New Balance Zante V3 Breathe Review
A featherlight, mesh-topped trainer that beat two pricier pairs in the same store fitting — as long as you're ready to size up.
It felt like it was molded to my foot, and hardly weighed a thing.
Our reviewerA Featherlight Trainer With One Sizing Catch
We tried on three pairs at a local running shop before settling on the New Balance Zante V3 Breathe, in Vivid Ozone Blue, and it won out for a simple reason: it felt molded to our foot and hardly weighed a thing.
The fitting was thorough — a professional watched our gait, asked about our running habits (3-4 miles, twice a week, at a 10-12 minute pace), and noted our high arch before bringing out options, including a comparison against our old Asics Gel Electro33.
The real surprise was sizing. Normally a women's 9 (9.5 in running shoes), we walked out in a 10.5, and the fitter actually pushed for an 11. Anyone buying online should plan to size up a half to full size from their usual running shoe.
On the road, the shoe is genuinely light underfoot and in a travel bag, and it bends easily through stretches. The mesh top is thin enough to see socks through it, which raises a fair durability question, though a similarly meshed pair of Asics lasted three years in daily use.
It also won on value: of the three pairs tried on that day, it was the cheapest by a wide margin — $99.95 against $120 and $160 for the others — making it an easy recommendation for anyone who gets properly fitted first.
Why We Love It
- Extremely lightweight — barely noticeable on the foot
- Breathable mesh upper designed to keep feet cool
- Molded, glove-like fit once sized correctly
- Cheapest of the three pairs tried in the same fitting ($99.95 vs. $120 and $160)
- Available with free shipping when bought online
Considerations
- Runs noticeably small — expect to size up a half to full size
- Thin mesh upper's long-term durability is still unproven
- Best results come from an in-store professional fitting rather than guessing a size online
Our Hands-On Review
The shoe is incredibly light, both underfoot while running and in a travel bag, and it flexes easily through pre-run stretches.
The mesh top is thin enough that you can see socks through it, which could worry some buyers about wear and tear — though a previous pair of Asics with similar mesh lasted three years of regular use.
A Half-Size Surprise
A normal women's 9 (9.5 in running shoes), our tester left the store in a 10.5 — the fitter even pushed for an 11. If you're ordering this shoe online, plan to size up a half to full size from your usual running shoe.
We Recommend This To Readers Who:
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Run short-to-medium distances
Built as a short-medium distance trainer, well suited to a few easy-paced miles at a time.
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Run in hot climates
The thin, breathable mesh top is designed to keep feet cool, tested through an LA running routine.
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Want value without going ultra-budget
At $99.95 it undercut two pricier pairs tried in the same fitting session.
The Bottom Line
The New Balance Zante V3 Breathe is a fantastic lightweight trainer for the price — just be ready to size up a half to full size from what you'd normally wear.
