A light, fast, nimble and responsive trail racer – the second iteration of the New Balance Summit Unknown is a winner.
I loved the Summit Unknown in its first version. The shoe was supposed to be the trail option of the superb New Balance 1400v6 racing flat, which is probably my favourite running shoe. This value proposition was certainly exciting – the SU1 promised a lot.
And what a fabulous shoe it is….. if only there wouldn’t be that tongue. It made the SU1 nearly unusable, bar on really short runs. The issue was a clear and obvious design flaw with the tongue that would simply not stay in place, no matter what. In order to get a secure lock-in feel one had to tie the laces quite tightly, which would cut into the top of the foot after a few kilometers, given the tongues disappearance. Reviews of the shoe are full with complaints about the tongue.
That aside the Summit Unknown brought to the trail what the 1400v6 brings to the road: a fast, lightweight and responsive ride. Adding a few trail specific features like toe protect and solid underfoot rock protection, this shoe had the potential to be something special.
Thankfully New Balance listened to the complaints. That’s rare these days. What they have done is simple as it is remarkable: made better what was already excellent and added a new tongue. Boom!
Key Features: Summit Unknown V1 vs. V2
Tongue: First things first. As mentioned before, this has been a major design flaw and was called out by many runners. New Balance has changed the tongue completely. It now resembles the tongue of the 1400v6. Which is a good thing, because now the tongue is barely noticed – in a positive sense.
Lug-Depth: 4mm in V1, has increased to 6mm. A welcome change. 4mm were fine on forest roads but the shoe struggled in the mud. Not its fault. Wasn’t made for it. But the additional two millimeters certainly help, particularly in softer conditions. On the other hand it may not roll as well on pavement as it used to. But then this is a trail shoe anyway.
Sizing: New Balance can run short. For me, usually UK9.5 or EU44 in running shoes, they are on the narrow side but just about right for “performance shoes”, meaning fit like a glove made for racing or fast training I have rather wide feet). The same holds true for the V2, with one slight but noticeable difference in the toe box, which is a tick wider, and as a consequence has reduced chaffing and blisters the V1 constantly created on my small toes.
Weight: Appears to be the same as in the V1 – the V2 comes in at around 260g in my size, UK9.5 (in the photo I weighted them after a run – mud added a few grams).
That is light for a trail runner that offers as much protection as the SU does. It’s no ultra-light speedster as the Salomon S-Lab Sense 7 but it doesn’t aspire to be that.
With NB “rockform” protection and a solid toe protect feature the weight is kept down due to the light upper and the tried and tested REVlite foam that is also used in the super light 1400v6 racing flat.
Ride: Fairly similar to V1. The Summit Unknown offers a snappy, responsive ride, with decent ground contact without feeling harsh. This is thanks to a decent amount of cushioning that the excellent REVlite foam provides. This isn’t Hoka plush by any means but I never had any issues even on longer runs.
This shoe wants to go fast. Given it’s relatively light weight, it wants to you go forward, pick up the pace and sprint up that hill.
Summary: Five Stars! Congratulations New Balance. This shoe was excellent in its first version, if one looked beyond the tongue. Version 2 is the near perfect trail racer for a variety of terrain and distances (it’ll be perfect if they get it below 250g).
It probably wouldn’t be my choice for an ultra or a strictly easy day. But for anything faster I’ll grab this pair without hesitation. Granted, I’m small and light – the shoe is perhaps not one for heavy runners given the cushioning may not be enough.
I find the SU is highly comparable to the latest version of Salomon’s Sense Pro (v4). Also a good shoe for faster training, although about ten gram heavier, the ride a little harsher, while also a much higher price point.
So given the New Balance Summit Unknown V2 is currently available for about €83 (New Balance online shop) I argue that is tremendous value for money.
Uphill Runner 