New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v14 vs Asics GT-2000 13:
Which to Choose

October 6, 2026

Verdict

These are two excellent, closely matched stability trainers, so it genuinely comes down to ride preference and your foot strike rather than one being better. Go with the 860v14 for a firmer, higher-drop, planted ride that rewards steady, purposeful running; go with the GT-2000 13 for a softer, lighter, lower-drop shoe that's more forgiving on easy and long miles. If you're unsure, the lighter and more cushioned-feeling Asics is the easier shoe to live with day to day — but heel strikers chasing calf relief and a more grounded feel will prefer the New Balance.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v14

79.99 USD

Asics GT-2000 13

89.95 USD

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

4 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

5 of 6

Drop

10 mm

Support

Stability

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

4 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

5 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Stability

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v14Asics GT-2000 13

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v14

Choose the New Balance 860v14 if you're a heel striker who likes a firmer, more grounded platform and wants the higher 10mm drop to take pressure off tight calves or a cranky Achilles. It rewards runners who do most of their miles at a deliberate, steady effort — base runs and tempo-adjacent work rather than gentle shuffling — and who don't mind carrying a bit more shoe in exchange for a planted, composed ride. It's the better pick if you've run earlier 860s or similar traditional-geometry trainers and want that familiar firm-but-protective feel.

Choose

Asics GT-2000 13

Choose the Asics GT-2000 13 if you're a beginner-to-intermediate runner building mileage who wants the softer, more forgiving ride for easy days and long runs, where its calm FF Blast+ Eco cushioning shines. The lower 8mm drop and lighter weight make it the friendlier everyday option for midfoot strikers or anyone who finds a tall, firm trainer stiff, and the guided LITETRUSS platform quietly holds your form together when you fade late in a run. It's the safer default if comfort and all-day wearability matter more to you than a crisp, purposeful feel underfoot.

Head-to-Head

Start with the specs that actually separate them. The 860v14 uses a traditional 10mm heel-to-toe drop, while the GT-2000 13 sits lower at 8mm — a small gap, but one that matters: the taller drop of the New Balance shifts load off the calves and Achilles and plays to committed heel strikers, whereas the Asics's 8mm ramp feels more neutral and accommodates midfoot landers as comfortably as heel strikers. Weight is the other concrete difference, and it favors the Asics: the GT-2000 13 comes in around 270g in a men's 9 versus roughly 298g for the 860v14, so the New Balance genuinely feels like the more substantial, planted shoe on foot. Both carry similar moderate-to-above-average cushioning (stack heights are in the same ballpark, neither a max-stack shoe), and both control pronation with a wide base plus dedicated medial support — EVA Film geometry on the 860v14, the LITETRUSS system on the GT-2000 — so the stability job gets done equally well on either. The real divide is foam feel. The 860v14's Fresh Foam X is the firmer, EVA-class ride: grounded, composed, with a moderate springiness that rewards purposeful, steady-effort running but can feel a touch dead and flat at true recovery-jog paces. The GT-2000's FF Blast+ Eco is the softer, more settled compound — it cushions impact in a calm, muted way and feels forgiving on easy and long days, at the cost of feeling a little flat the moment you try to accelerate. Neither wants to go fast; both lose their composure if you push past roughly 4:45–5:00 min/km, and neither has a plate to snap you forward. Durability is a wash for high mileage, with the Asics leaning on a hard-wearing AHAR outsole.