Keep your cool on hot days with the New Balance Zante Breathe

The original Fresh Foam Zante from New Balance was an instant hit and impressed as a lightweight trainer/racer. Just in time for summer, the Breathe edition adds a specialized feature to keep you and your feet cool on hot days.

The Zante launched the second version of it’s popular Fresh Foam shoe late last year and its wider toe box and stiffer heel were considered improvements over the original. The Zante v2 is a neutral but well cushioned shoe that feels just as smooth as it looks.

Designed to feel like an extension of your foot, the innovative Fresh Foam midsole uses a single piece of material that offers a plush, natural ride that helps transition from foot strike to toe off.

Pardon the cliche, but this shoe is like walking, or in this case, running on a cloud. It is soft, plush and light; perfect for running fast.

The Zante is a road shoe through and through and is an ideal candidate for tempo runs, speed workouts and even racing. It is however not particularly well-adapted to trails. The v2 was made slightly heavier than the original but the extra 1-2 mm of rubber on the outsole does not impact the feeling of fast that these shoes provide and if anything, make it slightly more durable and able to withstand more miles.

RELATED: Speaking of tempos, add one of these workouts to your routine.

The Essentials:

Release date: Spring 2016
Type of shoe: Neutral cushioning
Heel-to-toe drop: 6 mm (23 mm; 17 mm)
Weight: 8.6 oz. (men’s size 9), 7.2 oz. (women’s size 9)
Technology: Fresh Foam
Price (MSRP): $130
Terrain tested: Roads
Kilometres tested (so far): 320 (including a tempo run, track workout and half-marathon race)

The Breathe version offers one substantial improvement over the original by introducing a lightweight, breathable and perforated mesh upper. This allows air to freely move through the shoe keeping your feet cool and dry, especially when summer temperatures start to heat up.

We also think the light and bright colourways are spot-on. They may not physically keep you cool but the combination of light and bright colours definitely do so aesthetically.

The final word: The Zante v2 Breathe makes for an extremely comfortable and affordable shoe designed to go fast. It is perfect for summer speed sessions on the track; tempos along the lake or even 5K and 10K races.