Outdoor Retailer Summer13: New Balance Fresh Foam 980 Launch

I was tickled that New Balance invited me to the launch party for the Fresh Foam 980 road runner.
The Fresh Foam is a 8.8 oz (men 9.5), 7.3 oz (women 7) $110 retail model that will launch in February 2014. 4mm drop.

New Balance Fresh Foam 890 Men

 The Fresh Foam is New Balance's entry into the rapidly growing cushioned low drop light weight category. Quite frankly low drop and cushioned is what I like to run in for daily traiining. Shoes in this category I have run in include the Altra Torin and my new favorite the Hoka One Rapa Nui.

I was told heel forefoot stack height was 16/12 without insole so about 21/17 with insole which is  a touch on the more "minimal" side of this new category when say compared to Hokas.  I spoke to one of the design engineers and what New Balance had done is engineer the distribution of forces into the midsole and outsole via computer modeling of the structure.  They told me this is only the first step as next they will engineer the structure of the single foam internally using the same prinicples.
Note the differences in the midsole between lateral and medial sides in the pictures below.

New Balance Fresh Foam 890

New Balance Fresh Foam 890

New Balance Fresh Foam 890

New Balance Fresh Foam 890

New Balance Fresh Foam 890 Women's