New Balance 896v3 Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.9

The New Balance 896v3 shoes were extremely comfortable overall for our team of four. Mark was impressed with his first experience in 896 shoes. He said, "This was the first time I have played in the 896 series, but I was aware that they are lightweight, speed-oriented shoes, so I had the expectation of a decent level of support and a spartan level of cushioning. After stepping into the 896v3 shoes I had to concede that they provided me with a much higher degree of comfort than I expected. I stayed with my typical men's size 11.5, and I felt the width was generous for a standard D. Also, these are not shallow shoes, and they have enough vertical clearance to accommodate aftermarket inserts or custom orthotics. Ventilation was top shelf, which is something I expect from lightweight tennis shoes, and although my feet have a pretty high arch, the stock insert worked just fine throughout the entire playtest."

Chris found these shoes to be comfortable from the first wear as well, but he thought the ventilation was a bit lacking. He said, "The 896v3 shoes are so soft and supple, they felt match-ready the very first time I slipped them on. On court, the shoes flexed and moved with my feet, so I didn't feel any rubbing or pinching from the uppers. There was just enough cushioning to keep me feeling protected from the hard court, and I was able to sprint around the court without any aches or pains during or after play. I found that impressive considering the minimalist design of the 896v3 shoes. My only knock on the comfort was that I would have liked a little more ventilation."

Although these shoes fit Troy’s feet well, he would've preferred more cushioning. He explained, "I found these shoes to be pretty comfortable, but they didn't quite provide the underfoot cushioning that I look for. This is something that I am not going to be too critical of since these shoes are super lightweight. The uppers are comfortable, and they did not cause any unwanted rubbing or pinching on my feet, but I would have liked a bit more material and padding in the tongue. Ventilation was pretty average for being such a lightweight shoe, but not as good as the Nike Air Zoom Vapor X. The arch support was a bit low for my preference, and I felt like these shoes were lacking some support in that region. They did contour to my feet well, and I didn't feel like I was sliding around inside them.”

Having wider feet, Jason took advantage of New Balance's width options. He said, "I went with the 2E version and thought it was a great fit for me. These shoes are very comfortable to wear because of the fit and the flex, but I thought the cushioning could've been a bit more substantial. These are fairly light shoes, so minimal cushioning is to be expected."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.6

The New Balance 896v3 shoes naturally lacked some stability due to their lightweight profile, but they provided nice ankle support and a secure feel. Chris explained, "The 896v3s are very minimal in terms of stability. I couldn't really feel any stiffness to the chassis of the shoes. However, the uppers offered enough support to stop my feet from sliding around inside the shoes. Outside of that, playing in the 896v3s is almost like just having outsoles strapped to my feet. I was a fan. The shoes moved and flexed like they weren't even there, which allowed me to sprint around the court at full speed. Because my feet sat so low to the ground I didn't have to worry about rolling an ankle, since there was not much shoe height to roll off. I was reminded of playing in the Nike Flares when playing in these shoes; they have a similarly minimal feel."

Like Chris, Troy felt quite secure in these shoes, allowing him to move without worry. He said, "When it comes to shoes that offer a high level of stability, they are often rigid and have a lot of technologies dedicated to preventing torsional twisting, such as a solid midfoot shank. That is definitely not what you get with these 896v3s. With that in mind, I felt relatively secure when moving around the court in these shoes. The main downside with the support was that the upper material, specifically in the toe box, started to expand toward the end of the playtest, and this allowed my feet to slide around a bit too much inside these shoes."

Jason struggled when he moved aggressively in these shoes, and he found himself readjusting the laces to cinch up the uppers. He said, "Having enough stability and support is vital for moving aggressively side to side, and I felt like these shoes fell just short. Without a true shank, the upper really needed a supportive strap or something to help stiffen it up for stability, and since there wasn't one, I could feel my feet twisting and moving when I planted and cut. It wasn't terrible, and I would only notice it on really aggressive movements. The laces came undone easily, so I had to retie the shoes one or two times per hitting session."

