New Balance Minimus TR BOA Performance Review

At WearTesters we test a lot of New Balance basketball and New Balance running product and a lot of those shoes are really good. But New Balance training product is hard to come by. Enter the New Balance Minimus TR BOA. It’s a low to ground weight training focused cross training shoe with an interesting BOA Fit System and enclosure.

Let’s find out how New Balance’s build quality translates to the gym.

Please note that while BOA sent us pairs of the New Balance Minimus TR BOA, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.

How do the Authors Train?

Arune Singh (age 42, 5’11”, 210lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming provided by Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

What is the New Balance Minimus TR BOA?

New Balance describes it as:

Whether you enjoy lifting weights or performing weekly HIIT workouts, our Minimus TR BOA® is a must-have as you take on those intense workouts.

Training

This is an appropriately named shoe as the New Balance Minimus is a minimalist shoe both in looks and feel the minute you get it on. But as a training shoe, it’s hardly minimal – it will help you reach your maximum goals.

Look, I’m as surprised as anyone that a 4mm drop shoe that feels like zero drop could be this comfortable. The Aurora midsole somehow provides comfort while not interfering with the ground feel that folks will crave with this type of training shoe.

Even then, I was suspicious that the New Balance Minimus TR BOA might not be the most stable shoe for lifts so I jumped right into squats, RDLs and RFESSs to ensure that my assumptions were, of course, correct.

And I was glad to be wrong (Editor’s Note: I wish I could convey the shock from his post workout DMs).

The rubber outsole really grips multiple types of flooring quite well and everything about this shoe keeps you in place. While other shoes may have more of, well, everything, it’s the Minimus TR BOA that truly delivers all the results. There was never a time during those lifts that I really thought about the shoes because I was too busy hitting multiple PRs over days. It did take a minute to get the fit right (more on that soon).

And when it came to bodyweight metcons, the New Balance Minimus TR BOA performed excellently. It supported me on one legged explosive movements like skaters just as well as it adapted to upper body focused movements like push ups or dips.

If I had to compare this shoe to any other shoe we recently reviewed, it’s the Inov-8 F-Fly, and as much as I enjoyed that one for lifting, the Minimus TR BOA delivered even better results. I’m planning to make this one of my core training shoes for the foreseeable future given the results I’ve seen just in the first week.

Cardio

Training with minimalist shoes has always been easier for me than the cardio part because the repetitive impact is a lot harder on the feet and joints without all that cushion we’ve gotten used to in modern athletic shoes (for better and worse, I’d imagine).

That’s definitely true with the New Balance Minimus TR BOA when it comes to running. I am an incredibly mediocre runner both physically and, if we’re being honest, mentally. So when you add in a shoe like this that doesn’t have a rocker or plate or big chunk of foam, I’m just not going to perform well. Drew, my editor, is a much more experienced and excellent athlete, so he can be more help here (Editor’s Note: Don’t run in the New Balance Minimus TR BOA if you can help it. It’s flat and clunky underfoot and doesn’t have enough cushion).

However, the New Balance Minimus TR BOA is really great on the rower – with a small fit issue we’ll discuss later – as you get all the natural flex of your foot to really push through every motion. I noticeably sweat and exhausted my muscles more over the week I trained with these shoes than I did with other training shoes I’ve been testing.

That success translated over to shadow boxing, where I almost felt like I was barefoot on the ground, albeit with added grip and comfort, and had no issue moving from boxing to jumping jacks without any discomfort or reduction in performance.

Honestly, the New Balance Minimus TR BOA is a real winner for me in cardio performance (with the exception of running).

Comfort

This is the category where I think you need to grade on a curve. Comfort in a minimalist training shoe is different than comfort in a highly cushioned shoe.

So, let’s start with the lacing.

(Editor’s Note: Arune, there are no laces! You cannot complain, it’s impossible, even for someone that must mention the laces IN EVERY REVIEW).

I know! That’s what makes me so happy. The BOA PerformFit Wrap is absolutely wonderful and allowed me to keep these shoes a little bit looser as I broke them in because, let me tell you…they’re snug.

I think I’d have benefited from a wide fit version (which is offered, kudos New Balance) given the pressure I felt on the medial side of my feet when they naturally swelled during the workout. Toe splay was pretty great after a few workouts but the New Balance Minimus TR BOA definitely takes a minute to break in.

But back to the lacing, the BOA Fit System makes the whole fit feel a lot more natural. I’m not just cinching my shoes up top but instead precisely making sure the upper hugs my feet in a way that’s almost like a sock.

Sizing

My standard training shoe size is a US Men’s 9.5 and that’s the right fit here for me too, albeit perhaps in a wide fit instead of the standard fit I received. I have slightly wider feet without being a true wide and I was a borderline fit for the New Balance Minimus TR BOA.

If you’re a wide-ish footer on the fence about which version to order, go wide, you won’t regret it.

Aesthetics

I don’t think that minimalist shoes ever look particularly awesome and they all have a ballet shoe look (as my wife so rightly pointed out).

That said, the white and black colorway is incredibly clean, with the New Balance branding really wonderfully integrated into the shoe. That may not make you like the overall look of this shoe, but I think it’s about as great as it could look given the silhouette and style.

I’d wear the New Balance Minimus TR BOA to the gym and maybe even out for some chores right after, but I can’t imagine wearing them in many other situations.

Price

At $150, the New Balance Minimus TR BOA is in line with the median training shoe price and, given the performance, is worth every penny.

New Balance Minimus TR BOA Final Verdict

I didn’t have “New Balance makes an awesome minimalist training shoe” on my 2024 bingo card but here we are. The New Balance Minimus TR BOA is an excellent training shoe and an absolute home run for anyone wanting a minimalist trainer.

This has become a go to trainer that I switch out with the TYR CXT-1 (my current favorite trainer) to keep both shoes fresh and keep my workouts from getting stale. Alternating between the setups of both shoes keeps me focused on form and is making me a better athlete each day.

Minimalist trainers aren’t for everyone but this, especially considering the wide option, is a must try for anyone who’s interested in them.