New Balance’s BOA-Equipped FuelCore Sonic

Triathlon Forum
1

Interesting concept. Thoughts?

Years ago I used the Nike Sock racer for tris 70.3 and shorter. This looks like a possible successor.

2

Things I like:

  1. Price - $109 with Boa is very reasonable - No chance when we were developing shoes at Zoot with Boa could we come close to that price.
  2. The Midsole is Revlite - Firmer ride then fresh foam which will make it feel fast. For comparison the Vazee Pace is Revlite.
  3. The sock like upper - Yes looks much like the sock racer doesn’t it.

Challenges

  1. The midfoot - It’s going to fit low on the foot. Those with a high instep will probably not like it.
  2. Not much travel - The Boa has very little travel in it. If you have the opposite, a low instep you won’t be able to get it tight enough. I looks like the eyelets will simply double over on each other.
  3. Top midfoot lock down - NB has a tendency to be thick in their stiched overlays. Some brands simply have rules on materials and having a set thickness seems to be one of the rules form decades of making shoes. If that piece has any sort of backing on it, there is a chance it might dig into the top of your foot.

Overall the $109 makes it worth the risk of challenges.It looks like a fun shoe to run in.

3

I’ve done 2 runs in mine since I got them Thursday. I’m not especially sensitive when it comes to shoes, so I’m not good at discerning minor differences.

I quite like these shoes, and don’t find the ride very different from my other lighter new balance shoes.

I’m not normally a sockless runner, but feel like I could in these. No hot spots, no pressure points, very comfy.

I’ll be in them for Ironman Canada next weekend.

My one note is I wouldn’t want to run a real hilly course in these because I feel like I slide to the front of the shoe on down hills. I like to use the heel lock method of tying my trainers when I run in laced shoes.

4

I would think about giving them a try if they were a lower heel-toe drop.

5

Interesting concept. Thoughts?

Years ago I used the Nike Sock racer for tris 70.3 and shorter. This looks like a possible successor.

I had some delivered a few days ago. They are going back but only because I have a wide forefoot and these are not wide enough in the toe box despite being a 2E width.

Quite comfortable, the boa ‘wire’ is material and not wire, which was worrying. The shoe is snug in a nice way when the boa is done up. There is a very pronounced roll / rocker on the ball of the foot. It felt weird, almost like it would propel you forward. I was intrigued but as they were being returned did not get to try them for an outside run.

They were pretty ugly.

I also got the new Fuel Cell, the expensive ones that look like the blue Shimano tri shoes but with a yellow sole. They are quite nice and wide in the toe box and have a more cushioned feel ‘out of the box’ than the NB Vazee Pace V2. But they felt a bit more clunky that the Pace and despite feeling cushioned also felt firm. I know that those two attributes do not go together but the cushioning feels more in the footbed than the sole. They are also a bit ugly, I would run with the grey variant given the choice and I don’t even mind bright runners.

I purchased three pairs. Fuel Cell, Sonic and Vazee Pace v2. I have used the Vazee Pace for 2 seasons now and will be sticking with them, returning the other two. The Pace seem to be the best out of the three for me.

6

Wanted to share future thoughts now that I have a pair.

  1. High Instep - If you have a height instep they will be difficult to fit. Will be tight.

  2. Toebox - Fairly standard NB fit which mean’s I agree with the one who said hilly course could be an issue. Theoretically the cage and Boa should stop the foot from sliding forward but that’s no practical.

  3. The shoe has a really nice heel and midfoot feel. Snug with a decent arch.

  4. It’s not stable at all there is a definitive roll to the ball of the foot which can feel great.

  5. It’s not a Nike Sock Racer or Sock Trainer - Both of those shoes fit close to your foot and stretched around your foot. This is a fairly standard mesh upper which won’t stretch to your wider foot and won’t conform to your narrower foot. Nike did both.

  6. All of that said it feels smooth, quite and lively which makes it fun to run in.