my delight, the harder I run the better the rebound I feel. This has a lot going for me. Overall the cushioning is excellent. The ride is firm but responsive.
Fit, flexibility, traction 4.5/5
The fit of the NB902 is excellent. The toe box is constructed wider to accommodate asian feet. The heel fits snugly and in no instances did I feel any heel-slip whilst wearing the shoes. The NB902 came with curly laces, which once fastern and secured, hardly come undone. The shoes feature a number of grooves in the forefoot which makes the shoes flexible. The flexibility is just right, not too overly flexible. The traction of the shoes are also very good. The blown rubber in the forefoot provides outstanding grip. I had ran on wet terrain after the rain once and never had the feeling that the grip of the shoes is going to let me down.
Durability 5/5
I must say the NB902 is a very well-constructed shoes. After one month of purchase and running about 100km with it, the upper looked as good as new, the heel outsole made from New Balance's Ndurance material also only show minor wear in the heel area. There is however a break-in period of around 10km for me. After that, it's all good.
Overall 4.5/5
The NB902 certainly lives up to its billing as a Runner's World editor's choice. As a trainer, it is good for my 25km to 30km runs. It is light weight, the cushioning is firm yet provides a nice quick bounce feedback. Personally, very few other shoes can match this one in terms of the overall quality and durability. However, I wouldn't not take it for a marathon as the firm midsole is more suitable for short quick runs in my opinion. The only set back is perhaps the price, which is slightly on the high side.
Disclaimer: The opinion rendered is strictly my own, based on my personal experience whilst running in the shoes. It is not intended to act as any technical or professional advice. Please do not rely or infer on this when deciding which shoes to buy as every runner's profile is different.
