By Cole Manley
The New Balance Beacon is a shoe that makes running simple and pure and fun. What running is meant to be in its basic state: going outside, feeling your feet touch the ground softly, and moving forward, knowing that you are in control of the shoe.
On one of my first runs in the Beacon v1, around New York’s Central Park, I realized halfway through the six mile park loop that I was no longer thinking about the shoe. I was immersed in my natural surroundings. I noticed the way the sun hit the surface of the reservoir, the wind carrying the water droplets from the fountain through rainbow air to the other side of the park. (I could evade the tourists snapping selfies of the skyline much more effectively, as well).
But back to the shoe.
The New Balance v1 Beacon offered its Fresh Foam midsole in a supremely lightweight shoe. Even in my gargantuan size 13, it was only 8 ounces or so. The simple knit upper was comfortable and easy to run in out of the box. The shoe made me a more efficient runner--I increased my stride turnover and ran on my forefoot. The ride was smooth. Easy. Breezy. Smooth. This was like your favorite Scudder’s peanut butter (crunchy style) with a healthy dosing of oil on top. You mix in the Fresh Foam with a moderate drop and a simple upper, and you create a classic shoe. Just as peanut butter can go with literally ANY food (stir fry, pasta, sandwich, milkshake, ice cream, hot sauce), the New Balance Beacon offers versatility for easy runs, tempo days, and long runs. That is mostly thanks to its light weight and because of the ground contact you get. You feel so nimble in the shoe that it makes each step feel more purposeful and controlled.
I’ve run in both the v1 and the v2 for several hundred miles (I just ordered my second pair of the V2s and went through two pairs of the v1) and it has performed admirably for any run I’m looking to do. Sure, these shoes aren’t designed for track workouts or intervals. The ride feels a little mushy and out of control (the upper a bit too loose) for these kinds of efforts. But mile repeats on the road? There are worse options.
It turned into one of my favorite middle distance and long run shoes when I was training for the 2018 New York Marathon. Could you take it up to the marathon distance? Sure. Personally I would want something with a bit more energy return and cushioning for 26.2, but the lightweight cushioning in the Beacon is so adaptable. I took it out for 18 and 20 mile training runs, and it was just as responsive in the last mile as it was for the first.
With the v2 came a revised upper (the exact same midsole and outsole), but I didn’t think it improved much. The v1 upper fit a bit more easily around my foot than the v2, although I didn’t have any issues with the v2. The elf ear heel flare (shout out to Believe in the Run for this terminology!) looks kind of cool I guess, but I had no issues with heel rubbing or achilles rubbing with the v1, so it seems more aesthetic than anything else.
The Beacon v3 has just released, and, luckily, it looks like New Balance has kept most of the shoe’s original DNA intact. The ground contact Fresh Foam midsole is still there, and the upper seems fairly similar to the v2. Unfortunately, the shoe has gained a bit of weight, about .5 ounces according to the Road Trail Run site, but this should still be fairly lightweight overall. (You can read their full review of the v3 model here).
When I think about a running shoe in its most distilled, Platonic form, I think about the Beacon. And I then think about that first run around the rolling hills of Central Park. Pure joy.
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