New Balance 996v4 Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.7

The New Balance 996v4s are loaded with comfort features in both the upper and midsole. However, our playtesters could not come to a consensus about the different aspects of overall comfort. Our wide-footed playtester, Jason, started off the playtest on a high note. He said, "This is definitely one of those shoes with step-in comfort. The knit uppers wrap around my feet and flex with every move without pinching, and the FuelCell midsole provides a plush ride underfoot. I didn't go with the wider 2E option because the D width uppers accommodated my feet so well. The arch support felt low and conformed to my arches in no time."

Mark compared and contrasted the updated 996v4 with the firmer and heavier 996v3. "Once on court, I realized that this new version is entirely different from its predecessor. If the feel of the 996v3 was firm, the new version of the 996 is definitely plush and didn't need any sort of break-in period. I will point to the FuelCell midsole technology as the main reason for the increase in comfort. Now after more than 20 hours of play in them, the comfort level is even better, and I will give two thumbs up on ventilation. I never once gave any thought about my feet overheating during play. I have high arches, and the 996v4s do feature a pretty low arch for a stock insert, but its location and overall height were sufficient enough that I did not give much thought to it either. For my feet, the 996v4s fit well as far as their length, width and the amount of vertical clearance they provide, which seems to be enough to accommodate an aftermarket insert or custom orthotic."

Troy had mixed feelings about the 996v4's overall comfort. He said, "I thought these shoes were very comfortable when it came to the fit and how soft and supple the upper material was. The FuelCell midsole was plush, but also fairly minimal. As far as underfoot cushioning goes, these shoes were a bit minimal for my liking, and not quite up to the level of cushioning I found with the New Balance Fresh Foam Lavs. Ventilation was a bit less than I would have liked for such lightweight shoes. The knit upper was comfortable, but not as breathable as some lightweight shoes that use more mesh."

Although he found the 996v4s comfortable, Chris had problems when it came to heel cushioning. He said, "The uppers of the 996v4s felt comfortable and flexible for the entire test. I also found the shoes to vent well, so my feet never ran hot. There was ample flex under my feet, which gave the shoes a light and fast feel. Unfortunately, I found the level of cushioning lacking under my heels. When at a full sprint and when lunging wide, I could feel the court coming through the heel cushioning. The result was some minor bruising under my left heel. The issue was consistent for the month-long test and even happened while hitting for the video portion of the review."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.4

While the playtesters appreciated the support from the 996v4s, they were hoping for a little more stability from their shoes. Of all the playtesters, Mark was the most positive about both the support and stability categories. He said, "New Balance was able to shave off almost 3 ounces of weight from the 15+ ounce weight of the prior model, so I guessed that the 996v4s would not be as supportive or as stable laterally. Overall, there is a little more stretch to the uppers compared to the 996v3, so it felt like my feet were getting pushed to the lateral side of the shoes on hard directional changes, but the upside of that was a higher degree of comfort. Underfoot, New Balance's FuelCell midsole is soft and energy absorbing, but not to the point of having to sacrifice support and stability."

Troy prefers shoes with high levels of stability. He said, "The support was better than I would have guessed based on looking at these shoes and their weight. They contoured to my feet very well, sort of hugging them in a sense. I never felt like I was moving around inside these shoes and never really noticed any unwanted heel slippage. That said, these shoes were a bit too minimal and flexible overall to feel very stable. The low-to-the-ground profile helped with lateral stability, but I would have liked a bit more rigidity to these shoes, especially in the midfoot region."

"I would have happily sacrificed some of the upper flexibility and comfort for some additional support," added Chris. "I could feel the uppers stretching on lateral cuts, and it felt like my feet were spilling over the lateral edge of the midsole. The flex from the chassis felt fine, and I liked the way the shoes would move with my feet."

Just like Chris and Troy, Jason wanted slightly more stability from these shoes. He described, "I did feel like my feet were locked into the 996v4s once I had them laced up, but when I was moving side to side the uppers flexed a tad too much for my liking."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.7

The lightweight New Balance 996v4s aren't known for their durability, but they held up to the playtesters' standards. The fact that the shoes are backed by a six-month durability guarantee certainly doesn’t hurt. These shoes ultimately exceeded Chris's expectations. He said, "The 996v4s played like they were built for speed rather than durability, which made the fact they held up as well as they did very impressive. I didn't find them to last as long as my pair of New Balance Lavs, but I was impressed by the durability for such a light feeling shoe."

Jason added, "For shoes this light, the 996v4s are impressively durable. There was some noticeable tread loss after about 10 hours of on-court time."

Troy thought the durability was pretty average for a lightweight option. He explained, "There wasn't a whole lot of toe protection for heavy toe draggers. That said, the outsole held up for me throughout the playtest, with a bit of balding around the balls of my feet. I would compare these to the Nike Air Zoom Vapor X shoes in terms of outsole durability."

Mark was able to put in about 20 hours of play with his 996v4s, and he's expecting them to last a good while longer. He said, "So far, most of the wear is around the big toe area of the outsole, which is now smooth. I am not through to the midsole yet, and I am certain that I have quite a bit more play time left in them, plus these lightweight shoes carry a sole warranty."

Traction - Score: 4.2

Most of our playtesters found the multi-directional tread pattern of the 996v4s to offer a sticky response at the beginning of the playtest before settling in. The traction worked well with Mark's counterpunching game style. He said, "In any direction, and on every hard court where I played, New Balance's NDurance outsole material and new LWSR (LightWeight Solid Rubber) made for top-shelf traction."

Chris liked the blend of grip and give provided by the 996v4s. He said, "I would say the level of traction was slightly on the grippier side, but there was still enough give to let me slide on aggressive stops. I was able to sprint around in them at full speed, and I never felt lacking for grip on a quick start."

While Troy also found the outsoles to be pretty grippy at first, he felt that the traction wore in well after a bit of play. He said, "Initially, the outsoles were a bit on the sticky side, and I thought they gripped the court very well. As time went on and the tread wore down a bit, they started to give more and felt slightly less sticky. I thought that they broke in nicely after about five hours of wear. The 996v4s would likely be a good choice for aggressive movers who like to slide out on the hard courts, as I have seen Coco Gauff do."

Jason had a similar opinion, adding, "I felt like these were on the stickier end of the traction spectrum. I had a tough time trying to slide in them when changing directions. But on the positive side, they weren't so sticky that my foot would get caught when pivoting."

Weight - Score: 4.7

At 12.4 ounces (size 10.5), the New Balance 996v4s scored the highest with our team in the weight category. Chris was flying around the court in these shoes throughout the playtest. He said, "The 996v4s felt very light and fast on my feet. I think the comfortable uppers and flex throughout made them feel very natural. I liked the way the shoes moved with my feet, and I felt very fast in them."

Jason was also a fan of the weight. He said, "These 996v4s feel very light. I loved that aspect of the shoes. I definitely felt fast and nimble out there on the court."

"These shoes possessed an ultra-light, fast feel," added Troy. "Not only are they one of the lightest options on the market, but they also ride low to the ground, providing a ton of court feel. The knit uppers contoured to my feet and made for an even more streamlined feel. These are right up there with the Babolat Jet Mach IIs when it comes to weight, and they offer a ton of court feel."

Mark wrapped up the playtest on a high note. He finished, "So long as I do not have to sacrifice shoe stability and comfort, I am all for lighter tennis shoes. The 996v4s are lighter than the previous iteration, and I have to say that I am impressed with how New Balance removed weight from less crucial areas without making the shoes less comfortable or stable."

Overall - Score: 3.7