New Balance Vongo Shoe Review

Shoe Review: New Balance Vongo

June 25, 2016

by

Brian J. Siddons

     For those of us that have spent decades enjoying the passion of running, it's a blessing to have a training shoe that remains fairly constant over a period of years. Sure, tweaks happen, but a shoe that provides the basics for training and racing and is off the radar in regards to running ailments is a gold medal winner in my log book. There are plenty of non-shoe, running-related issues to worry about for those of us over 50, and shoes, while still a joy to take out on a maiden voyage, are something I prefer to keep status quo.

     Don't get me wrong, I enjoy trying on a few different styles at my local running shoe stores when it's time to replace a pair and the urge for a new model rises up, although I continue to slip back into a proven shoe for me...albeit a new colorway or with slight upgrades to 'this years model'. And, I love reading about the younger runners' experiments with a different shoe at the drop of a hat, usually with no consequences to their training or racing regime. Young, skinny and fleet of foot…those were the days.

     After years of bouncing from Nimbus to Cumulus with a Ride or Triumph thrown in for good measure, I recently found myself trying to avoid the obvious…it was time for a new brand and possibly a new midsole, a la mild stability. Certain ailments had become chronic and I was betting a different brand could be the best chance for a slight gait change and, hopefully, a reduction in the muscle pains that were keeping me from feeling 100%   90%  85% healthy. Yes, I'll settle for 85% these days as there is always 'something' nagging a runner.

     I first tried the asics 2000 for a couple of weeks, however I found it too rigid and knew I had to move on. Making a visit to TC Running Company in Maple Grove, MN, to consult my friend and running shoe guru Dan Steinbrecher, I was optimistic his expertise and the stores' vast footwear selection would be my road to redemption. It had been too long of trying to do extra stretches, flailing on the foam roller and bringing an ice pad to work every day. Thankfully, Dan came through as he normally does and I have a new shoe in my life… Vongo!

    This might be a good time to mention that my final shoe conversion took place three weeks and three days before my 'time trial' summer marathon. I had been gearing up to run Grandma's Marathon on June 18, and the drive to resolve some hamstring and IT band issues was too strong to wait. Call it crazy or crafty, I was going to make a change and pay no mind that it was just 24 days until I ran my marathon test to see how the spring training had gone so I could tweak it for my hopeful BQ race in October. Something had to change and I was pinning my hopes on a laced up foot-wrap of nylon, eva and rubber.

     With no time to lose, I put in a couple of 'how they feeling' eight milers…Great! was my initial reply to myself. ( Hey, its gets quiet on long runs and I've gotta talk to someone. ) So, as I was saying to myself…Shoes feel great, nothing odd going on with my gait, that's about all I can ask for. The big test came on my third run in the shoes that Saturday with the 18 miler we had planned.

     What I noticed first and foremost with the Vongo, was the overall sleekness of the shoe. Gone was the bulky feel of the Nimbus and in its place was a shoe that felt light without giving up too much cushioning. Second, the response of the shoe…which I find to be a relative term due to an individuals pace…was Goldilocks perfect. Not too mushy, not too firm. What surprised me most was how my initial thought of the shoe not having enough cushioning for long runs was proved incorrect. There was plenty, and without any added midsole materials the foot plant and propulsion through the gait cycle felt very natural. My feet are slightly on the wide side, but the Vongo fit very well. The new stitched uppers on running shoes are a wonderful advancement for fit.

The shoe is billed as 'Mild Stability'. Not sure what that means in regards to how it's implemented into the midsole, but it works. My neutral shoes had let me pronate just a bit too much, and the Vongo keeps that in check without feeling too controlling, or more importantly for me, too rigid. I'd describe it as a neutral shoe feel with a guidance assist that gently allows your foot to move forward instead of rolling inward.

     Over the next two weeks I was getting in 6 to 10 mile runs during the week at varying paces. The shoes were feeling better and better. Slow runs, pace runs, LSD runs, I was not only confident the shoes would do well on race day, but my muscle issues had started to fade. The shoe was fitting my mileage load and my gait, and that's a great combination! I even had the chance to run an easy 2 and a half hour trail run the week before the marathon, and the outsoles were fine. They collected a few small grains, and were fine on some wet rocks at a creek crossing. The mud, now that was a mess. These treads are not made for mud. Thankfully it was only a couple of steps.

     Race week included just three easy runs, however the Vongo's were no longer a concern for me. I had put in 113 miles on them and with an additional 19 miles before the marathon I'd have 132 miles pre-race. The soles, however, looked like I had at least 200 on them. It's the only part of the shoe I'm unhappy with. I'd love it if New Balance added a high density plug at the heel for those of us that heel strike so we can get more miles in our shoes before we start cutting into the midsole. I'd gladly take the added weight for more miles out of my shoes.

Race day was a warm 68' with humidity at the starting line. My two friends and I started conservatively, and it paid off later. The Vongo's handled the heat just fine. Plenty of ventilation to keep my feet cool, good traction on the warm and smooth asphalt roads and no blisters from the sockliner. A few parts of the road were fairly crowned, and the mild stability performed well. No issues with rolling, so the lateral side of my lower right leg, which had been bothering me due to my previous neutral shoes, didn't even send out a twinge of discomfort. Hips and hammies also felt fine, having healed up a bit in the last three weeks. The only malady I noticed, and it was after the run while I was wading in Lake Superior with other runners, were the small blisters on my second toe on each foot. Didn't notice them during the race at all, so I would image they came on late.

     While the Vongo is not a panacea for my nagging pains and strains, I give this shoe credit for fitting my gait better than the neutral or stability shoes I had been wearing and providing a cushioned yet slightly stable platform to run on. I couldn't be happier with the results of my training in these shoes and would suggest to runners looking for a shoe that feels light, yet provides plenty of cushioning and a helpful splash of stability, to give the Vongo a try.     

 Brian J. Siddons has been running, off and on, since 1972. Currently a 3:44.51 marathoner ( Grandma's 2016 ), he loves to write fiction ( you can find his novel at www.BrianJamesSiddons.com ) and does freelance work for a local newspaper. Here's a link to a story about Father's Day. http://abcnewspapers.com/2016/06/19/talking-nature-time-spent-together-best-fathers-day-gift/