Changes

The 980 was an attempt to capture the [[Minimax]] market that is dominated by [[Hoka Shoe Review| Hoka]], and it should have been a great shoe. It's thickly cushioned, has a relatively low drop and it looks great. New Balance described it as "award-winning cushioning" and "incredibly soft", which all sounds wonderful, but this hyperbole bears no resemblance to the shoe itself. Instead of being soft, the 980 is quite firm and provides surprisingly little cushioning. I classify the NB 980 as "balanced", which is part way between a minimalist shoe and a massively cushioned [[Minimax]] shoe. The nearest competitor to the 980 is probably the Brooks PureFlow.

{{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}

** {{H:flexibility}}. Neither has much flexibility.

** {{H:drop}}. Neither is zero-drop, but the Clifton has far less of a drop than the 980.

* Advantage NB 980

** {{H:grip}}. The 980 has slightly more grip.

** {{H:price}}. The 980 is a little cheaper.

** {{H:availability}}. The 980 is more widely stocked.

* Advantage Hoka Clifton

** {{H:cushioning}}. The Clifton has far thicker, softer cushioning.