New Balance Beacons at 150 Miles

When I first reviewed the NB Beacon back in November, I only had 2 runs in them, I compared them to the Altra Escalante and Skechers GoRun Ride 7. At that point, I liked the New Balance Beacons quite a bit. Now I have run 150 miles in the Beacons. Still like them? Better or worse than other favorites? Are they holding up OK?

My greatest compliment about the NB Beacons is that they just work. I don't notice them on my runs. Slow and easy? Just fine. Fast and intense? Still fine. Medium tempo? Fine again. I don't think about the shoes. I simply run. Whether roads or treadmills, they work. Easy trails or track, they work.

I'm still amazed that the Beacons are so lightweight. I thought that outsole would wear prematurely since it has very little hard rubber. Fortunately, that white rubber is holding up well after 150 miles. Slight wear pattern on the lateral heel where I must hit the ground first. The more durable black rubber is in that spot (but still has some wear). The upper is showing no wear. Fit and feel is still very good. Insole, while nothing special, is working out fine (and no slippage as a couple other reviewers have reported). I'm very pleased with this shoe!

In comparison to the Altra Escalante, the Beacon has slightly firmer cushioning and a more narrow (normal) toebox. The slight heel-to-toe drop of the Beacon (6mm) feels better to me than the zero drop of the Escalante. The Beacon is cheaper, lighter, and runs very smoothly. Overall, I'd take it over the Escalante.

In reference to the Skechers GoRun Ride 7, the Beacon is lighter and has a wider toebox. The Ride 7 has more responsive cushioning and can support my feet a little longer on runs. Drop is about the same (6mm vs 4mm). If I had to choose only one of these excellent shoes, I'd stick with my trusty Ride 7. Since they are both fairly inexpensive, I plan to keep using them as rotating twins. We'll see how the Beacon 2 and Ride 8 compare later this year.