New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 Review

If you’ve been hesitant to try New Balance basketball shoes, or if you’ve tried them before and been unimpressed, you might want to go with this new model. Today we have a detailed breakdown and performance review of the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3.

Traction

The traction on the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 was pretty elite. It’s a wave-bone-type traction pattern that looks similar to what’s on the adidas Superstar. I was a little worried about lateral moves because the wave-bone pattern is short, not exaggerated like a herringbone pattern. I was concerned that lateral stops would cause some slipping, but that wasn’t the case. I might have wiped the sole here or there, but that’s mostly out of habit since I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. The traction worked really, really well, so no complaints there.

Cushion

The cushioning is very interesting. Not only is it a dual-density Fresh Foam setup, but on the rear of the shoe, it says it’s Fresh Foam X. [Editor’s Note: At least on the performance running product side of things, New Balance has said that Fresh Foam X generally provides more energy return compared to previous formulations of standard Fresh Foam.]

I’m guessing the black material you can see through the translucent outsole is the full-length, inner layer of foam cushion. There’s also a black shank plate underneath, but we’ll get to that later. The small dot you can see in the forefoot of the outsole is an actual hole into that midsole material. When you compress it, it’s incredibly bouncy. It’s not an adidas Boost level of bounce (because Boost is a bit firmer); but for a softer, fluffier foam, it’s very springy. If you’re looking for maximum cushion, this shoe is incredibly comfortable.

The exterior portion of the midsole feels like a carrier foam; it’s definitely denser than what’s inside. The weird thing is, despite being encased in a carrier foam, you can still feel the full cushioning—it doesn’t feel restricted or caged. It’s extremely comfortable. I’ve worn all the New Balance basketball shoes; and while I’m not in love with any of them (this shoe included) for my playing style, in terms of cushioning, this is the best one I’ve felt underfoot so far.

You’re getting a ton of cushion without losing much court feel. However, you can see where the midsole actually cups your foot (the little visible lateral hump); it might have you sitting a little too high off the floor compared to other models if you’re looking for maximum court feel. But again, if you’re looking for maximum cushion, the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 is a shoe you should consider trying. The insole feels like polyurethane, and it’s also very comfortable.

Materials and Fit

Despite this colorway of the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 being a collaboration, the materials are nothing special. The last model in the Fresh Foam BB line, the V2, did a great job of using premium materials along with modern textiles. This one, at least in this colorway, is all synthetic. I don’t love the overlays; they feel cheap. However, they work well on the court. So in terms of performance, there are no complaints. But when it comes to New Balance as a brand, I’ve come to expect more elevated, premium materials.

Aside from the synthetic overlays, there’s a lot of hot-melt TPU attached to textiles, so you get decent ventilation and durability. I love the rubber bumper for toe drags. I just wish these panels were leather or suede, but I do appreciate the design for having distinct panels instead of just a flat piece of textile.

The interior of the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 has a gusseted system with a little bit of stretch. It works well and is not hard to get into the shoe, but the gusset setup does make the overall fit kind of snug. The back is heavily sculpted and padded. So when it comes to fit, some people may want to go up half a size since they’re a little snug from a width perspective.

Lengthwise, they fit true-to-size. Though if you like a thumb’s width of space at the end, you might also want to go up half a size. My main issue with the fit was at the base of the laces where the shoe doesn’t open up as wide as I’d like. The longer I played, the more my foot would swell, and it felt cramped.

Support

The New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 offers plenty of support features. There’s an internal heel counter that works great, and the midfoot shank extends a bit into the forefoot. You only get flex at the toe; everything behind that is rigid. This offers a snappy, springy ride but restricts flexibility in the rest of the forefoot a little. You also have the side panel pieces to help with containment, and you sit within the wide midsole itself—which again is great because you’re sitting high off the floor.

For me, I like being lower to the ground. But for those who want maximum cushion, sometimes you have to sacrifice some court feel.

New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 Overall

I’d like to see some upgraded materials, but the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 is a strong performer on the court. I do like this colorway; the yellow and black look great.

If outstanding traction and maximum cushion are your top priorities in basketball footwear, you should at the very least check out the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 and see how it works for you.

Disclosure

While New Balance did provide the New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.