Revision as of 10:44, 5 February 2016

The New Balance Vazee Pace is an interesting option for those looking to migrate from a traditional running shoe like the Asics GT 2000 to something more natural. It provides a reasonable, though not great levels of cushioning, and it's smooth and even. There is far more drop between the heel and forefoot than I'd like, but this makes it a good half-way house for transitioning to a lower drop shoe. The Pace is relatively light weight when compared to many traditional shoes, but the level of cushioning it provides for its weight is rather grim when compared to better shoes. It weighs nearly as much as the Hoka Clifton, but provides only a fraction of the cushioning. Compared with the amazing New Balance RC5000‏‎v2, it has slightly less cushioning, but is more than twice as heavy. It seems bizarre to think of a shoe that weighs less than 9 ounces as too heavy, but material science and shoe design has rather left the Pace behind. That said, I rate the Vazee Pace as "Worth Considering" as it's a worthy contender for your money if you're looking for a transitional shoe. (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

New Balance Vazee Pace top	New Balance Vazee Pace outside
New Balance Vazee Pace bottom	New Balance Vazee Pace inside

1 Characteristics

• Cushioning . The cushioning on the Pace is okay, but it's not great. I found it smooth and even, and it's a comparable level of cushioning to the Brooks PureConnect, Nike Zoom Streak LT, or the ultralight New Balance RC5000‏‎v2.
• Drop. The Vazee Pace has 6mm of drop, which is enough for me to consider it more of a transitional shoe than the one designed for natural running..
• Structure. The Vazee Pace has a single density of foam so there's nothing overt to interfere with your foot movement. There is a slight cut away under the ball of the foot at the bottom of the shoe, and the midsole cups the heel a little, both of which create a little bit of stability without the manipulation and interference of a medial post. There is a bit more support than I'd like to see, which could cause some plantar fascia issues in some runners.
• Flexibility. The Vazee Pace is less flexible than I'd have expected for issue of this weight. It's not enough to be much of an issue, but I find I prefer more flexibility.
• Outsole. The Vazee Pace has three different colors of harder rubber outsole, but they seem to be of similar density. The outsole covers all contact patches, and should give good longevity.
• Shape. The shoe is nothing like the shape of the human foot, so the toe box needs to be cut open. (I recommend cutting open the toe box of virtually all running shoes, with the exception of a few shoes like some Altra shoes. When you have some worn out shoes, you should try cutting open the toe box. I've found that it's a big improvement, allowing my toes to move naturally and engage for toe off, as well as reducing the possibility of blisters.)
  
  

  The Vazee Pace is more likely to fit someone with the mutant foot that has the big toe in the middle than a the typical human foot.
• Upper. The upper of the Vazee Pace has a few seams, but it does have quite a number of overlays. There is no padding except around the ankle opening and at the very back of the upper. Overall I found it to be a comfortable upper, though not terribly breathable.
• Tongue. The Vazee Pace has a partially sewn in tongue, as well as a tab for the laces, so it stays in position. The tongue is only sown in just over half way up, so it's still easy to get the shoe on and off. The tongue is nicely padded and soft.
• Lacing. The laces are traditional flat laces and stayed tied without any problem. There is a little elasticity in the laces, something that seems to contribute more than you might expect to the comfort of the shoe.
• Heel Counter. The Heel Counter is vestigial, only coming up about half way up the back and only extending a very short distance to either side. I'd love to have some insight into what the designers were thinking when they created the heel counter; it's hard to conceive that they believed it would have any functional benefit. My guess is they put in the heel counter in because that's what you do in shoes.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy New Balance Vazee Pace at Zappos Buy New Balance Vazee Pace at Road Runner Sports Buy New Balance Vazee Pace at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy New Balance Vazee Pace at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 Cushioning and Shoes

It's intuitively obvious that the cushioning in a shoe will reduce the impact on your body when running. However, The Science of Running Shoes indicates that the reality is rather more complex. While slight cushioning may reduce the effort needed to run by improving your Running Economy, most scientific research indicates that more cushioning does further improve Running Economy. In addition, cushioning does not generally reduce impact and may actually increase it. This is counterintuitive, but is likely to be due to the way a runners mind and body adapts to softer cushioning. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is far from complete and it's hard to give clear recommendations. I believe that some runners will prefer more cushioning, while others prefer less, and typically those running further have a fondness for greater cushioning. I also believe that a shoe should be as light as possible, and a shoe should justify its weight with the cushioning it provides. My advice is to decide what level of cushioning you're looking for, and then find the lightest shoes that also fit well and are comfortable.

3 Visualizing the Attributes of the New Balance Vazee Pace

How New Balance Vazee Pace compares showing rearfoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.	How New Balance Vazee Pace compares showing forefoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How New Balance Vazee Pace compares showing the price against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.	How New Balance Vazee Pace compares showing the loaded drop against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.

4 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.