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Make your friends jealous with the stylish and fast New Balance Vazee Pace 2

The New Balance Vazee Pace 2, the second generation of the lightweight trainer, is one of the brand's fastest and most durable shoes yet.

New Balance Vazee Pace 2

The second generation of the New Balance Vazee Pace 2 is a strong continuation with only minor updates compared to its predecessor. Lovers of the original Vazee Pace will be pleased to hear that the snappy and fast trainer has a new two-tone mesh upper that enhances support around the foot. Plus the two-tone look makes the shoe one of the industry’s most stylish.

The Essentials:

Type: Neutral cushioning
Heel-to-toe drop: 6mm (24mm to 18mm)
Weight: 9.6 oz. (men’s 9), 7.9 oz. (women’s 7)
Price (MSRP): $139.99
Terrain tested: Road, crushed gravel and trail.
Kilometres tested (so far): 100 (including a long run, trail run and a tempo workout)

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If you’ve tried other New Balance shoes, the Fresh Foam Zante 2 for example, you will notice that the Vazee Pace 2 is a bit firmer. It is still plenty fast to bust out a speed session or to even wear during a half-marathon or marathon.

The Vazee Pace 2 is supported with REVlite foam, one of New Balance’s signature technologies, which provides a responsive ride for runners of all abilities.

One of the more appealing features of the Vazee Pace 2 is the colourways with one base colour and a subtle colour fade into the shoe’s heel. The shoe comes in four colourways for men (black/pink, teal/yellow, black/white and blue/red) and three colourways (purple/white, grey/white and light blue/pink) for women. The colourway you see in the featured photos is the men’s black and pink edition.

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The outsole of the shoe performed really well on crushed gravel trails with firm rubber appropriately placed so small rocks don’t get caught on the underside of your foot. The heel of the Vazee Pace 2 is noticeably stiffer which keeps the foot locked in place when putting in some longer runs.

RELATED: The 2016 trail shoe guide: Light and fast for all terrain.

Our testers found that there is plenty of space in the forefoot and toe box and that the shoe’s length fits true to size. Note that the toebox is wider than what is typically seen on a lightweight trainer so feel free to try the Vazee Pace 2 on in stores.

One tester raved that the shoe’s lacing system had an extra hole at the top of the foot to further ensure that the foot stays in place. The laces proved to be on the short side if using the optional lace hole though still manageable.

New Balance also added in no-sew material throughout the shoe making it seamless and reducing hot spots for runners prone to blistering.

Fortunately, the Vazee Pace 2 won’t break the bank as it comes in at under $140. Canadians will have no trouble accessing the shoe as it’s available on New Balance Canada’s website (plus free shipping) or consider shopping at one of your independent retailers.

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