New Balance Lerato Running Shoes - AW21

Product Information

Derek: I wear US9.5 in both shoes. The Invincible is much bouncier and softer with less ground feel, but also much less stable as Ivan points out. Even though the Lerato is a lot heavier than the Invincible, I find the Lerato more directed in its ride and easier to keep things going for those really tired days where you just need to log your miles. The plate really makes a difference. Unless you really need that mushy bouncy ride, I tend to prefer the Lerato for easy runs.

And that is exactly what New Balance set out to do with the Lerato and let’s be clear, and as their marketing says: “because, not every day is race day..don’t work too hard ”. Jacob: The Lerato upper uses a blend of several materials for support and style. The primary mesh (the light gray) is a dense but thin plastic-like material that holds its shape well. Clearly deluxe and spectacular looking but does intricate detailing of upper and copious rear stability from high collars and rear clips as well as extensive rubber add to cost and weight? Adam/Renee/Sally/Sam Our speed running shoes are just as innovative, and are powered by REVlite cushioning and lightweight solid rubber outsoles. New Balance Running Shoes: The History The premature wear of collar fabrics seen by several of us was a note of caution (I had slight wear where the ridged tongue rubs lining of top eyelet) when we first posted the review several months ago but New Balance listened and immediately went to work on a fix for production and sent us 2 pairs to retest. The fix appears successful!

I was a bit surprised by the dense almost trail shoe-like front mesh as it is not particularly soft for a road shoe, even though lined, with the combination of length and over the toes mesh feeling a bit short, rough and low. For intended more casual run and other uses I would flip a coin as to sizing up as I am or not. Sam: Agree with the guys, Shift is a firmer but better pure running shoe than Lerato and a far less expensive and lighter one. As far as wearing them more casually or for work at least for me I much prefer the classy Lerato.

The plate behaves much differently than the plates in the Endorphin Pro and RC elite V2 due to its flex and placement. The plate is visible in the heel, and you can feel how it forms a cup around the calcaneus that stabilizes the foot. You can land at any angle you want and the lerato remains stable. It’s definitely the most stable heel I’ve ever had on a carbon plated shoe, and it makes the Rebel V2’s heel stability look like balancing on a giant marshmallow. As Derek said, the Lerato feels more like a heel spring.The soft and dense tongue does a good job adding to the plush feel and easy lace-up without being bulky and in the way. I am going to use it myself for my long runs regardless if I am cruising or will do pacy stretches during the workout. As it is quite a heavy shoe, it won´t work as a shoe for intervals or racing for me but instead it will certainly be my preferred shoe for long runs thanks to its ultimate comfort, responsiveness and stability. Sounds like a perfect trainer for me on the rolling country roads. However, the weight of the shoe was noticeable at only 10 miles and it was not a shoe I wanted to take for long runs (15-20 miles). Because of the carbon plate, I enjoyed the shoe most while running at one minute above my marathon pace or 8;40 per mile, but I tired from the weight after that point. At a truly “slow” pace, I really felt the weight. As a walking shoe, no issues there. The “ride” is very nice while standing too. Jeff: Two of the most comfortable shoes out there, and for me, the decision couldn’t be easier. I much prefer the feel of the ZoomX in the Nike versus the Fuel Cell in the Lerato. Even without a plate the Nike has a much better rebound for me. It doesn’t hurt that the Invincible is 2 ounces lighter, and has a more comfortable toebox. That said, I haven’t found the Invincible all that unstable (though I can see where heel strikers could), and a big part of that is how incredibly wide the platform of the Nike is. The Lerato is by no means narrow, and the Invincible is almost a full centimeter wider in the forefoot (8.7mm) and is a centimeter wider in the heel. Jeff: These two feel and kind of look like they are cut from the same cloth (my Triumph 18 are the gray with gray colorway), but there’s no doubt that the Lerato is the bigger/softer model. The Triumph isn’t what anyone would think of as a “firm” shoe, but in a left/right comparison with the Lerato, the Triumph feels scaled down and dull. I much prefer the upper construction and fit of the Triumph, though from a comfort perspective the T18 just dropped a number of rungs by sheer comparison. Out on the road it’s a different story, with the Triumph slotting in very cleanly anywhere from a regular daily trainer to your long slow day/recovery run big protection shoe. The Lerato is an incredible answer to the question nobody is asking.

I just went for 4-5 runs in this shoe but make no mistake. It has a really durable outsole. where the rubber compound is strategically placed in areas mostly exposed to wear and tear.

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Where FuelCell TC is extremely vibrant and makes great demands for your running technique and level as there is no stability to assist you, Lerato is at a completely different level. Lerato is equpped with a heel cap which keeps your foot completely in place and doesn´t let you down when your legs get tired and you have to turn a corner or you are running on wet surfaces.

I think the plastic frame around the heel is a little much for me, but I completely agree with Nils, and could see runners that want more stability and structure not complaining a bit about it. Jeff: The Lerato is unique, in that it toes the line between bouncy and springy very well. To some, those words mean the same thing, but I like to think of bouncy as a function of vertical movement and springy as a function of forward movement. Perhaps its a result of a relatively flat plate paired to a bouncy midsole material. Either way, the result is a fun shoe to run in that doesn’t have a clearly defined purpose. It isn’t a race shoe, but it feels like too much of something to be your go-to daily trainer. The shoe comes in 2 colors for men and women and it definitely evokes some varying levels of response. Some folks thought it felt very old and overdone, while others saw it as more upscale, but not many felt it was sporty. More like something to wear with jeans than something to run in.I really enjoyed the lacing scheme which helps the shoe to be tied easily but still holds everything in place in a very secure manner. The sturdy heel cup enhances the stability of this neutral trainer which is something I am happy to see as a slight overpronator. And last but not least there are tons of reflectivity everywhere on the shoe - even the lace have reflective yarn worked into them! I never felt safer going out on a dark winter evening - well done New Balance! Despite really liking the Lerato and running in it a lot, there are shoes that are more versatile and as fun riding, so it is hard to know how to recommend it. The TC for example (the ASICS Novblast also comes to mind) has a similarly soft, fun, propulsive ride but is much lighter and runs well at easy paces but also can rip hard intervals. Despite being an all-around trainer the TC would be a decent choice as a workout shoe or even racer, a realm the Lerato is not at all intended for. Sam: While they share a similar but not identical FuelCell foam, carbon plate and a soft heel feel these two are in almost completely fields of play, The considerably lighter TC will handle a far broader range of daily training paces leaning for sure faster paces. The Lerato’s main running advantage is a far more stable heel for slower paced and recovery runs, something I will not take the TC out for. I do give Lerato the nod for execution of its carbon plate, outsole midsole foot comfort and all day versatility. TC’s plate at the forefoot is much more noticeable and it is for sure not much of a walking shoe as Lerato is. While the OG 990's triple-figure price tag indicated how New Balance wanted to market serious tech to serious runners looking to invest in a better shoe, the cost also cemented the shoe as a status symbol. Not everyone was interested in reducing their mile time, and—like a designer luxury piece—the 990's monetary inaccessibility would make it even more desirable. Being casually spotted on the sidewalk with a pair of 990s said something about you: either you were an avid sneakerhead willing to invest in your shoes or your finances were on the up. “ A carbon plate running shoe weighing 340g. in men´s size US9 and 290g. in women´s size US7,5. It sounded completely wrong before I tested the shoe as carbon plate shoes usually feature among the lightest shoes.