New Balance Men’s Minimus Prevail V1 Cross Trainer – Product characteristics
- 50% Synthetic, 50% Mesh
- Imported
- Rubber sole
- REVlite midsole
- Vibram outsole
- Knit upper infused with TPU fibers
- Asymmetrical, anatomical collar offers support and comfort for ankles
- REVlite midsole
- Vibram outsole
- Knit upper infused with TPU fibers
New Balance Men’s Minimus Prevail V1 Cross Trainer – Reviews
Significantly narrower than the older Minimus shoes – Also thick/padded heal, soft sole.
Advertised as X-Wide, but measures a full 3/8″ narrower than the older New Balance Minimus MX20v4, in same size.I am a big fan of the New Balance minimus shoes and have owned many different models including:many pairs of the MT10MT20MX007MRMX20v4 (a favorite, durable and wide)The first model year had sole seperation issues, but since then the only significant issue for me has been the soles wear through.The v7 shoes are signficantly narrower than their predecessors and I was disappointed to find that the Minimus Prevail is as well. In comparison to the other Minimus models, I found it has thick heal padding and doesn’t feel like a barefoot style Minimus shoe at all. Both the new Prevail (black shoe/sole) and old MX20v4 (green & grey) shown in the pictures are size 13 2E (the Prevail was “X-Wide” on Amazon but is just 2E).As you can see in the pictures, the Prevail is nearly 15mm narrower in the toe box (too narrow for me), about 10mm wider at the heel, and has significantly thicker heel padding. With thick padding and without the fitted heel, the Prevail feels like a normal running shoe instead of a Minimus shoe.Lastly, the Vibram sole on the new Minimus Prevail is soft – almost like a soft gum sole. I believe it will wear significantly faster than the previous Minimus models.
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2019
Not great
I really, truly wanted to like these. And if it weren’t for the cutout for the ankle being too far back (too close to the heel), these would have been great. Too bad, as they look really nice. They are just not proportioned properly by the ankle, and the fabric cut into my ankle to the point where it hurt, on both feet/ankles. This is not normal. Also, I was sent the marble grey, instead of the white/black which I ordered. I actually really like the look of the grey, and had they not dug into my ankle, on the outside of each foot, I would have loved these. Too bad. I’ve decided to purchase a pair of Nike Metcon 5’s, to give those a try. We’ll see…
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2020
Different fit from the Minimus trail shoes
I’ve been wearing the NB Minimus trail runners exclusively for years. I wanted to try some of the cross trainers so I wouldn’t be putting extra off-trail miles on my trail shoes. Some of the trail shoes have a zero drop and some have the 4mm drop. I prefer the zero drop but don’t mind the 4mm, which is what these cross trainers have. I can feel the little bit of elevation but it’s not a big deal.What is more noticeable is the narrower toe box. These run much narrower, so I had to order these in a W(wide) to be comfortable. Even with that, I wish I had more room for my toes. Fortunately the nice flexible knit these are made from provides some give. The other thing that is different is the heel on these shoes. Maybe because they want to add stability for standing weight lifting (?) the heel is very stiff and kind of clunky. This adds noticeably to the weight of the shoes, and makes then feel a lot less nimble. All that being said, these still have that fit that hugs your heel & mid foot, and opens up in the forefoot.Even though they’re heavier, they’re still light compared to a lot of gym shoes. The laces are nice, not too long and stay tied well. The tread has been fine so far for indoor floors and for sidewalks. There’s enough padding in the collar but not too much (minimal).I think what won me over was how cool these shoes look. The knit is super trendy and the New Balance “N” embossed on the knit fabric looks great in a subtle silver. They look sleek but substantial. I got the black, and it looks good with gym clothes or jeans, and could probably even pull off a casual going-out look.So I kept them and I wear them often, even though I wish they were wider in the toe box and the heel was lighter and less stiff. They’re not the perfect feel, but they’re pretty good. And they look great.
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2021
Great for flat feet/no arch
Great for flat feet. I am on my second time of 80 Day Obsession workout which is a combination of Weights/Cardio. I wore through my old running shoes the first 80 Day. I Googled “Top Shoes for flat feet” I tried several brands including Merrill, Reebok, Brooks, and other New Balance. These shoes worked the best for me. They are grippy. I don’t slide when doing side planks. They give me stability when doing squats and presses. They have a little drop. By no means are they bare to the ground. They have no arch. Whatsoever. I have no arch so it works perfect for me. I would not use these for running but great for CrossFit/HIIT and weight lifting. They remind me of DC/Vans.
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2020
Super comfy but not tough enough
REVISED REVIEW: I still love most everything about this shoe, but one important flaw messes the whole thing up. I didn’t discover this until doing toes and nose handstand holds against a wall. The toe guard on the fabric is such a thin and flimsy layer that it wore through to the fabric after one session of holes. It’s an easy fix which I hope New Balance will make on their next version. I’m certain that handstand holds will wear through the fabric to my toe pretty soon.I love New Balance shoes in general. What initially drew me to the brand is that they offer wide sizes, minimalist styles, and have Vibram soles on a lot of their shoes. I workout at a gym that does group classes which incorporate dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, boxes, ropes, sandbags, outdoor running of up to a mile at a time and more. Olympic lifting, traditional strength training, and CrossFit classes are offered as well. I like to mix it up with all of the classes and have been looking for a shoe to fit the bill for all of these workout styles while being durable and feeling great on my feet. I’m very picky about my shoes and tried at least half a dozen other brands/styles before giving these a shot. They are amazingly comfortable and work well for all of my purposes. The weaved upper is nice and flexible to allow the toes to spread naturally, while the outsole is supportive yet flexible, providing a good groundfeel for running and jumping. They have just enough padding for comfort, but not enough to take away the sensitivity of the foot or to cause a squishy feeling when performing weighted exercises. These are the most well rounded CrossFit style shoes I have found.
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2020
- REVlite midsole
- Vibram outsole
- Knit upper infused with TPU fibers
New Balance Men’s Minimus Prevail V1 Cross Trainer – FAQ
what is the heel to toe drop?
4MM Product Details Collapse Experience underfoot support and a good ground feel with a REVlite midsole. 4 mm drop: due to variances created during the development and manufacturing processes, all references to 4 mm drop are approximate Asym collar with molded foam allows for a more natural heel fit Engineered Knit External TPU Heel Counter to increase the stability during your run Innovative REVlite midsole provides premium responsiveness and durability at a 30% lighter weight than other foams with comparable performance Vibram® outsole provides maximum surface contact and multi-directional traction. Vibram is a registered trademark of Vibram S.p.A. All rights reserved. Durable rubber outsole Thank you, Barry Aperfectdealer on Amazon 201 727 0745
what is the length of these shoes?
Sole length (outside the shoe, from heel to toe) is 12″ or 30 cm.
This shoe comes in wide width and “normal”. I am looking for “medium” width (D). Which one is medium or is it not available?
D
Can someone post pictures of the inside of the shoe?
I just snapped a couple, yes.
Where are these made?
Indonesia
- REVlite midsole
- Vibram outsole
- Knit upper infused with TPU fibers
*If you buy a product through one of these links, I will receive a small commission from the seller. There are no additional costs for you, and you support my work on this site. To learn more read here. Thank you and Feel Grounded. Dirk