Customer Reviews New Balance 608v5

this version of the 608 is an horrendous backward step for the 608. the absorb footbed is gone. replaced by a hard nylon footbed. the insole is not enough to replace the comfort. the 100% leather construction is now gone. replaced by fake leather. needless to say I will not be buying the v5 anytime soon. will have to find another type of NB shoe to go to. also the v4 was made on a sl-2 last that gave you extra depth in the toebox. the mx-oo1 last does not. it is a longer narrower last so don't expect it to have the toe room that the 608v4 did. all in all a botched job. I expected better from New Balance.

I have been wearing the 608v4 for years. The new v5 are a HUGE disappointment. First, they look to be almost entirely low grade vinyl uppers as opposed to real leather I depend on for durability. If you wear out and replace your shoes every six months like I do, then to be fair, it may not matter much in the end... however, it might. For me, if I wanted cheap plastic shoes, I would buy Walmart shoes. Second, the v4 had a soft sole that felt like walking on, well like running/walking on foam. The new v5 sole is hard and does not absorb ANY impact that I could define. This may be an improvement in certain applications, however, I cannot imagine what they might be. To make matters worse, they have redesigned the insert, which no longer provides any support at all, including in the arches. So right off the batt, plan on adding an after market insert. Lastly, what killed this shoe for me, is that they have made the shoe at least 3/8" more narrow than the V4 as measured at the hinge/ball of the foot. See pics. (The first pic shows I have aligned the opposite edge as closely as possible, while the second pic shows the old sole extending out past the new sole as described.) This equates to a "4E" which my feet require, and I ordered, to actually only be approximately 2E in width. What makes this so very horrible, is that the design of the shoe forces my feet inward, which means that I am walking on the inside edge of the sole ALL of the time, and my foot is hanging over that 3/8" they removed from the width. AND since they do not provide this shoe in a 6E, the actual reality is that I can no longer wear my favorite shoe.

Been ordering this style for years, though this time the inner sole seems to be less cushioned.

I have been wearing New Balance sneakers for the past few years and I am very happy with the company's products. I find their sneakers to be very comfortable, and I have found Zappos to offer them for the most reasonable prices. For those of you, like me, who suffer from Plantar Fasciitis, or who simply need more arch support, you may want to think about going over to Amazon's site to purchase a pair of Giotto Orthotic High Arch Support Inserts for your new sneakers. Personally, I have found the supports to be a great addition to my new sneakers for relieving heel pain. Simply remove the inserts that come with the sneakers to install the supports and you’ll be good-to-go.

I keep buying this model of New Balance sneaker since they fit so well and last a good long time. I walk around five miles a day, and get about six months use before they begin to loose support.

I need shoes with a super wide toe box. I called NewBalance and they told me that the MX608v5 had an extra wide toe box, so I ordered them in 13 4E. These were some of the most narrow sneakers I've tried on in years. I don't know if it's NewBalance's new standard, but if it is, I need to find a new brand for wide shoes. Any suggestions?

I used to love this line but quality has gone downhill - this pair lasted a bit over a week before the front of the sole detached. Last pair of NB I ever buy. Thankfully Zappos has an easy return policy.

I've owned multiple pairs of this model so I felt pretty safe getting these online. Unfortunately the v5 is nowhere near as comfortable to wear as my old shoes were. Pretty disappointing effort from NB.

I use these shoes for working out and, particularly for heavy use on the treadmill and elliptical. For that purpose they have performed excellently. Beyond that I cannot comment.

I have bought this shoe for my son every year for years. The V number does change occasionally but they've never been terribly different from each other. This time the shoe was not leather!! What a disappointment as the fit has always been, and still is, good. I suppose I should have read the description more carefully but didn't because the I've bought this model for years. Shoes are not leather this time.

Why the hell is this shoe falling apart? It is bad enough zappos large size sneakers selection has tanked and gotten to next to nothing unless you wanna wear kid shoe brands like DC, this is ridiculous. I'm tired of this and wish zappos would take some responsibility and do something about it w shoe manufacturers. I call n call and call or email and it's the customary BS answers. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALREADY CAUSE ITS REALLY PREJUDICIAL TO GUYS W LARGE FEET.

I have been wearing 608's for years. This v5 is awful! Hard as a brick on your feet and they've cheapened the materials. Not worth the price....

Shoe felt at least a half size smaller, width was okay. I ordered the wide width. It had a moderate arch support, however, the arch did not fit me in the right place. Also, the sole felt so hard. It had no cushion and I'm on my feet all day. I had to return these shoes. I normally buy New Balance, but these did not work for me this time.

This is the third NB court shoe I have bought. The previous shoes were very comfy and flexible. This shoe is relatively rigid and not as comfortable. I would not buy it again

I was replacing a pair of NB MX608v4, which fit well, so I ordered a pair of the version 5 model in the same size (8D). I found that the v5 was markedly narrower than the v4, as was the toe box. I exchanged them for size 8EE, which matches the width of the old 8D, although the toe box is still tighter than I would like. It's fine if New Balance wants to make styling changes between versions, as those are noticeable from the photos, however customers should be able to assume identical fit if they are to order them online. Also noted that the sole on the v5 was changed and that the old v4 sole is now on the NB 624, another unwelcome change. I may have purchased my last pair of New Balance shoes.

The shoe was too tight.

New Bslance shoes have always been great. This pair is no different

This is my second pair of these and probably my 50th pair of NB’s in all. I have a lot of tan shorts and black, blue and white patriotic and LE supportive shirts that these match perfectly. At 6’2” and 260, I need support and comfort to carry this truck. They fit and feel awesome as like all my NB’s do. I’ve worn N_ _ k_e, and they just are not made for big and tall, and I wouldn’t patronize a company that supports anything anti American. Do yourself a favor, buy these

This black pair fits perfect. True to size and listed width

I bought these shoes for my husband and he does wear a large size so shoes are hard to find for him that he feels fits just right and these shoes he says are comfortable to wear. He wore them for the first time on an all day outing and said they worked out great.

Gift for husband. Said they are the most comfortable sneakers he has ever had. Has been wearing them for a year and still in good shape. They are very stylish. The black laces look better and white sneaker does not look as dirty as white sneakers usually become after wearing for awhile.

It fit well, but I made the mistake of ordering the size I would normally get if I ordered regular width shoes. Now I know to go down a half size? Overall great shoe, thank you!

Shoes were perfect