New Balance 810

The New Balance 810 is an extension of the company’s great lineage of running shoes; which dates back to 1906 when New Balance was just an orthotics supplier. Since then New Balance has branched out into other areas of running beyond the marathons that they are most well known for. The 810 is a great example of this; it’s a running shoe that isn’t made for the pavement, instead its made to be used on trails in long cross country runs.
So how do you take a running shoe made for the pavement and make it into a shoe made for rocky, muddy, wet trails? New Balance started off by reinforcing the sole with a more aggressive traction pattern and stiffer support in the front of the shoe. The additional traction from the large rubber cleat pattern helps with terrain that is slippery, muddy or sandy while the reinforcement in the sole distributes weight more evenly in case the runner’s foot falls on a sharp rock or other protrusion.
The upper part of the New Balance 810 is also different from the normal New Balance style. The upper is composed of lightweight mesh that provides two advantages. First, it is very, very breathable and dries quickly. Second, its very, very light. The shoes are only about 11 oz per, compared to 13 for older styles of New Balances. Lastly, the tongue of the shoe is gusseted to the upper to keep out debris and dirt from the trail.  Like many of the other New Balance Running shoes, the 810 also has proprietary New Balance techologies such as ABZORB EX, a cushioning material that new balance puts in the heel and forefoot of many of its running shoes. The outer tread pattern is made of N-DURANCE rubber, a rubber compound that New Balance claims outlasts other that of other shoe makers.