New Balance RC1600 V2 Review

Not surprisingly, the New Balance RC1600 V2 is selected by a good number of marathon runners I know. The RC1600 is nearly as good as my favorite in this class, the Asics Gel Hyper Speed. While New Balance market the RC1600 as a 'racing flat', I consider it to be a great all round running shoe. The RC1600 provides ample cushioning and it's only significant flaw is that the toe box is not designed for the human foot, a failing shared by most running shoes. (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 RC1600V2 top	New Balance RC1600V2 bottom
New Balance RC1600V2 inside	New Balance RC1600V2 outside

1 Characteristics

• Why you’d buy it. The RC1600 is a great choice for a lightweight, nicely cushioned and comfortable shoe. While the placement of the high grip outsole is rather bizarre, it doesn't cause any problems.
• Cushioning . The RC1600 has excellent cushioning for its weight, with a cushioning-to-weight ratio that is up there with the likes of the Asics Gel Hyper Speed or the Nike Zoom Streak LT. There is a gap in the midsole under the heel, which tends to center the foot slightly, but without being in any way intrusive.
• Drop. The RC1600 has 5mm of drop when loaded, which is a tad more than I'd like, but similar to other shoes in this category and it shouldn't cause any problems.
• Structure. The RC1600 doesn't struggle to control your stride with a medial post. As noted above, there is a gap in the midsole, but I found this just made the shoe feel secure underfoot. There is no intrusion to cause pressure on the arch of the foot.
• Flexibility. The RC1600 has good flexibility to allow the foot to bend naturally.
• Outsole. Sometimes it seems like every shoe has to have at least one mistake in the design. For the RC1600 is the placement of the outsole, which thankfully is not a major problem. The RC1600 has some nice, high grip outsole that NB call DynaRide, but they don't place it under the pressure areas of the foot. Instead, it's behind the ball of the foot and under the toes. The area you'd expect to have the high traction material has normal outsole rubber; under the heel and the forefoot. There is some exposed foam under parts of the heel, but I haven't seen any undue wear. The gap under the heel is a stone trap, and I've had the occasional problem with this.
• Shape. The RC1600 is not designed to fit a human foot, so I cut open the toe box to allow my toes room and my foot to move naturally. (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.)
• Upper. The upper is inflexible and a little thicker than I'd like for non-winter use. The upper is largely seamless, with no padding except a little around the ankle opening. It's not perfect, but it works fine.
• Tongue. The RC1600 has a traditional tongue design that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. However, the tongue material is rather unusual. Instead of being softly padded to protect the top of the foot from the pressure of the laces, the thin tongue is quite stiff. I found this worked nicely, and is probably a better solution than the normal padding.
• Lacing. The RC1600 has thin flat laces that never come undone on me.
• Heel Counter. The RC1600 has almost no heel counter, which is nice.

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 RC 1600 v2 at Zappos Buy New Balance RC 1600 v2 at Road Runner Sports Buy New Balance RC 1600 v2 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy New Balance RC 1600 v2 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 How Far Can I Run in the RC1600?

Different runners want different levels of cushioning, so this shoe may not suit everyone. Some runners want a Maximalist shoe when they run a 5K, while others will run a 100 mile race barefoot. Most people find that as the distance increases, they want a little more cushioning to protect their feet from the pounding and to offset a little of the fatigue that sets in over time. You can see from the charts below how the cushioning compares with other shoes I've tested for some comparisons. Remember that a thicker, firmer shoe would have the same cushioning rating as a thinner, softer shoe, but would feel rather different. I'm quite happy in the RC1600 for at least the marathon distance, and I know other runners who've done well in it at that distance.

3 Comparisons

Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.

3.1 New Balance RC1600 and Asics Gel Hyper Speed

The RC1600 and the Asics Gel Hyper Speed are quite close, and while the Hyper Speed is better, it's only by a narrow margin. The Hyper Speed has a slightly better shape and a slightly more comfortable upper. More importantly the Hyper Speed offers better cushioning for only a slight increase in weight.

New Balance RC1600V2 top	New Balance RC1600V2 bottom	New Balance RC1600V2 inside	New Balance RC1600V2 outside
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 top	Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 bottom	Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 inside	Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 outside

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 Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Zappos Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Road Runner Sports Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

3.2 New Balance RC1600 and Nike Zoom Streak LT

The Nike Zoom Streak LT is another similar shoe. The Streak is more flexible, and I find the upper is a little more comfortable, though you're unlikely to notice unless you run in them back to back. Both shoes are excellent, and I'd recommend choosing between them based more on price and fit than anything else.

