ShoeGeometry

New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 vs Saucony Guide 19

Two popular shoes in the same category, compared on measured geometry. Each cell carries a provenance badge; open a shoe for sources.

heel boneNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15: heel 43 mm, forefoot 35 mm (drop 8 mm); toe rocker 32 % of length, radius 35 % of length; heel bevel 10 % of length, 23 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15: toe rocker 32 % of lengthSaucony Guide 19: heel 35 mm, forefoot 29 mm (drop 6 mm); toe rocker 33 % of length, radius 45 % of length; heel bevel 13 % of length, 27 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.Saucony Guide 19: toe rocker 33 % of length
  • New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v1543/35 mm · toe rocker 32 % · heel bevel 10 %
  • Saucony Guide 1935/29 mm · toe rocker 33 % · heel bevel 13 %
Illustrative profiles, not photographs: drawn from published stack heights and photo estimates of the unloaded shoes on a common length (300 mm), heels aligned, toe to the left; dots mark where each toe rocker starts; the dotted vertical line is under the heel bone (12 % of length), so a heel curve reaching past it is a bevel in front of the heel bone. Dotted lines use typical values where a shoe has no measurement. Exact values are in the table below.

Which suits you

If you wantPickBecause
A smoother roll at toe-offNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v1531.7 vs 33.4 % toe rocker; 40.4 vs 34.5 mm toe tip
More cushioning under the heelNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v1543 vs 35 mm heel stack
More under the forefootNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v1535 vs 29 mm forefoot stack
A lower dropSaucony Guide 198 vs 6 mm drop
A stiffer, snappier forefootNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v1567 vs 16 /100 stiffness
A firmer, more stable feelSaucony Guide 1920 vs 38 /100 firmness
A wider base under the forefootSaucony Guide 19117 vs 120 mm forefoot base

From the values below, with differences inside measurement noise shown as about the same. This describes the shoes, not what is right for your feet; comfort in the first few runs decides.

MetricNew Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15
Stability · Road
Saucony Guide 19
Stability · Road
Heel-to-toe drop8 mmStated6 mmStated
Heel stack43 mmStated35 mmStated
Forefoot stack35 mmStated29 mmStated
Weight335 gStated275 gStated
Toe rocker32 %est.33 %est.
Rocker radius35 %est.45 %est.
Rocker rise angle33 degest.29 degest.
Rocker angle at toe62 degest.65 degest.
Toe tip over ground40 mm*est.35 mmest.
Visible rocker lift onset78.3 %est.77.8 %est.
Toe spring (relative)20.5 %est.18.4 %est.
Heel bevel length10.1 %est.13 %*est.
Heel bevel height23 mm*est.27 mm*est.
Midsole width (forefoot)117 mmMeasured120 mmMeasured
Midsole width (heel)93.4 mmMeasured104.2 mmMeasured
Toe box shape—77 %*est.
Interior forefoot width93.6 mmMeasured96.2 mmMeasured
Toebox width75.1 mmMeasured72.8 mmMeasured
Longitudinal stiffness67Derived16Derived
Midsole firmness20Derived38Derived
PlatePlate unknownNo plate
Primary foamFresh Foam X (dual-density)PWRRUN
List price$150$150

Key differences

  • New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15's heel-to-toe drop is 8 mm, 2 mm higher than Saucony Guide 19's 6 mm.
  • New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15's heel stack is 43 mm, 8 mm thicker than Saucony Guide 19's 35 mm.
  • New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15's forefoot stack is 35 mm, 6 mm thicker than Saucony Guide 19's 29 mm.
  • New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15's weight is 335 g, 60 g heavier than Saucony Guide 19's 275 g.
  • Toe rocker is about the same: 32 % of length for New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15, 33 % of length for Saucony Guide 19.

Read more about both shoes

We measure the shape. For how they feel over many miles, and for lab tests of cushioning, grip and fit:

New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15

Saucony Guide 19

Independent sites; we are not affiliated with them.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v15 details · Saucony Guide 19 details · Add more shoes