Updated: October 21st, 2011

New Balance 1224
	Full Name: New Balance 1224 MR / WR
	Category: Stability
	Weight: 13.5 oz. (381 gr.)
	Suggested Price: 135$
	Recommended For: Mild Overpronator, runners with flat feet

New Balance 1224 General Info:

New Balance 1224 is NB’s top of the line stability running shoe. It is the premium sister of the New Balance 769, which we reviewed earlier and found very good.

New Balance 1224 Sole Unit:

Very similar to the sole unit of the NB 769, the New Balance 1224 applies the same concepts and design philosophy as in the lower priced shoe but adding some premium detail. Let’s have a look.
First detail to look at in a stability shoe is the medial post, an injection of a harder (and visibly coloured darker) foam in the medial part of the shoe (internal, underneath the foot arch) that prevents the arch to collapse on itself during the impact with the ground – while still allowing the softer foam compound to cushion the rest of the shoe. The post in the 1224 has two densities: softer in the heel (index of hardness: 60) and harder in the midfoot (65) and it works great for a progressive impact.
Wrapping around the midfoot we also find the plastic shank – Stability Web for New Balance – whose function is to avoid unnatural torsion of the middle part of your foot, supporting and guiding your stride from heel to forefoot which is where the flex needs to be.
The heel is split in two parts in order to apply different cushioning to the impact area and the area that touched the ground second, both guiding your ride and adding to the longevity of the shoe.

New Balance put a serious effort in the cushioning of the shoe, a factor sometimes overlooked while looking for stability but that is very important. The midsole is composed of Absorb FL foam, a compound which is more shock absorbing than standard foam. The heel and the forefoot are cushioned by the Absorb DTS system, a three-layered construction similar to the one we found in the cheaper model, in which a few holes have been cut in order to save weight (in the heel).

New Balance 1224 Upper:

The upper of the 1224 is shaped around the standard SL-1 last (the shape around which the shoe is built) which is a bit of a shame, considered the extremely good feedback that the PL-1 (the new one) has received.
For the rest, a combination of premium solutions populate the upper of this shoe: stability is added to the upper through New Balance’s excellent NLock system: an integrated lacing and webbing system that embraces the arch of the foot connecting the shoes’ eyelids to the midsole going through the “N” logo, providing a secure and comfortable feeling of having the foot always in the right place. Added to this is the new welded overlay system, very visible at a first look. This, combined with the NLock system, ensures the foot has the necessary support.

Next in comfort is the Phantom Liner, a technology that mimics a seamless construction: less seams less chaffing less irritations.
Other details include the Ortholite sockliner, a molded memory foam removable sockliner that adapts to the shape of your foot providing a comfortable ride, the dual density heel collar, a very open and breathable mesh and NB’s SureLace system: laces engineered to stay tied longer.

New Balance 1224 Opinion:

The New Balance 1224 is an extremely good stability shoe: takes its support role very serious with great technologies both in the sole unit and the upper without forgetting the cushioning. The foot feels safe and secure also on uneven grounds but the shoe is slightly on the heavy side. Another minor issue is the adoption of the old NB performance last, but if you were comfortable in New Balances before, you will still be in the 1224.
This shoe is recommended to runners who tend to overpronate and to runners with flat feet. You will find a very rich shoe that competes nicely with the Asics Gel Kayano 15. Compared to its cheaper sister, the New Balance 769, we feel this shoe will give you a more supported ride.