New Balance RC1600V2 top	New Balance RC1600V2 bottom	New Balance RC1600V2 inside	New Balance RC1600V2 outside
Nike Zoom Streak LT 2 top	Nike Zoom Streak LT 2 bottom	Nike Zoom Streak LT 2 inside	Nike Zoom Streak LT 2 outside

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 Nike Zoom Streak LT2 at Zappos Buy Nike Zoom Streak LT2 at Road Runner Sports Buy Nike Zoom Streak LT2 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Nike Zoom Streak LT2 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

3.3 New Balance RC1600 and New Balance RC5000

While the RC1600 is lightweight the New Balance RC5000 is 40% lighter. If you're happy with the limited cushioning the RC5000 provides, then it's a better shoe, but most runners will welcome the additional cushioning of the RC1600.

New Balance RC1600V2 top	New Balance RC1600V2 bottom	New Balance RC1600V2 inside	New Balance RC1600V2 outside
New Balance MRC 5000 top	New Balance MRC 5000 bottom	New Balance MRC 5000 inside	New Balance MRC 5000 outside

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 RC5000 at Zappos Buy New Balance RC5000 at Road Runner Sports Buy New Balance RC5000 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy New Balance RC5000 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

3.4 New Balance RC1600 and Asics GT 2000

I tend to compare shoes against my benchmark "normal running shoe", the Asics GT 2000. The GT 2000 is over engineered and these features go against The Science of Running Shoes, causing more problems than they solve. Moving from a GT 2000 type shoe to the RC1600 is a big change, and would take a little time to adapt. The RC1600 is not as well padded, but that's quick to get used to. After running in high heels, the RC1600 will be more natural, but it will also stretch the calf a little more. The level of padding is nearly the same, but the RC1600 is less than half the weight of the GT 2000. I believe the RC1600 is a far better shoe, but you may need a transitional shoe like the Saucony Kinvara as a half-way house.

New Balance RC1600V2 top	New Balance RC1600V2 bottom	New Balance RC1600V2 inside	New Balance RC1600V2 outside
Asics GT2000 top	Asics GT2000 bottom	Asics GT2000 inside	Asics GT2000 outside

4 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.

5 Visualizing the Attributes of the New Balance RC1600

How New Balance RC1600 compares showing rearfoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.	How New Balance RC1600 compares showing forefoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How New Balance RC1600 compares showing the price against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.	How New Balance RC1600 compares showing the loaded drop against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.

6 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.

