New Balance WC 1006 Women's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.5

There were two standout features that came about early in the playtest of the New Balance 1006s. The first, a big positive, was the plush cushioning loaded into these shoes. The second was a somewhat narrow fit that needed significant break-in time. For Karly, the level of cushioning throughout these shoes was outstanding, but she struggled with the width of the shoes. She explained, "The insoles were gel-like and absorbed shock with every step, while the uppers consisted of pillowy, plush padding. Unfortunately, though, the superb cushioning couldn't prevent the discomfort of the extremely tight fit. I experienced so much pressure along the sides and top of my feet that that they felt numb a few times. After the two-hour break-in I had to switch out the shoelaces for longer ones so I could have a tighter and more secure fit around my ankles. By the end of the playtest the uppers had loosened up enough to fit my medium width feet. I had contemplated going to the D width, but I think if I switched to the wider width the shoes would have been too wide after the break-in."

"There was no doubt that these shoes were loaded with underfoot cushioning," began Michelle, who had a similar experience to Karly. "This was great for my joints, and I always felt well cushioned and supported on the court. However, they ran slightly narrow for my medium width feet, which led to some comfort issues. I have never had to wear wider fitting New Balance shoes, but the midfoot and toe box felt narrow, and there were a handful of times that I experienced numbness under my toes. I definitely needed several hours in them to open them up and break them in. Aside from that issue, everything else felt fine. My higher arches were just fine with the lower arch support, and the breathability was decent as well."

Tiffani, who has wider feet, chose to wear the wider D width option. She commented, "These 1006s felt narrower than some other New Balance D width shoes I have worn. They were a bit snug around the forefoot until I broke them in, which took just a couple of hours. The fit opened up enough, but the toe box is shallow so the shoes continued to feel tighter, yet comfortable, in the forefoot. The cushioning in these New Balance shoes feels really soft underneath my feet. The ample cushioning created a warmer feel, but the mesh uppers helped keep it relatively comfortable temperature-wise. I never noticed my arches aching, and it felt like the cushioning did a good job of molding to the shape of my fairly flat feet."

Brittany, who has the narrowest feet on our playtest team, was surprised by the fit when she first put these shoes on. She said, "The synthetic mesh upper looked comfortable and soft, but after several minutes on the court I could tell the upper was actually squeezing my narrow feet (I wore the B width) in the forefoot area, and I was experiencing some numbness. I tried a different approach and wore them around the office for a couple days to break them in before I tried wearing them on the court again. Even after a couple hits, I was still experiencing the same discomfort that I had the first time I wore them. I decided to try on the D width version to see if that would alleviate some of the issues. While the forefoot fit better right off the bat, the ankle was too loose and I was worried the upper would loosen up during the playtest and I would lose some stability. After about five to six hours in the B width I started to feel some relief as the uppers broke in, and I could actually feel the cushioning underneath. There was definitely plush cushioning underfoot and padding around the ankle collar, which was appreciated. The ventilation and arch support were average. These shoes ran hotter than I expected, but I never felt my feet were overheating. The longer I wore these shoes the more I noticed that the arch support wasn't hitting the correct place and wasn't fully supporting my arches."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.0

New Balance created the 1006 to be a great option for traditional club players. The layers of cushioning keep players a bit higher off the court, which created some uneasiness among our playtesters when they were moving aggressively. Michelle felt like these shoes sacrificed some support and stability. She explained, "These shoes have a 12mm drop, and my feet felt higher off the ground, so I didn't always feel completely locked in around my ankle/heel. I can honestly say I never twisted an ankle or fell, but it did create some uncertainty with my movement, especially when my opponent hit behind me. Once I utilized the extra eyelet I felt more secure with my movement. This worked just fine for my doubles needs, when I wasn't covering the whole court on my own. On a positive note, players who don't move as aggressively or stick strictly to doubles and are looking for extra comfort might find this to be the perfect shoe for their needs."

Tiffani agreed. She added, "Everything about this shoe is soft, from the cushioning to the upper materials. With the plush cushioning these shoes sat higher off the ground in the heel area. All this together didn't leave me feeling super confident in the support and stability department. However, the 1006s held up moderately well unless I was really pushing it hard on the court with my lateral movement. I did choose to use the extra eyelet on the shoes to help shore up the support in the heel area. I wouldn't choose these shoes for aggressive singles play, but I felt comfortable using them for drills and lighter hitting."

One of Brittany's biggest issues with these shoes was the level of support. She explained, "While my forefoot was held in place due to the tight fit, I was having trouble keeping my heels locked in. I did utilize the extra eyelets, which helped, but I had to constantly retie my shoes to keep the tighter fit. However, my heel was still moving up and down when I was moving around the court. This also caused some rubbing, but didn't result in any blisters. Additionally, because of the cushioning I felt higher off the ground. My movement was more cautious in this shoe because I was lacking some confidence."

