my favorite shoes

New Balance WO80 Minimus Multi Sport

Sometimes we get used to certain things and when it changes we rebel. However, in this case, the changes to the veritable Kayano are a good thing. I can really feel the differences and once I took the time to mentally adjust I realized that the model 18 is a big improvement on the model 17. They are lighter. There is more cushioning under the front of the foot, and the cushioning under the heel has been improved/adjusted and feels better to my foot at least. The tongue is a little shorter up top making it easier to tie your bow on the padded part. The 18's have better/improved lateral support and stability. The mid shoe width is a little wider, so it doesn't feel as confining there and adds to the lateral stability. I wore New Balance cross trainers for a long time for golf and the leather uppers had good lateral support, something I felt was a little weak in the Kayano 17's. Everybody is different in what they like, so my comments are somewhat subjective, though I have tried to described what I think are clear improvements. To me these are very nice shoes and a worthy successor to the 17, but test drive them...go to your local big box store, and take a pair home to walk around the house in(keep the receipt). I think you'll see what I'm saying. Then shop around the web to find the best deal, they are pricey at the moment cause they just came out...or wait until later in the year when the price drops. Happy trails...

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