Home Reviews Trail shoe reviews New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

Review: New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

Written by

Jim Coulson

Fast Road and Trail Runner. Career Firefighter.

This expert review is written by

Jim Coulson

Fast Road and Trail Runner. Career Firefighter.
Jim Coulson is a career firefighter, husband, and father of two children hailing from the foothills of Colorado.

Jim has been an avid road and trail runner since the age of 12, and loves to race locally and around the state a much as possible.

A native Coloradoan Jim enjoys its trails, mountains, and outdoors taking advantage of all they have to offer as much as possible.

Weight

We usually consider 10 ounces a "medium" weight for a running shoe: less than 10 and we are entering the lightweight category and above 10 the shoes start to be heavy.

Heel-to-toe drop

Heel drop is the measurement in mm of the difference between the height of the heel and the toe of the sole.

A lower drop (0mm - 5mm) promotes running on mid-foot and fore-foot, while higher drops (8mm - 12mm) are more traditional and meant to support a heel-striking gait.
Expert score
6/10

Expert Review: New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

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Quick overview

Best for
Regular training, long, slow training runs, ultra distances, 50 miles and greater
Terrain
Best for moderate trails, rocky areas, muddy areas, through creeks and streams, through snowy or icy sections
Grip
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 provides good traction on most types of terrains and surfaces
Lack Traction
Average Traction
Provide Traction
Cushioning
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 is maximally cushioned
Little cushioning
Medium cushioning
Highly cushioned
Weight

12

 oz
340 g
Heel to toe drop
Drop

10

 mm

Pros and cons according to our running expert

Pros and cons according to our running expert

  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Highly protective
  • Extremely durable
  • Incredibly comfortable
  • Very heavy
  • Questionable heel hold
  • Very dull ground feel

Our verdict

The Hierro 5 is an attractive, comfortable, and durable trail shoe. For runners not looking to set any PR’s but look good on long easy trail runs the Hierro just might be the shoe for you.

Introduction New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

The Hierro is New Balances most cushioned trail shoe. Version 5 has made some serious changes to the upper of the shoe from the previous versions.

The redesigned upper is very eye catching which sets it apart from many others and hopes to improve on comfort, protection, and durability.

The Midsole and out sole have some subtle changes that aim to improve stability and traction.

Cushioning Type
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 is a perfect mix of... Read more responsive and plush: good shock absorption
Responsive
Plush
Cushioning Amount
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 is maximally... Read more cushioned
Little cushioning
Highly cushioned
Flexibility
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 is quite rigid and... Read more does not flex easily
Rigid
Flexible
Stability
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 has some inherent... Read more stability and support
Not particularly stable
Very stable

Impressions New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

Unboxing the Hierro V5 for the first time was an experience. The shoe is eye-popping with its yellow and blue splash colorway.

Initially I found them silly looking, but they grew on me over time, and the “those are so cool” approval from my 13-year-old also helped.

Picking up the shoe for the first time was not so surprising however. The weight was very apparent and is certainly the heaviest shoe that I have run in this year.

While weight is never a positive It doesn’t seem to be a nail in the coffin for the Hierro.

The redesigned upper is formed from a highly durable TPU coated textile that that lays atop a softer mesh that completely replaces Hypo-skin.

The sock like booty has been replaced with a traditional gusseted tongue that is protected by an asymmetric TPU shroud.

A traditional padded heel collar with external counter also finds its was into version 5. This upper, while not initially apparent, was highly breathable and comfortable.

With its many layers the upper is highly durable and very protective, but also with all that layering comes weight which the Hierro is not lacking in.

The thick Fresh Foam midsole that rides atop the Vibram Mega grip outsole remains mostly intact. First stepping into the shoe, they feel great with a true to size fit and a nice ample toe box.

The midsole absorbs impact well and is smooth riding but is stiffer and firmer than the “plush” description given by New Balance.

The dense sole while providing a lot of cushion gives almost no ground feel and lacks any pop or energy.