Full Review	Brand	Name	Rating	Recommended price	Benefit	Weight (oz)	Penalty (sec/mile)	Forefoot Thickness	Heel Thickness	Loaded Drop mm	Cushioning	Flexibility
Saucony Type A Review	Saucony	A/A7	Recommended	$100	6.4	6.7	12.1	19	22	1	4.3	7
Saucony Type A6 Review	Saucony	A6	Highly Recommended	$100	8.2	6.1	9.5	17	21	4	5.0	7
Saucony Type A8 Review	Saucony	A8	Highly Recommended	$90	7.5	6.2	9.7	19	20	-1	4.7	7
Adidas Adios Boost 2 Review	Adidas	Adios	Worth considering	$140	4.7	8.6	13.4	17	27	11	4.0	6
Hoka Bondi 5 Review	Hoka	Bondi	Recommended	$150	6.1	11.6	18.1	38	42	5	7.1	2
Hoka Clayton 2 Review	Hoka	Clayton2	Highly Recommended	$150	9.1	8.3	12.9	23	28	1	7.5	5
Hoka Clifton 4 Review	Hoka	Clifton4	Worth considering	$130	7.7	9.3	14.5	30	35	10	7.2	3
ON Cloudflash Review	On Cloud	Cloudflash	Worth considering	$180	4.4	8.3	14.6	19	26	7	3.7	6
On Cloudracer Review	On Cloud	Cloudracer	Worth considering	$130	5.7	8.2	12.8	19	27	5	4.7	7
ON Cloud X Review	On Cloud	CloudX	Not recommended	$140	4.5	8.3	16.3	21	27	7	3.8	7
Mizuno Wave Cruise Review	Mizuno	Cruise	Worth considering	$120	6.6	5.9	12.5	17	20	7	3.9	6
Newton Distance IV Review	Newton	Distance	Worth considering	$155	7.5	9.1	14.2	26	31	3	6.8	5
Asics Gel DS Racer 10 Review	Asics	DS Racer	Worth considering	$110	8.2	7.0	10.9	21	26	6	5.8	5
Altra Duo Review	Altra	Duo	Recommended	$130	6.0	8.4	13.1	29	29	1	5.0	5
Mizuno Wave Ekiden 8 Review	Mizuno	Ekiden	Worth considering	$115	5.7	5.7	14.6	13	18	6	3.2	8
Saucony Endorphin 2 Review	Saucony	Endorphin 2	Worth considering	$115	8.0	5.1	9.6	15	13	-1	4.1	8
Adidas Energy Boost Review	Adidas	Energy	Worth considering	$160	7.2	10.0	15.6	20	30	7	7.2	5
Altra Escalante Review	Altra	Escalante	Best of the Best	$130	9.1	8.7	13.5	28	25	-1	7.9	6
Altra Escalante 1.5 Review	Altra	Escalante 1.5	Best of the Best	$130	8.2	9.0	14.0	26	27	-1	7.4	7
Saucony Fastwitch Review	Saucony	Fastwitch	Highly Recommended	$90	9.5	7.1	11.1	20	22	4	6.8	7
Topo Fli-Lyte 2 Review	Topo	Fli-Lyte2	Highly Recommended	$100	6.7	9.1	14.2	24	26	3	6.1	5
Reebok Floatride Run Review	Reebok	Floatride	Worth considering	$150	7.7	9.6	14.9	28	34	10	7.4	5
Saucony Freedom Review	Saucony	Freedom	Recommended	$160	5.4	10.7	16.6	25	29	3	5.8	6
Skechers GORun 4 Review	Skechers	GORun	Not recommended	$100	6.1	7.5	11.7	15	23	3	4.5	7
Skechers GOrun Ultra 2 Review	Skechers	GRU	Worth considering	$90	7.5	10.0	15.6	28	34	8	7.5	4
Asics GT 2000 Review	Asics	GT 2000	Not recommended	$120	4.8	11.2	17.4	28	35	5	5.4	2
New Balance Hanzo S Review	New Balance	Hanzo	Worth considering	$110	7.6	6.9	10.7	21	19	2	5.2	5
Hoka Hupana Review	Hoka	Hupana	Recommended	$115	6.1	8.9	13.9	31	36	7	5.4	4
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 7 Review	Asics	Hyper Speed	Highly Recommended	$75	10.9	6.3	9.8	22	26	5	6.8	6
Altra Instinct 4.0 Review	Altra	Instinct 4.0	Worth considering	$120	6.0	9.8	15.3	29	25	-1	5.9	5
Asics Tarther Kainos 3 Review	Asics	Kainos	Worth considering	$130	10.0	6.9	10.7	17	27	9	6.8	6
Altra King MT 1.5 Review	Altra	King MT	Recommended	$140	7.5	10.7	16.7	19	21	3	8.0	5
Saucony Kinvara 8 Review	Saucony	Kinvara 8	Best of the Best	$110	9.3	8.6	13.4	26	31	3	8.0	5
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 Review	Altra	Lone Peak	Highly Recommended	$120	4.2	11.4	17.7	24	25	4	4.8	5
Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 Review	Nike	LT3	Best of the Best	$80	9.8	5.4	8.4	16	21	5	5.3	7
Nike Zoom Streak LT 4 Review	Nike	LT4	Recommended	$90	8.5	5.5	8.5	15	21	3	4.6	6
