New Balance Women's 1340 V3 Running Shoe

I disliked this product since I first saw it. This is the V3, supposed upgrade from V2. For the last ten or so years. I have worn New Balance, motion control. So, you ask, why buy it if I dislike it? Well, I need the stability/motion control. New Balance rep wanted me to believe this was a better product. Let me say...IT IS NOT. Over the last three years, I have purchased over 10 pairs of the New Balance Women's W1340 Optimum Control Run-W, Purple/Silver since I started running. This new version is absolutely the furthest thing from the other two versions. It is a women's shoe and appears there must be some masochists on the panel. They effectively made it the ugliest shoe ever. Coming from the flashy silver and purple to a dull gray and sea green...really? I feel I should be able to love my shoes and look forward to putting them on. I have never experienced so much dread of wearing the new V3. Over the past few years, I have been able to pull them out of the box and they were ready to run. This pair V3, feels gross for lack of a better word. It is not sized the same. This one is smaller for the 9.5 (I have worn 9.5 for about 30 years). This is not sized correctly. The toe box is smaller as well. This V3 is not motion control. In fact, it drags/pulls your leg muscles forward, not sure best way to describe it, but you can feel a pull all the way down from the buttock. I gave this shoe the benefit of doubt, took them out for a few miles, I felt like I was limping and struggling, the whole time. Once finished with my run, my knee and plantar fasciitis started to nag.From New Balance Rep:"Although styles like the 1340 don't often change, we do occasionally improve the materials and update the styling. I am certain that you will find the same great support in the third version of this shoe as you did in the first and second! We believe in this shoe so much that this version will be manufactured through 2021."Usually once my shoes get their 500 run miles, I downgrade them to wearing them at work or in the yard. This new version V3 is not even fit for yard work. I see them sitting on the floor after only 7 miles on them and just cringe, thinking of the pain. In the first 1/2 mile, the tongue went sideways (yes, I know how to lace a shoe and that does not happen with V2). It is usually nice to have a nice shoe box as well. The box arrived looking as if a herd of elephants used it for soccer practice. This is now my last pair of New Balance, I will continue my search for some decent running shoes.

The new v3 is heavier and too tight across the top, not too mention they look awful, REALLY!! I purchased the wide width, still too tight across the top. Why can’t you leave well enough alone? I’ve worn these shoes for ten years, this is the first time I’ll be returning them and looking for another stability shoe! Very, very disappointed ☹️

Ever since I shattered my little toe, I've had nothing but problems with my feet. And ever since I have only worn New Balance shoes. I am thinking of switching to another brand (recommendations welcomed) because I am becoming increasingly frustrated because I have found several NB shoes that I absolutely love but then they discontinue making them. Can't express how frustrating this is. I decided to give this model a try and it is the Worst New Balance shoe I've ever tried. The shoe feels extremely rigid, the tongue is way too thick. I feel like I'm wearing a pad on top of my foot. I also ordered a Wide but this too was misleading. The shoe is EXTREMELY narrow, my toes are rubbing against the inside of the shoe and the instep feels like it's squeezing the top of my foot with each stride. I will be returning these shoes. I actually wouldn't even give them any star rating.

I have worn the 1340v2 shoe continuously for the last 5 years so have owned several pairs. Loved the purple/silver color and the fit was great right from the start. I was disappointed to see the purple was no longer available, but I could live with that so purchased the 1340v3. Big mistake! The entire shoe has changed and not for the better. They are extremely stiff and heavy and the toe box is much narrower. After wearing them for 3 hours I was developing blisters on my little toes. I am not a runner, but need the stability for a job where I am on my feet constantly. I can not imagine trying to run in a shoe that is this uncomfortable and heavy. In trying to "fix" something that wasn't broken New Balance has now ruined a perfectly good shoe. I will have to start searching for a new style.

Doesn't fit the same as the 1340v2. I've purchased the 1340v2 4 times. It's my go to shoe for preventing plantar fasciitis. V3 does NOT fit the same. In the v2 I wear a 8.5 or 9. I read the reviews saying the v3 runs a little smaller so I purchased size 9. It's painfully small across the top of my foot and scrunches my toes.

I’ve owned several of the V1 & V2 for the 1340. As other reviewers have noted, this is a marked decline in quality & stability.1) There’s significantly less ankle support because the footbed is very shallow and the ankle cut out is pretty low. No good if you overpronate and need support.2) The material quality is poorer-I can tel there’s no way these shoes would last a whole year. Even the laces are a weird elastic that are likely to fray. The fabric is unfinished in some sections and looks janky.3) Despite it being the correct size and having it laced all the way up, my heel was still slipping out the back because the heel support is so low.Overall, deeply disappointed in the “update” from New Balance.

Purchased for my wife and while I feel the sizes run true to size--She didn't have any issues with the size/length of shoe, width, or toe box size that others mentioned, but it was cut way too tight across the top of the foot. She has a fairly narrow foot and never has issues with ordering shoes that fit--even on shoes that people leave reviews that say they run small she has no problems with. We don't know if it is how the shoe is cut or designed, or what the issue is, but she just tried them on while working at her desk and they cut off the circulation to her foot. I gave one star because the shoe is worthless if it doesn't fit right--we don't believe sizing up would help in this case because the shoe fit otherwise. She didn't have any issues with the look or quality of the shoe construction, but we just don't know what they were thinking with designing the size of the top of the shoe.

I did not use this product. It did not fit properly and was not true to the fit of 1340v2 or earlier models.They got this shoe wrong and should not have tampered with it.