New Balance 730 Running Shoe Review

New Balance 730

Can you get a great minimal running shoe from New Balance let alone any shoe manufacturer for under $70? To my surprise, I found one of the best deals for a brand new shoe in the New Balance 730. Well, Peter Larson (runblogger) found the shoes, asked me if I heard about the NB 730, then I found them. Anyhow, I checked them out and ordered them right away. 

My first thought was how nice the shoe looked, out of the three color ways offered on the Finish Line website, (use the code NEWYEAR10 for $10 off your purchase) I chose the one that looked the most like the iconic New Balance 574. I figured, if the shoe wasn't good for running I could wear it for fashion. When the shoe arrived, I was happily surprised by how light it is at 7.3 oz. The 730 has a generous toe box for those of you that like a little more room upfront. The 730 utilizes ACTEVA™ LITE premium lightweight midsole provides optimal resistance to compression set – 24% lighter than standard foam, which provides just enough cushioning for a minimal running shoe. The shoe has a 3mm heel to toe drop. I ran a 22 mile training run in the New Balance 730 and my feet felt fantastic during and after the run. The blown rubber outsole is holding up well after 70+ miles of wear and is extremely flexible. Zak Brannigan contacted me through twitter when he saw the conversation between Pete and me and gave us some info he had on the shoe. Zak told us that the 730 was made for the "B" market and wouldn't be sold through specialty running stores. These were made for the larger chain stores. Apparently, the materials and finishing is slightly lower quality than the top of the line shoes. You wont notice it. 

From New Balance: "Inspired by the body, infused with style, and engineered in a way where less is more, the New Balance 730 delivers a natural solution to ultra-lightweight running. Delivering a sock-like fit and equipped with a welded saddle for structural midfoot support, this minimalist running shoe will keep you in comfort for a great experience on your feet."

The shoe can be found online with free shipping for under $70. In my opinion this is a tremendous value shoe. It is fun to run in and feels terrific. This is a perfect shoe to try the more minimal shoe style without breaking the bank.

Related posts:

Shoe Reviews

February 15th, 2012

19 responses

19 responses


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Bobby G

How do they fit, true to size? I'm happy to see a minimal style shoe foe a decent price. All this crap with minimal shoes and the outragious pricing is getting really old.

February 15, 2012 5:46 pm

Thomas Neuberger

They fit true to running shoe size. So 1/2 size up. Bobby, I think you would like these a lot.

February 15, 2012 5:48 pm


Tim

How does the midsole cushion compare to the MR10? Same, softer, firmer? I have the 10's and find them a tad harsh at times.

February 17, 2012 10:51 am

Thomas Neuberger

From Runblogger “The 730′s are also very firm, but for some reason they don’t feel as
harsh to me, perhaps because the sole is thinner and thus more
flexible than in the MR10. I like running in the 730′s, not so much
the MR10.”

February 17, 2012 12:13 pm


David B

Just found these at SportsAuthority tonight.  Great buy! I will run in the AM to test the capasity of the shoe to support 184 lbs. and naturally hold a gate but, I can already tell its going to be a great run.  I was looking for a minimal shoe because I needed something compact on my bike over the next 30 days, traveling abroad.  I was willing to spend the $105 for the MT10 but when I tried these on and then saw how flat these folded without destruction of the heal box, I was sold.  By the way, the stitching is just as good as on the $100 product and the last is almost exacly the same.  Thanks to the bloggers for the reviews I read on my iphone while in the store tonight.  For $59 I was tempted to buy two!

February 27, 2012 8:55 pm

Thomas Neuberger

So cool that the reviews were able to help you on the spot. I am still loving the 730s, enjoy.

February 27, 2012 9:03 pm

Greg

Bought a pair today at Famous Footwear for $70. Usually wear a 10.5 but the 10 fit fine and also lined up better w my sole. Comfortable. Wide box. No insert, like the Minimus.

February 27, 2012 10:35 pm

Thomas Neuberger

How do you think they compare to the Minimus Greg?

February 28, 2012 9:37 am

Erik

Just picked up a pair myself.  I wanted a slightly more padded shoe for long runs then my Vibram Fivefingers and after trying on a ton of shoes I decided on these.  The are extremely comfortable and have a nice wide toe box for toe splay.  I had originally bought the Minimus Zero Roads but they were not comfortable and hurt my feet after just 10 minutes of walking.  These are quite a bit more padded then what I am used to but hopefully they will work for the longer and more rocky runs that I do.
thanks for the review,  definitely helped me decide to go try them on in the first place.

March 3, 2012 12:43 pm

Thomas Neuberger

Interested to hear how you like them for your long run Erik.

March 3, 2012 12:59 pm

Jon

Just bought a pair at Sports Authority for $59. Normally wear an 11 but had to get a 10 1/2 in these. Excited to try them out tonight! I have been a religious Nike wearer for 3 years and am excited to try a cheaper more minimal shoe.

March 15, 2012 12:22 pm

Thomas Neuberger

Have fun I hope you enjoy them.

March 15, 2012 12:29 pm

Gregg

I purchased these shoes the 24th and ran on a treadmill the same day. These didn't make running easier or more comfortable compared to my 7 year old, falling apart, wilson tennis shoes. However, they changed the vibrational boundary conditions enough to the effect that I could feel the impact (treadmill is high impact) in my thighs and feet rather than my hips and knees. This is a huge improvement from the biomechanical perspective. Despite being only 6ft and ~ 12% body fat, I weigh 200lbs from a wide build, so that's an important consideration.
I had been wearing 7 year old Wilson tennis shoes because they were the only athletic shoes I could previously find with a wide enough toe box, despite numerous shopping trips in that interval. They were notably superior to $100 + shoes because they fit my neutral running – mid-step stride and wide toe splay. Most running shoes, and all shoes for that matter, fit either pencil feet or fat overall feet.
I am satisfied with this product as a level-headed runner/consumer, but I have concerns about its longevity. This will be a big factor in whether I buy even more expensive running shoes next time around from NB, or just run in $25 leather tennis shoes that last.

March 25, 2012 11:01 am

Kurt

Just wondering how these compare to the MT20. I picked up a pair of those a couple months ago and love the barefoot feel.
Is the sole as thin and flexible as the MT20? How about sizing- do you still buy them 1/2 size larger?
Thanks.
Kurt

March 28, 2012 10:32 am

Thomas Neuberger

Kurt, I haven’t tried the MT20. If you do get a chance to compare them I would like to know what you think. -T

March 28, 2012 10:48 am

Ivan

Hey! thanks for this review

Could you let me know how these fit relative to the MT 101, and MR00? I can only purchase online and would love to get the right fit for me. 
Thanks!!

April 21, 2012 2:22 am

Thomas Neuberger

The fit is similar in the toebox to the minimus collection. MT101 felt like a completely different shoe. It is hard for me to recall if the fit felt similar. I recommend ordering two sizes and returning the one that doesn’t fit.

April 28, 2012 7:22 pm

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