Nike LunarSpider R5 Review	Nike	LunarSpider	Recommended	$125	6.9	6.7	10.4	17	21	3	4.6	6
Hoka Mafate Speed Review	Hoka	Mafate	Best of the Best	$170	7.6	11.9	18.5	39	40	4	9.0	1
Pearl Izumi EM Road N0 v2 Review	Pearl	N0	Highly Recommended	$100	7.9	6.5	10.1	14	20	4	5.2	8
Saucony Nomad Review	Saucony	Nomad	Worth considering	$110	4.3	10.5	17.2	25	27	2	4.5	4
Hoka Odyssey Review	Hoka	Odyssey	Highly Recommended	$130	8.5	9.4	14.6	37	45	5	8.0	3
Altra Olympus 2.5 Review	Altra	Olympus	Highly Recommended	$150	4.6	11.8	18.4	35	34	0	5.4	6
Altra One 3.0 Review	Altra	One	Recommended	$100	6.1	8.8	13.7	23	23	0	5.4	6
Altra Paradigm 4.0 Review	Altra	Paradigm	Highly Recommended	$150	5.3	11.0	17.1	28	30	5	5.8	8
Asics Piranha SP 5 Review	Asics	Piranha	Recommended	$100	10.1	4.2	6.5	11	15	3	4.2	9
Brooks PureFlow 5 Review	Brooks	PureFlow	Worth considering	$110	6.0	9.7	15.1	26	29	5	5.8	8
Salming Race Review	Salming	Race	Worth considering	$130	6.9	6.5	10.1	16	19	4	4.5	6
Altra Escalante Racer Review	Altra	Racer	Highly Recommended	$140	6.6	7.6	11.8	24	26	6	5.0	8
New Balance RC1600 v2 Review	New Balance	RC1600	Highly Recommended	$110	8.8	5.6	8.7	15	21	5	4.9	8
New Balance RC5000v2 Review	New Balance	RC5000v2	Best of the Best	$125	14.2	4.0	6.2	13	21	6	5.7	7
Skechers GoRun Ride 3 Review	Skechers	Ride	Worth considering	$85	5.9	8.5	13.2	18	28	6	5.0	8
Nike RN Distance 2 Review	Nike	RNDist2	Worth considering	$120	8.0	9.2	14.3	25	28	4	7.4	7
Inov-8 RoadXTreme 220 Review	Inov-8	RXT-220	Worth considering	$120	5.2	8.0	18.2	14	17	3	4.2	8
Salomon Sense Ride Review	Salomon	Sense	Worth considering	$120	8.5	10.0	15.6	26	29	6	8.5	0
Altra Solstice Review	Altra	Solstice	Highly Recommended	$90	7.1	8.1	12.5	23	25	0	5.7	5
Topo ST-2 Review	Topo	ST-2	Highly Recommended	$90	8.2	7.3	11.4	20	18	0	6.0	7
Hoka Stinson Lite Review	Hoka	Stinson	Highly Recommended	$160	7.3	11.6	18.1	35	40	6	8.5	0
Altra Superior	Altra	Superior	Highly Recommended	$110	5.6	9.9	15.5	21	25	-1	5.5	4
Adidas Takumi Sen 3 Review	Adidas	Takumi Sen 3	Highly Recommended	$160	7.7	6.6	10.2	17	21	4	5.1	5
Topo Terraventure	Topo	Terraventure	Review Pending	$110	2.6	10.8	27.5	24	24	0	2.8	10
Altra Timp Review	Altra	Timp	Best of the Best	$130	3.7	11.6	18.1	30	31	-1	4.3	6
Altra Torin 2.0 Review	Altra	Torin	Worth considering	$125	3.4	9.6	20.7	30	25	1	3.3	9
Altra Torin 3.5 Review	Altra	Torin 3.5	Worth considering	$125	5.8	9.3	14.5	27	28	0	5.4	8
Hoka Tracer Review	Hoka	Tracer	Recommended	$130	7.2	7.4	11.5	21	24	2	5.3	5
Merrell Trail Glove 4 Review	Merrell	Trail Glove 4	Best of the Best	$100	3.4	8.4	23.8	13	13	0	2.8	10
Topo Tribute Review	Topo	Tribute	Recommended	$100	5.9	7.3	11.4	20	18	-1	4.3	6
Mizuno Wave Universe 5 Review	Mizuno	Universe	Highly Recommended	$125	10.7	3.1	10.6	9	12	1	3.3	9
Altra Vanish-R Review	Altra	Vanish-R	Recommended	$100	16.1	5.3	8.2	19	21	4	8.5	6
Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Review	Merrell	Vapor Glove 3	Highly Recommended	$85	2.1	6.1	27.6	6	5	0	1.3	10
Nike Vaporfly 4% Review	Nike	Vaporfly	Best of the Best	$250	10.4	7.2	11.2	25	37	8	7.5	2
New Balance Vazee Pace Review	New Balance	Vazee Pace	Worth considering	$110	6.0	8.6	13.4	18	24	6	5.2	5
Asics TartherZeal 3 Review	Asics	Zeal	Worth considering	$140	10.9	6.3	9.8	17	27	9	6.8	6
Saucony Zealot 3 Review	Saucony	Zealot3	Recommended	$130	8.9	9.5	14.8	29	32	4	8.5	6
Nike Zoom Fly Review	Nike	Zoom Fly	Worth considering	$150	8.3	8.7	13.5	29	36	8	7.2	3

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.