860 v14

I bought the New Balance 860v14 on Flipkart for ₹6,200 and ran about 16–18 km in it. It is a moderate stability shoe for flat feet and overpronation, built the traditional way. For a long time I wondered whether any shoe would beat the ASICS Kayano. This one did. It is the first stability shoe where I could feel bounce and energy return. Most stability shoes, including Kayano 29, 30 and 31, stay soft and stable but give no propulsion. The design explains the feel. There is a soft, bouncy, springy foam on top, a nylon plate in the middle and a harder, stone-like foam underneath. The plate and the firm base keep the foot from wobbling side to side, and the soft top layer gives the spring. The foam is raised on the inside under the arch, and the platform is wide with no cutouts. It gave me more stability than I expected. It is for people with serious overpronation. The engineered mesh upper is high quality, and the tongue, laces, insole and the thick, grippy outsole are all premium. I expect the foam to last 1,000 km easily, and the upper is built to match. Sizing is the one catch. My usual UK 8 was very small, so I returned it and bought UK 9. Even that is a snug fit, which is how a stability shoe should wrap the foot. I advise going one size up. This shoe is for beginner to intermediate runners at 5:30/km and slower, not for 4:00/km paces. It suits people who stand 8–10 hours, walk 10–20 km, are heavier, or are starting 5–10 km runs. In India it usually sells at ₹12,000–15,000 and the retail price is ₹15,000–18,000, which I still think is worth it for the quality. Now that it sells for ₹6,000–9,000 on Flipkart, I give it my highest marks among stability shoes. Against a Kayano 31 I would personally pick the 860v14 for the extra bounce, springiness and stability.