The Hierro Is a stable shoe but not the best for technical terrain as it is just too bulky. After several outings I found the shoe best suited for long, rolling, winding buffed trails.

Protection New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 - Sole

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 – Sole

Being a maximally cushioned shoe the Hierro 5 does not utilize a rock plate. The Fresh Foam midsole provides adequate protection from most trail hazards.

While I still felt the presence of sharp rocks underfoot the bite of them was not there.

The layering of the upper and its TPU shroud do a great job of keeping out debris and sheds water, snow and ice, but again is it all worth the unnecessary weight.

The Hierro 5 utilizes a well wrapped toe bumper or “Toe Protect” that absolutely saved my digits on more that one occasion.

Rockplate
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 does not have a rock... Read more plate.
Not present
Solid protection
Lugs
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 provides good... Read more traction on most types of terrains and
Lack Traction
Provide Traction
Water resistance
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 offers great water... Read more protection. Not completely waterproof but
Poor
Water Resistant

Durability New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 - Closeup

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 – Closeup

Just at first glance I don’t think there is any question of the durability of the Hierro. The New TPU upper is not only weatherproof but almost bullet proof.

After more that 50+ miles through all sorts of weather and trail conditions the shoes, aside from some dust, show no signs of breaking down.

Responsiveness & Speed New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 - Lateral Side

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 – Lateral Side

As I mentioned in the opening lines of the review the Hierro is comfortable and one that I can run a lot of miles in.

The shoe is just dense and lacks any sort of responsiveness or pop; Coupled with its bulkiness and weight make the Hierro 5 not suited for any sort of faster pace but more for cruising.

The non-existent underground feel did not allow me to run without carefully thinking about foot placement on more technical trails making not the nimblest shoe either.

The hexagonal lugs of the outsole are not overly aggressive but did provide great traction especially on many of the exposed sandstone surfaces that I encountered, due to their shallow nature they don’t seem to shed mud well.

Comfort and Fit New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 - Closeup

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 – Closeup

The Hierro 5 fits true to size and is incredibly comfortable absorbing anything you throw at it and easy to wear all day.

There is a lot to the upper of this shoe but despite this it is highly breathable, it also plays a huge part in the fit of the shoe.

While the layering offers protection and comfort, I found the fit a bit loose compared to most trail shoes.

This allowed some sliding of my foot and slipping of my heel. This was most noticeable during descents and hard cornering which had my confidence waning with the shoe on more technical trails.

Despite my best efforts to try and tighten the shoe the results were the same.

The fit I would say limits the Hierro to more rolling and wide cruiser trails and not the best choice for a more technical outing.

Sizing
The Fresh Foam Hierro v5 has average sizing:... Read more buy the usual size
Buy size smaller
Buy size bigger

Conclusion New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 - Toe

New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 – Toe

The Hierro 5 is an Okay shoe. Its unique styling and design separate it from many other trail shoes but that is where the differences stop.

The shoe in incredibly comfortable with a smooth ride making it a pleasure to wear all day long. The Hierro doesn’t offer much in terms of performance from anything else but is in some situations worse.

The weight and insecure fit make it a liability on technical trails and the lack of ground feel takes confidence away from the shoe.

This shoe is most at home on wide open tails and for me the best scenario for choosing them would be a for a long cruising run over packed trails with little to no elevation.

Price comparison:
New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5

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Reviews Read what other runners say

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Mike

I run 0 - 20km per week, I use them primarily for running
I have the Hierro V6 which is the identical shoe (except for the tongue and lacing system has changed). These are super cushioned versatile shoes. You can pretty... Read more much do anything athletic in them and feet feel great. I would not climb a mountain in them. They are trail runners...not technical climbing shoes. I have 4 pairs

Clark

I run 20 - 40km per week, I use them primarily for running
I love these shoes. They have excellent cushioning and a super-grippy sole for running on trails. No doubt they’re on the heavy side and more geared toward... Read more training than racing but, if you want an extremely comfortable trail running shoe that is durable and rock solid on the trail, the Hierro V5s are great. I’ve gone

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