How do I write a review about a pair of running shoes that I love to run in when I run in them that is but don’t appreciate them enough to run in them very often?

The quick answer is – the New Balance 1400 v6s are not the newest and sexiest shoes around, they don’t have a carbon plate, one of the new super foam midsoles, or a crazy upper design. Nope, they are just a well-designed shoe that works great as a go faster-running shoe for me and one that I and many other runners continue to under-appreciate.

When I bought the NB 1400 v6 last August off eBay on a sweet deal that I could not resist, I had three other shoes in the same category. So fitting in another pair of “go faster” shoes into the rotation to get in the fifty miles I prefer before writing a review was difficult.

Even so when I got to the 50-mile mark and got to thinking about doing their review, I kept putting it off and doing other things. So many shoes to look at back then and earlier this year and not enough time to review a pair of shoes that I have kept a long time after almost all the others have gone away

Not because it was going to be a negative review, but more because I was drooling over all the new super-duper shoes that were being talked about at the start of the new year and something else always seemed to come up and take priority.

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The Good?

Light-weight – yep. At 6.5 ounces for my size 8.5 – not too shabby. The 8.5 fit true to size and is just a hair bigger than I would want for a racing flat, but one that I could run comfortably for distances up to a half marathon. However, I don’t think it is enough shoe for me to run much further than that at this stage of my running career, without beating me up pretty badly towards the end.

The hardest thing about writing a review on the New Balance 1400 v6s is that there is nothing really exciting about them other than they just work for me. In other words, they are like my pickup truck: last year’s model, comfortable to use, go wherever I need to, but due to circumstances just is not being used as much as it should be.

Same thing with the 1400 v6. 

They are super comfortable for me to run in even with my Tailor’s Bunionette on my right foot in a size 8.5. 

Due to the way the outsole is designed they are great in pretty much all conditions except deeper mud, slushy snow, or sandy conditions. I would not hesitate to race or do faster workouts in them in any condition that I run in and would even do a shorter groomed trail race in them without worrying about the grip.

I could even use them as minimal daily trainers if I really wanted to and I have a feeling that I would not be disappointed with their performance.

They just do everything well for me that there is not a lot of challenges in using them other than to put them on, tie the laces, and go. 

The Bad?

The New Balance 1400 v6s are so good in my opinion that they are boring. 

Unfortunately, at the time and even now I have other shoes in my rotation that did and do the same things as 1400 v6 and feel just a touch faster or more comfortable. They have that curse of being a great all-around shoe that is just a bit below or not as “sexy” as other shoes I have.

I had planned to use them as my bad weather go faster and racing shoes over the winter and had been saving them, but a hamstring injury and COVID-19 got in the way of those plans.

What was I thinking?

I like the New Balance 1400 v6 and probably would love them if I ran more in them.

They are a great go faster running shoe for me and ones that when I remember to run in them, I enjoy running in them a lot. Unfortunately, for all their good points, they are a running shoe that I under-appreciate too much.

When I put them in my track bag or look under the dresser for a pair of shoes to use for going faster workouts, one of the other pairs sitting there always seems to call to me more or I want to try them out and see how they work compared to the 1400 v6. So they just sit there waiting for me to bring them out again.

My thoughts on the New Balance 1400 v6 are that if you want a no-frills, comfortable go faster-running shoe that is able to do multiple types of runs without any issues, it is a shoe that you should definitely give a try.

Unfortunately, with all the newest and greatest running shoes coming out, that are so much sexier and expensive out there in the same category, that most of us (me included) tend to overlook how good a running shoe the New Balance 1400 v6 actually is.

So good that they are rather boring.