The New Balance AC Runner is a firm, low-stack trainer designed for athletes who want one shoe for gym work, drills, and short runs. It sits well apart from New Balance's more cushioned, running-focused shoes like the New Balance 1080v15 or New Balance Ellipse, trading their softer, bouncier ride for a firmer, more planted feel. That stable platform and a true-to-size fit make it easy to wear for everyday activities, and wide sizes are available. However, the thin forefoot cushioning, heavy build, and almost nonexistent bounce make it a poor choice for longer or faster runs, and it's very slow to dry once it gets wet.
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Our Verdict
The New Balance AC Runner is a bad choice for marathon racing. Its firm, planted platform keeps it steady, but almost everything else works against you over the distance. The shoe is heavy, the cushioning starts out bad and only gets worse as the miles build, and the very low energy return makes holding pace tiring. This shoe is not designed for these distances.
Firm heel and forefoot give a planted feel.
Heavy build feels cumbersome at faster paces.
Thin forefoot offers little protection from the road.
Cushioning feels increasingly harsh as the miles build.
Very low energy return leaves the ride feeling flat.
The New Balance AC Runner is sub-par for 5K and 10K racing. The very firm forefoot gives you a solid base to push from, and it takes a fair amount of force to bend, which provides some leverage at toe-off. However, the heavy build makes it hard to turn over quickly, and the forefoot returns little energy as it springs back, so push-offs feel flat.
Firm heel and forefoot give a planted feel.
Firm forefoot provides a solid base to push from.
Moderately stiff forefoot adds some leverage at toe-off.
Heavy build feels cumbersome at faster paces.
Very low energy return leaves the ride feeling flat.
Forefoot returns little energy as it unbends.
The New Balance AC Runner is inadequate for long runs. The firm platform stays decently stable as your legs tire, but the forefoot cushioning starts out too thin and degrades further as the miles build, so the ball of your foot takes a beating. Its heavy weight, minimal energy return, and flat shape make it feel increasingly clunky on tired legs.
Firm heel and forefoot give a planted feel.
Decent heel rocker eases heel strikers into midstance.
Thin forefoot offers little protection from the road.
Cushioning feels increasingly harsh as the miles build.
Very low energy return leaves the ride feeling flat.
The New Balance AC Runner is an adequate daily trainer for short, easy runs. The firm platform feels planted, the fully gusseted tongue keeps your foot secure, and the heel rocker eases heel strikers into midstance. However, the thin, firm forefoot makes repeated impacts feel harsh, and the heavy build and lack of bounce make the shoe feel sluggish.
Firm heel and forefoot give a planted feel.
Decent heel cushioning can keep up with heavy impacts.
Decent heel rocker eases heel strikers into midstance.
Thin forefoot offers little protection from the road.
Very low energy return leaves the ride feeling flat.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 16, 2026: Review published.
- Updated Oct 14, 2026: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 05, 2026: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Sep 28, 2026: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Sep 28, 2026: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
We've bought and tested more than 300 running shoes. Every pair purchased with our own money, never supplied or sponsored by brands. Our data-driven tests are designed to go beyond marketing claims, and since every shoe goes through the exact same methodology, you can directly compare results to find the right pair for your needs.
Test Results
Design
The New Balance AC Runner is noticeably heavy, even more than the Nike Winflo 12 or On Cloudmonster 3, which are already on the hefty side for daily trainers. The extra bulk is noticeable on foot and works against you if you try to pick up the pace.
It uses Fresh Foam X, an EVA-based foam that's tuned to be very firm. It doesn't feel quite as soft as the foam in the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15, even though their midsole compounds bear the same name.
Energy Return
The New Balance AC Runner has poor energy return. The forefoot gives back a little more than the heel, but neither end feels lively when you land or push off. The heel is especially dead, so heel strikers will find that landings feel flat.
Very low energy return leaves the ride feeling flat.
The forefoot does a better job than the heel of returning energy, but it's still quite poor. Compared to a running shoe like the New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15, the AC Runner feels much less responsive when you push off.
Stability
The New Balance AC Runner has decent stability. Its heel and forefoot are very firm, so the platform stays planted, and the fully gusseted tongue helps keep your foot secure. However, the outsole is extremely narrow through the arch, which leaves very little platform under the middle of your foot and could test your balance.
Fully gusseted tongue helps keep the foot secure.
Very narrow arch platform could test your balance.
The heel of the New Balance AC Runner is quite firm, which helps it stay very stable, but it could feel harsh if you're running and landing on your heel.
Cushioning
The New Balance AC Runner has sub-par cushioning overall. The heel provides decent protection that works even as you land with more force, but the steep heel-to-toe drop leaves very little foam under the forefoot, exposing the ball of your foot to much more of the impact of each stride. The firm ride can feel harsh, especially on longer runs.
