New Balance Foam X More v5 vs New Balance Foam X More v6:
Which to Choose

Start with what's identical, because most of the DNA carries over: both use soft, plush Fresh Foam X tuned for comfort rather than bounce, both run max cushioning (6/6), both skip a plate, and both land at a moderate responsiveness that soaks up energy instead of snapping it back — push either past an easy rhythm and the foam goes vague. The differences are in the geometry and tuning. The v5 sits on the taller platform at roughly 44mm at the heel, while the v6 trims the stack a touch to 42mm heel / 39mm forefoot and lowers the offset from a 4mm drop to 3mm, so the v6 rides fractionally lower and flatter. The bigger practical change is stability: the v6 widens and tightens the base into a high stable-neutral setup (5/6 vs the v5's 4/6) with a smoother, more deliberate rocker, which makes that tall stack feel more planted and controlled underfoot and less inclined to feel ponderous at shuffle paces. Use-case positioning shifts slightly too — the v5 is rated out to the half and full marathon with an optimal window around 5:30–6:30 min/km, whereas the v6 is pitched squarely at easy and recovery running, topping out comfortably at 10K-to-half distances with a mellower 5:45–7:00 min/km window. In other words, the v5 stretches a little further and a little faster on paper, while the v6 doubles down on being the planted, forgiving easy-day shoe. Both are genuinely heavy, substantial trainers — the v6 comes in around 302g in a men's US 9 — and neither is the shoe you reach for when you want to run fast.