THERE’S A MOMENT in every trail runner’s journey – usually around the third unexpected ankle-deep puddle or inconspicuous tree root – when they think to themselves, Why am I doing this?
It’s raining, your feet are soaked and that innocent-looking dirt path has morphed into a slippery obstacle course. So, why do we bother? Because there are shoes that make you want to do it all again. Shoes that not only survive the elements but seem to enjoy them. But not all trail running shoes can match the energy of the trail, so when a shoe like the New Balance Hierro V9 lands on our radar, promising a combination of comfort, traction and durability, we take notice.
The Hierro V9 comes from New Balance’s best line of trail shoes. It’s designed to get dirty, shrug off tough terrain and keep you moving even when you don’t want to. Naturally, we did the only responsible thing and took it for a proper thrashing.
The Look
Many trail shoes fall into the trap of assuming their wearers don’t care too much about aesthetics, considering their rugged lifestyles. They produce drab colour schemes, overbuilt outsoles and slap on random rubbery bits. The Hierro V9, to its credit, does not fall into that trap.
My test pair came in dark juniper with black and dried apricot. Translation: it’s dark green, black and yellow. It strikes a balance between subtle and sporty. From a distance, it looks like a modern lifestyle sneaker with a bit of bulk; up close, it’s all business. The lines are clean and nothing is purely decorative. You get a nice balance of function and form, with enough trail credibility to handle the elements, but it’s still stylish enough to wear on your coffee run without looking like you’re about to embark on a hike.
The Specs
The Hierro V9’s stylish exterior belies a suite of trail-hardened features under the hood. At the heart of it all is New Balance’s dual-density Fresh Foam X midsole, which translates to a smooth, slightly spongy underfoot feel that absorbs impact without ever feeling marshmallowy. It’s plush, but not pillowy, and maintains enough responsiveness to keep things lively underfoot.
The outsole is built with Vibram’s trusted Megagrip compound, which is designed for high-traction performance on both wet and dry surfaces. It has been reworked this time around, with a new tread pattern and deeper lugs for improved grip.
Up top, the upper is a lightweight engineered mesh with zonal TPU overlays for added structure and protection. It’s breathable enough for warmer conditions, but also durable where it needs to be. There’s reinforced toe protect technology for front-end protection (a feature you’ll appreciate the first time you stub your foot on a root you didn’t see coming), and the padded tongue and heel collar keep things comfortable on longer runs.
As for weight, the Hierro V9 weighs in at 293 grams. It’s not light, but it’s not overly heavy either. Some of that extra weight can also be attributed to the fact that the Hierro V9 has more cushioning than most trail shoes.
The Test
I didn’t hold back with this one. Over the course of a week, I took the Hierro V9 through a variety of terrains on several trail runs ranging from five to 15 kilometres. I ran on hard-packed bushland trails, muddy inclines and uneven rock paths. The shoe handled it all without breaking stride.
From the very first run, what stood out most was the comfort. That Fresh Foam X midsole delivers a luxuriously cushioned ride. The Vibram outsole was just as impressive. It dug into soft dirt with confidence and stuck like glue to rocky surfaces, even when I encountered a couple of rain-slicked patches. Not once did I feel a slip. That kind of grip is invaluable when your surroundings are unpredictable.
If there’s a knock against the Hierro, the weight does start to show up on longer efforts. After about the 10K mark, you do notice that it’s a bit more shoe than racer. But that’s the trade-off you make for all that underfoot protection. For all-day comfort or longer efforts over technical terrain, I’ll take a few extra grams every time.
The Verdict
The Hierro V9 is one of those rare trail shoes that manages to balance comfort with durability and traction without leaning too heavily in any one direction. It’s tough enough to take a beating and soft enough to wear all day. If you’re looking for a pure racing shoe, this probably isn’t it. But if you want a reliable, do-it-all trail runner that feels just as good on a dense forest track as it does while walking the dog or grabbing a post-run coffee, the Hierro V9 deserves a spot in your rotation.
