GET TO KNOW THE NEW BALANCE ELLIPSE

Published: 30/03/2026 | By: Ben Felton

Ben Felton (you might know him as Ben Is Running) is a 2:23 marathon runner and a Sports Direct ambassador, currently training for the Berlin Half Marathon. Alongside his training, he’s been testing the New Balance Ellipse since its release earlier this month and has now logged 100K in the shoe. Here are his thoughts – spoiler: it’s a good’un.

The brand new shoe in New Balance’s line-up does not disappoint! New Balance has just launched the all-new Ellipse which, if you are looking for an affordable, comfortable and stylish daily trainer, you might want to consider. I’d even go as far as to say this is a direct competitor to the highly popular Adidas Evo SL, which also sits as a budget-friendly option.

In a competitive running shoe space, the cost of a daily trainer now typically sits around the £140–£180 price point, but here New Balance enters at £130, which, given the shoe’s performance across my 100 km of testing, is exceptionally good value for money. New Balance’s go-to daily trainer has been the 1080 for some years now, which is now in its 15th iteration. The v15 has seen New Balance move away from ‘Fresh Foam X’ to a more responsive and bouncy midsole known as ‘Infinion Foam’, making the 1080 a little more tailored towards runs where you want to pick up the pace. That’s where the gap for a new trainer was created in the line-up. The Ellipse fills that gap, sticking with the ‘Fresh Foam X’ to offer a soft and smooth running shoe for those everyday runs, tailored more to recovery. If you were a fan of the 1080 in the last few years, you’ll love the Ellipse, I guarantee.

The shoe comes with plenty of cushioning, a healthy amount of padding around the tongue and ankle, as well as some exceptionally stylish colourways which, let’s be honest, are very important. For the shoe in your rotation that

you’re going to be reaching for most, you want it to be a good-looking one. It has a heritage New Balance look with a wavy, retro ’80s paint job. On looks alone, I think you’ll struggle to find a better option.

So that’s a little about the shoe’s design, but how does it perform on the run? Straight out of the box, I took the shoes for a 16 km run and was very impressed by the comfort and smooth ride. 100 km later and I’m still loving them. The fit is very comfortable (true to size in my experience) and it’s one of those shoes that just gets lost on your feet. I find the soft midsole foam to be really accommodating for those easy runs in my training, but given the shoe’s high stack, it handles the longer runs too. The shoe also shows minimal signs of wear, so is showing good durability.

It’s hard to fault, but if I had to give perhaps one downside, it would be that the shoe isn’t great for intervals or faster runs. The shoe is much more suited to slower paces, but after all, that’s what it’s designed for. If you’re looking for something faster, the Rebel from New Balance is likely a better option, or even go one further with the new London Marathon colourway of the carbon racer, the SC Elite.

In terms of comparison, I’d say the shoe is most similar to the New Balance 1080 v14 (last year’s 1080), given it has some similar characteristics in its formulation. Its comfortable upper is also similar to that found in the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28. If you’re currently deciding between the New Balance 1080 v15 and the New Balance Ellipse, I’d say the big difference here is in the versatility. The 1080 v15 offers a more rounded option for easy runs, tempo runs and long runs, but at a higher price point (£169.99), whereas the Ellipse gives you everyday comfort and you’ll save £40.

To conclude, I’ve absolutely loved my first 100 km in these new shoes from New Balance, and they’ve become a go-to in my rotation for those days where a slower pace and comfort are my priority. Add the stylish look into the equation and I can’t seem to pick anything else right now. Well worth a try, and I can certainly see why New Balance added them to their already very strong running shoe line-up in 2026.