With a heritage of design and innovation spanning over 100 years, New Balance continues to establish itself as a prime player in the minimalist running shoe market, crafting an extensive lineup of shoes for both the road and trail.
Blending barefoot freedom with shod protection, this award-winning, close-to-natural line of footwear performs as good as it looks. One of the newest additions to this line-up is the MR00, a road running shoe that delivers a minimal, fast and light experience, but with a 0mm heel-to-toe drop helping you to run natural and free just as Mother Nature intended.
The Beauty of Design…
Simply put, the human foot is a remarkable piece of engineering. In a sense, the minimalist revolution is all about putting this marvel of human anatomy center stage. By creating a shoe that allows the foot to move freely and relatively unencumbered, the body can naturally stabilize and balance the weight of the body as it endures the rigors of running.
With the MR00, the New Balance design team has done just that. They’ve crafted a shoe that is lightweight, low to the ground, flexible, and has a zero heel-to-toe drop differential offering only a thin layer of medium-firm cushioning under foot. In other words, the MR00 allows you to attain the full benefits of more natural/barefoot style running while providing the protection and comfort of a shoe. It’s a beautifully designed shoe that compliments the beauty of the human foot. 
Fit and Performance….
From the first time our run guru laced up the MR00 and hit the tarmac, the same phrase ran through his mind time and again….
“Simplicity and Purity.”
Most Running Shoes are built on a 2-to-1 heel-to-toe ratio (twice as thick in the heel as the forefoot). The Minimus Zero is built on a 1-to-1 ratio meaning that the heel and forefoot are the same heights off the ground mimicking the foots’ natural zero drop build. This means the usual aggressive heel striking that occurs in a normal running shoe is replaced with a more natural running motion in which the runner lands on the mid to fore-foot region.
Yet it’s not just the Zero-Drop feature that makes running in the MR00 stand out. With a mere 12mm of material separating you from the pavement, our run guru reports that the MR/WR00 proved to be the closest he’s come to a barefoot-esque run in a zero drop shoe. Like a cruiser that gently hugs the road, the MR00 drops you right down to the ground allowing your feet to get up close and personal with the road ahead.
And since that road is likely to be a long one, the MR00 wraps your heel and midfoot with a barefoot-styled last that is wider through the ball of the foot. This provides room for your forefoot to naturally expand and toes to splay during the gait cycle, once again complimenting the way the foot was naturally designed to work.
The New Balance MR/WR00 is the first road-focused models from New Balance to use a Vibram® rubber called the Vibram® R-Lite. The intricately patterned soles hold turns and lateral movements better than some other minimalist models ensuring a smooth ride mile after mile. 
Keepin’ it Light…
One of the features we appreciated is the ‘burrito’ or mono-tongue. A single piece of material that wraps around the foot, providing medial support while simplifying construction. This not only helps keep the MR00 light, but completely avoids the obnoxious issue we’ve all experienced with a slipping tongue. As a bonus, the mono-tongue also means fewer seams on the interior of the shoe. Fewer interior seams = more comfort.
The complementary pair of MR00’s we received from New Balance rocked a flashy neon green color scheme. But more than a flashy aesthetic, the durable, lightweight and open mesh upper is highly breathable. A feature that comes in handy when knocking out training runs in the midst of California’s Central Valley heat waves, where it regularly tops 90° in the shade.
While we’re on the topic of keeping it light, we have a question: What’s 10% lighter than Nike Lunarfoam and still provides the responsive feel you need out on the road? It’s the New Balance Revlight cushioning. This innovative foam compound is yet another feature from the New Balance design team that keeps you light on your feet. And we all know that lightweight responsiveness translates into speed, so go ahead and start to get giddy about that next 10K.
And because hot days make for wet feet, New Balance has included synthetic linings that help wick perspiration away from your feet keeping them dry and blister free.
The Critique…
Remember, adapting to a zero-drop shoe and a natural running style takes time, and the process is unique for each athlete. So if you are new to the minimalist movement, or a zero drop platform, it is always better to make this transition gradually. If you’re ready to make the jump, then we encourage you to utilize the vast array of resources available online, including New Balance’s list of 9 things you should know.
We also wanted to take a moment and note that our run guru who put the MR00 through the paces tops the measuring stick at 6’3”, and has longer toes. We know, you aren’t reading this to learn about the anatomy of our field team’s feet. However, here’s the reason we felt compelled to mention this little factoid. Despite the fact that the MR00 offers a wide fit across the ball of the foot, and despite the fact we reviewed the wide version, our team member reported that the shoe still cut narrow across the tips of his outer two toes. This did make for some discomfort on longer outings.
While this will likely never be an issue for most runners with a more standard foot, we encourage those with a wider foot and/or longer toes to try on the MR00 prior to purchase.
The Bottom Line…
Rather than merely filling some niche category, the MR/WR00 is a wonderful demonstration of New Balance’s desire to craft the ideal minimalist shoe. With the MR/WR00, the New Balance design team has artfully crafted a shoe that excels in every feature you want/need in your minimalist runner: nimble, lightweight and flexible all topped off with a zero-drop build. Stripped down simplicity that puts the runner, rather than the shoe, in the drivers seat.
MSRP: $109.99
MANUFACTURER: New Balance
AVAILABILITY: Men’s Size 7-14; Women’s Size 5-12
RETAIL AVAILABILITY: www.ShopNewBalance.com and retailers nationwide
WEIGHT: 181 grams (6.4 oz) for MR00 / 124 grams (4.4 oz) for WR00
MR00 COLORS: White w/ Blue & Orange; Green w/ Black; Red w/ Black
WR00 COLORS: Silver w/ Pink; Blue w/ Black; Yellow