New Balance More Trail V3 Review: Max Cushion Trail Comfort That Works

Introduction

Some trail shoes are built for speed, others for grip, and a few are built purely for comfort over long, rough days. The New Balance More Trail V3 sits firmly in that last category, and it does so with more conviction than most.

We put it through a proper mixed-terrain test: technical trails with roots and rocks, creeks, mud, gravel, fire roads, and enough road sections to see how a five millimeter lug outsole copes on pavement. With a 40mm heel and 36mm forefoot stack, dual density Fresh Foam, and a wide stable base, this is a shoe with a clear identity. Here is how it performed.

Upper, Fit, and Comfort

The upper uses an engineered mesh that feels comfortable all around, and the overall impression is a comfort-first trail shoe. New Balance has added a wraparound bumper covering the toe and sides, which is typically where trail shoes blow out first, and it is labeled toe protect for good reason. There is also a nicely stitched pull tab at the heel and a rubbery, sandpaper-like textured panel at the back that adds to the rugged detailing.

On sizing, the More Trail V3 runs true to size. That is worth noting because the More V4 road shoe runs a little big, so some runners size down in that model. Here, a size 10.5 fit as expected, with room in the toe box without feeling sloppy and a secure fit through the midfoot. The tongue is thick and well padded, so lace pressure never becomes an issue.

The look is a talking point too. The lettering along the side, the little details, and the slightly wider, boaty silhouette give it a charm that has made certain colorways sell out quickly. If anything, this version looks and feels noticeably improved over the previous two.

Midsole and Stability

The midsole is built on Fresh Foam with a claimed dual density construction. Honestly, neither of us could feel a clear density split underfoot, and there is no obvious separation where that change would happen. What does shape the ride is everything around the foam: a very high stack, a rocker shape, and a midsole that is higher on the outside than the numbers suggest, since your foot sits down inside it like a canoe.

That sunken seating position, combined with an unusually wide base that extends beyond the upper especially in the heel, gives the shoe a stability you do not expect from a 40mm stack. For runners with wobbly ankles, this is a high-stack shoe you can actually trust on uneven ground. It feels like you can simply roll over anything.

Out on the trail, that confidence held up. Roots, rocks, mud, gravel, roads: nothing we ran on felt like a problem. The outsole uses five millimeter lugs in what is described as Vibram rubber, and they dug into muddy sections without hesitation. The one caveat is grip on wet rock and creek crossings, where it did not feel as sticky as some outsoles we have tried, and a bit of exposed midsole does not help there.

Ride, Weight, and Road Handling

The More Trail V3 weighs 11.8 ounces (334 grams) in a size 10.5, so it is a substantial shoe at close to 12 ounces. What keeps it feeling livelier than that number is the Fresh Foam midsole, which makes the ride feel lighter on the foot than the scale suggests.

The comparison that kept coming to mind was the Asics Trabuco Max 2, another high-stack cushioned trail shoe we rated highly. Both roll over terrain effortlessly, but the More Trail V3 sits a bit lower in feel, has a more structured, built-up upper, and is the lighter shoe of the two. Runners with wider feet will likely prefer the New Balance fit.

Where this shoe genuinely surprised us was on pavement. Long days on trail almost always include hardpack or road, and aggressive-lugged shoes with thin midsoles punish you there. With this much cushion, the lugs never registered underfoot on road sections, and legs felt fresh even after an extended climb over road at the end of a run.

Buying Advice

At $160, the price feels fair for what you get, and the styling means some colorways, like the all-white option, have been selling out fast. It works as a trail shoe first but is stylish enough that people are buying it as a lifestyle shoe too.

If you are choosing between this and something like the Trabuco Max 2 for an ultra, the More Trail V3 is the pick for us: the stack height, the comfort, the security on descents, and the road friendliness add up to a shoe you can trust for very long days. This is not a road shoe with trail parts bolted on. It genuinely feels like a trail version of the More.

Conclusion

The New Balance More Trail V3 earns its place as a top comfort pick for technical trails and long mixed-terrain days. True-to-size fit, a stable wide base under serious cushion, dependable mud traction, and surprising road manners make it easy to recommend, with only wet-rock grip and the hefty weight as things to weigh before buying.