"Another reason I switched out the original shoelaces for longer ones was so I could lace up the extra eyelets for more support," stated Karly. "The uppers wrapped very low around my ankles and did not provide enough support or a stable feel. I also thought my feet sat up really high off the ground compared to most shoes, so I was hesitant to make quick changes of direction on the court. Unfortunately, I didn't have the confidence to make aggressive cuts in the 1006s during the playtest."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.5 / Toe Durablity - Score: 3.1

Our team was divided on durability, but New Balance's NDurance one-year outsole guarantee on the 1006 should put any worries at ease. Tiffani was least impressed by the durability. She explained, "For the amount of time I've worn these shoes I'm seeing more wear and tear than average. The medial edge at the balls of my feet is wearing pretty quickly, and the plastic material on top of the toes went smooth in just a couple of hours. The plastic overlay on the shoes is very supple, which makes them more comfortable, but I'm wearing it down quite easily."

Brittany didn't get to put in as many hours as she would have liked due to the fit and stability issues, so she spent a total of 10 or so hours in the 1006s. She commented, "I would say the outsole durability of these shoes is about average, but I could tell I was slowly starting to wear them down. I thought the toe durability could be improved. I was starting to wear down the material on the upper, and I was getting close to breaking through it on my left shoe."

On the other hand, Karly thought the durability was a highlight, especially for a shoe that only weighs 12 ounces. She said, "The outsoles proved to be extremely tough and held up well throughout the entire playtest. The only wear I noticed was a little bit of smoothing to the bottom of the forefeet, but the outsoles still have plenty of life left. I especially liked how the outsole wrapped around the toe box, guarding the uppers from damage. I was really impressed with the outsole coverage and performance."

Michelle found the durability of the 1006s to be about average. She said, "I'm seeing some decent smoothing under my big toe and along that side of the outsole on both shoes. I would say these shoes are pretty average in terms of outsole durability. They will last me for another month or so, but they aren't the most durable shoes I've worn this year."

Traction - Score: 3.7

The 1006s have a stickier outsole that offers a great deal of traction, which can be ideal for players looking for that extra grip when moving on the court. Brittany found the 1006 gripped the court really well, explaining, "I never once slipped on the court, but there wasn't any give either. I never felt stuck when changing directions, but I prefer just a small amount of give when I'm moving aggressively. Toward the end of the playtest the outsoles broke in a little more, and they were slightly more forgiving when I was moving. As I mentioned in a couple other sections, my feet sat higher up in these shoes due to the cushioning, and I didn't feel as connected to the court."

At first Karly felt the traction of the 1006s was so tacky that she felt slightly stuck to the court. She added, "Taking off from the idle position took more effort than usual due to their sticky feel. Thankfully, after a few hours the outsoles didn't feel as grippy. Once they smoothed down slightly they allowed for more give, and I was able to take off easier. From then on I didn't have any issues with the traction."

"Since these shoes didn't feel completely stable to me I was happy the traction levels were high," began Michelle. "Some players don't like the 'sticky' feel on outsoles, but for me, this worked out well. I wasn't worried about sliding. The outsole proved to be pretty tacky, and when I was worried about stability the traction kept me confident and upright."

"These shoes had very sticky outsoles, which could be why the outsoles are wearing down so quickly," stated Tiffani. "I hadn't noticed how much I actually enjoy shoes that have just a bit of give on my stops until I wore these 1006s. These shoes did not allow me any give, and I felt like I was stuck to the court on several occasions."

Weight - Score: 3.9

Technically speaking, the 1006 is a lightweight shoe, weighing in at 12 ounces. However, for Karly the high off-the-ground ride and low ankle support made them feel heavier. She said, "I wasn't moving as naturally or making fast cuts laterally because I was so focused on their lack of support. There was also the tacky traction in the beginning that made it harder to take off, although that improved over time. They felt light, but their fit hindered my confidence to move aggressively and quickly."

"These shoes never really felt too heavy, but I wouldn't say they felt like light shoes either," stated Michelle. "Because of the plush cushioning they did carry a bit of weight, which is to be expected. However, the shape of these shoes made them look and feel quicker than most shoes that are that comfortable and cushioned. I'd probably say the 1006s are about average in the weight category. I never was weighed down, but because of the higher cushioning I didn't feel as connected to the court as I do in some of the more speed-oriented shoes."

Tiffani added, "I was not weighed down, but I didn't feel like I was flying across the court in these 1006s, either. There is just too much cushioning to call them light, but I would place them in the middle weight category."

Brittany found the weight to be about average. She said, "They were not heavy by any means, and they didn't feel clunky on the court. However, they also didn't feel super light and quick. I think this was mainly due to the cushioning and the higher off the ground ride. At 12 ounces (for a size 8.5), I think this was a good compromise between lightweight and durable. While I would have liked slightly lighter shoes, I didn't have any issues with the 1006s."

Overall - Score: 3.5