Decent heel cushioning can keep up with heavy impacts.
Thin forefoot offers little protection from the road.
Shallow compression leaves little possibility for rebound.
The New Balance AC Runner provides decent cushioning under the heel. It can absorb heavier impacts, which suits heel strikers who land with greater force. It's a bit more absorbent than the adidas Zenboost, but less than the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15.
Wet & Warm Weather
The New Balance AC Runner performs poorly in wet and warm conditions. The thick upper doesn't breathe well, so your feet will get very sweaty on hot days, and the shoe takes more than two days to dry fully after a soaking. It absorbs a fair amount of water, which adds further weight to an already heavy shoe.
Poor breathability makes feet very hot on warm days.
Takes more than two days to dry fully when soaked.
Absorbs a fair amount of water.
The breathability of the shoe's upper is poor. The thick, textured upper lets little air through, so your feet will get quite hot, especially after prolonged wear or on warm days.
Bounciness
The New Balance AC Runner has poor bounciness. The heel sinks in a bit more than the forefoot but doesn't give back much of the energy it absorbs, while the forefoot barely compresses at all, so neither end provides much spring. The ride feels firm and flat rather than springy.
Very low energy return leaves the ride feeling flat.
Snappiness
The New Balance AC Runner has mediocre snappiness. The very firm forefoot provides a solid base to push from, and it's moderately stiff, so there's some leverage at toe-off. However, it returns little of the energy stored as it bends and unbends, and the forefoot rocker is nearly flat, so push-off feels dull rather than snappy.
Firm forefoot provides a solid base to push from.
Moderately stiff forefoot adds some leverage at toe-off.
Forefoot returns little energy as it unbends.
The forefoot returns a poor amount of the energy stored as it unbends, so toe-off feels flat rather than springy.
Roll
The New Balance AC Runner doesn't have much of a rolling sensation. The heel bevel helps ease heel strikers into midstance, and the forefoot is moderately stiff. However, the rocker flattens very easily under load, and there's little curve at the toes to move you forward, so the shoe does little to carry you through the stride.
Decent heel rocker eases heel strikers into midstance.
Forefoot has little toe spring to move you forward.
Rocker flattens easily under load.
The rocker barely resists flattening when force is applied. The slight curve to the midsole disappears quickly as you load the shoe, so it does little to roll you forward, particularly at faster paces.
The heel sits well above the forefoot, giving the shoe a steep heel-to-toe drop that's even higher than advertised. The heel stack is similar to the Nike Pegasus 42, but the forefoot sits lower, so there's far less foam under the front of your foot. This suits heel strikers better than forefoot strikers.
True To Size
The New Balance AC Runner fits true to size. The length matches our reference fit exactly, and the arch and forefoot widths are very close to it. The toe box is quite low, though, so it may feel restrictive if you have taller toes. Wide sizes are available.
Length fits true to size.
Arch and forefoot widths match standard sizing closely.
Wide sizes are available.
Low toe box could scrape the tops of your toes.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The New Balance AC Runner is marketed as a training shoe that can handle different kinds of running, such as sprints and agility drills. In our experience, its range is limited to shorter distances due to its inadequate cushioning, and there are better shoes out there. If you want a shoe that's better suited to a mix of running and walking, try the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15. If you want a shoe that you can use for sprints and drills, the adidas Zenboost is a better choice, thanks to its lighter weight and better stability.
For more New Balance shoes that are better suited to running, see our recommendations for the best New Balance running shoes. For options from other brands, see our overall picks for the best running shoes.
The ASICS NOVABLAST 6 is a better running shoe than the New Balance AC Runner. The ASICS shoe is far superior in terms of performance and cushioning, while also weighing significantly less. The AC Runner is a touch more stable, so it could be a better choice if you're doing drills with lots of side-to-side movement.
The New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15 is a better running shoe than the New Balance AC Runner. The 860v15 has enough cushioning and stability to handle the higher impact of running, while still being a good walking shoe. The AC Runner is inadequately cushioned for sustained running, but its steeper heel-to-toe drop could be a better choice if your Achilles tendon needs support.
The New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15 is a better running shoe than the New Balance AC Runner. The 880v15 is both lighter and better cushioned, so you'll feel more nimble on your feet while also being better protected from impact. The AC Runner has a much steeper heel-to-toe drop, so it could be a better choice if your Achilles tendon needs support.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the New Balance AC Runner in men's U.S. size 9, as indicated on the label of our pair. The colorway shown here is called 'Altitude with black and black metallic'. Other colorways are available depending on your region. New Balance also offers this model in wide versions for both men and women, and extra-wide versions for men. The design section applies only to the version we tested, but we expect other sizes to perform similarly.
