If you’ve ever bought a pair of running shoes, you have heard of the brand New Balance. The company has taken a rather large share of the running market in recent years and now has started to expand into the hiking market. The New Balance 1500 is a full size hiking boot that is best suited for long backpacking trips with heavy packs.
New Balance did their homework when designing this boot. A Gore-Tex liner keeps water out of the boot but is still breathable. Vibram soles allow the 1500 to grip rocks without slipping. A leather upper is a durable surface that will protect your ankles from rock scrapes.
All four of our reviewers tested out a pair of the 1500′s on a few recent hikes in the cascades. We really liked the flat laces that New Balance chose to use for this boot. Most boot laces tend to chew up your hands, but the ones New Balance used were much easier on the skin while still remaining tied.
Durability never was an issue on our trip and the boots broke in well. Only one of us got a blister while trying out the 1500′s. The tongue of the boots however was a mixed bag. Some of us liked that the tongue was attached on one side of the boot (to keep out debris while hiking) and others thought it was a bit annoying. The boots weren’t overly hot for summer hikes and New Balance chose an appropriate amount of padding for a boot of this caliber. We all thought that the Gore-Tex breathed well and our feet stayed dry when crossing small streams.
The only thing we didn’t like about the 1500 is that it tends to run on the narrow side. If you’re looking to get a pair of the 1500′s, be sure to try them on ahead of time. The four pairs we tried all tended to run a little on the narrow side. The company makes many wider editions of the boots, so this isn’t a huge problem. However, it is something you need to keep in mind if you’re buying them via an online retailer.
The New Balance 1500 retails for $169.99.
Actually, New Balance 1500 boots are a LOT on the narrow side. I’ve worn 10.5 EEE New Balance running shoes for many years. But when I bought a pair of New Balance 1500 boots in size 11.5 EEEE, they were WAY too narrow. Had to return them. I contacted New Balance customer support, and their reply was that the 1500 boots are deliberately built on narrow lasts because hiking boots must be narrow in order to properly support the feet. In my experience, the opposite is true, feet swell during a hike and boots that are too narrow boots can cripple you.
great advice, thanks for the direction esp regarding the “underlooked” areas
I’m trying to find these in a womens 12b with no luck. I know they have been discontinued; any idea who might still have some that size? I’ve been looking at online sites,so far no luck.
Thanks