Mark was very impressed by the support and stability these shoes provided. He commented, "Overall stability and foot support were more than sufficient, but when I factor in that the 896v3 weighs a mere 11.5 ounces, I have to say this is probably the most stable and supportive lightweight tennis shoe I have tested thus far."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.6

Our playtesters were pleasantly surprised by how durable the NB 896v3s were, given their speed-oriented and minimalistic design. Troy thought these shoes held up well enough for normal practice conditions, but maybe not for the everyday grinder who is on court for hours a day. He explained, "Durability was pretty good considering how light these shoes are. The NDurance rubber outsoles held up well throughout the playtest. These shoes are more durable than the older New Balance Minimus 60s, possibly due to the fact that New Balance went with a full herringbone tread on the Minimus, which is better suited for clay courts. I didn't have a lot of balding to the tread of these shoes, except near the toe region, which had moderate wear. I wouldn't necessarily say these shoes are a great everyday practice and play option for those on a team or training at an academy, but the durability was decent for a very lightweight option."

The 896v3s’ performed well for Chris through lots of use. He said, "Considering how light and fast the 896v3s felt on court, I thought they held up very well. I found myself wearing these shoes a lot as they quickly became favorites for me. I was concerned the uppers would not hold up to my toe-dragging, but I'm happy to report I had no issues outside of lots of scuff marks. The high-wear area for me on the outsole is under the big toe on my right shoe, and even that area still had life left in it at the end of the test."

Jason agreed, adding, "Surprisingly, the 896v3s’ held up very well. Considering how lightweight and minimal they are, the durability was a nice surprise. There is plenty of tread left after 15 hours of testing.”

Mark was surprised by the durability of these shoes as well. He described, "The New Balance 896v3s do err on the side of being lightweight and speed oriented, and that typically means the player has to sacrifice a bit in the way of durability. These shoes are not going to be as durable as the New Balance LAV, but they have a higher level of outsole durability than I would have expected."

Traction - Score: 4.2

Traction was a standout category for these New Balance 896v3s, providing an ideal level of grip on the court. Mark said, "I did not have the chance to play on a clay court with the 896v3s, but I would guess that the slightly modified herringbone outsole tread pattern will work well on soft court surfaces. Hard court-wise, the outsole rubber compound used for this shoe catered to nothing but safe, comfortable directional changes and quick stops."

Troy really liked the amount of grip he got from these shoes, and he felt very connected to the court. He said, "The traction was good. I noticed that these shoes gave me plenty of grip on the court when I really needed to slam on the brakes. The bottoms of these shoes are relatively flat, and I think this added to the court feel and the amount of surface area making contact with the court. I enjoyed the amount of grip these shoes gave me when making a strong change of direction, but at the same time, I liked how they weren't overly sticky. I thought the outsoles broke in well as the test went on."

Jason appreciated the traction, but he wanted slightly more give overall. He commented, "I thought the modified herringbone pattern did a really good job providing traction. Perhaps I didn't push as hard because of the lack of stability, but I'd say the traction is top-notch. I actually would've preferred a bit more give when stopping, so the shoe could slide a bit and my foot wouldn't roll up against the uppers."

Like the majority of the team, Chris loved the traction of these shoes. He explained, "I was very happy with the traction of my 896v3s. I was able to move aggressively and be confident I'd get the grip needed to move at full speed. I think the shoes being so flexible helped me move well. The outsoles were able to flex and stay in contact with the court on hard lateral moves. I was also able to control my stops very well, and I found just the right amount of grip to find my balance for the next shot."

Weight - Score: 4.9

At 11.5 ounces, the New Balance 896v3s provided a very speedy and seamless experience for our playtesters. Chris was impressed by the weight of these shoes. He explained, "The 896v3s felt extremely fast on court. I felt like I was moving as well as I could. There was nothing in these shoes to hold me back. Combined with the light feel was a low-to-the-ground ride and great traction. Everything came together in these shoes to make them feel extremely fast on court."

It's safe to say that Jason was blown away by the weight of the 896v3s. He said, "It can't get much better than this. Super lightweight. Super fast. I think these might be the lightest shoes I've tested in many years, beating the Babolat Jet Mach II."

Troy thought these shoes felt slightly lighter than their weight indicated. He said, "It doesn't get much lighter than these 896v3s when it comes to performance tennis shoes. These shoes felt very minimal and did not restrict my movement around the court in any sense. That said, I am a fan of slightly heavier, plusher options, and I would have traded some speed for a little more comfort and support."

Mark looked beyond the number on the scale. He said, "If after testing the 896v3 shoes I was told that they weigh less than a Nike Vapor X or adidas Defiant Bounce, I would have had to weigh them to believe it. They simply provide more support and comfort than their weight suggests. Yes, the 896v3s are lightweight (maybe extremely lightweight?) and are easy for me to maneuver around the court in, but the head-scratcher for me is how New Balance was able to develop three solid storylines for these shoes, blending comfort and support with their light weight."

Overall - Score: 4.0