New Balance M880TR Running Shoes for Men

To be very specific Im reviewing the New Balance M880BS. 

The way I have deciphered the product code is given below for a better understanding.
M at the beginning is to indicate it's a Men's shoe. You'll find products beginning with W for Women's running shoe.
The number following the beginning letter indicates the shoe type (Running, Walking, Training and Tennis Cushioning, Stability, and Motion Control). In the case of New Balance the higher the number the more advanced the shoe is.
Letters following the numeric piece usually indicate the color. In my case I bought the Blue/Silver color and hence the abbreviation "BS". The "TR" in this product description refers to Red I believe. 
When the same shoe under goes minor updates they are labelled as v2 or v3 etc to indicate the version.
The New Balance M880 was a successor to the M759. There's also a M880v2 which has arrived which has a different out sole construct than its predecessor. The technology used however seems the same. Since I have owned neither the M759 or the newer M880v2 I'm unable to provide any further comparison there. 

Why did I choose this particular pair?
There's an air of confidence when you buy New Balance shoes which are Made or assembled in USA. For whatever its worth you need to be really careful when purchasing shoes online...you need to get the right shoe, right fit. The last New Balance pair I had kept me in the running business for almost 7yrs! For that kind of durability I'm loyal to New Balance shoes made/assembled in USA. Usually these are also a bit pricey compared to the ones made in China. 

Size
To get the right fit I trust NB since most of their shoes run true to size, meaning the length of the insole of these shoes is identical to the indicated US shoe size and my width is always a medium D. The size can differentiate between different brands of running shoes. The insole measurement varies with the "arc" of the show. So to get that perfect fit and the right shoe size its wiser to drop by to a local shoe store to get exact shoe size per brand figured out. Once that's done you can safely shop online and find a good deal. 

Price
The price I paid for the New Balance M880 was 59.99 from Joes NB online store.
Some of the prices quoted on epinions page from Epinions merchant network is wrong/not updated. When you go to the product page you will see a different (usually much higher) price. Shop carefully and try to find a good deal!

Shoe construct
Like most brands NB has its own terminology/fancy words to call different technologies used in the shoe construct. Below given are the exact description by the manufacturer. 

N-Durance® rubber compound for maximum out sole durability
ACTEVA™ LITE premium lightweight mid sole provides optimal resistance to compression set - 24% lighter than standard foam
N-ERGY® provides NB's most advanced shock absorption and cushioning
Blown rubber outsole is extremely flexible, light, and helps provide cushioning
Abzorb® Strobel Board runs full length of shoe to maximize shock absorption and comfort
Synthetic/mesh upper provides lightweight comfort and support
STABILITY WEB® delivers mid foot support and reduces the weight of the shoe
 
Shoe performance
Although product descriptions tend to run good the real challenge is how the product actually performs. Thankfully in the case of the New Balance M880 all the above technical jargon seems to come to life when I slip on and run with these shoes!

The synthetic upper parts are in Blue and Silver (in my case) holds up the shoe while mostly the mesh covering take prominence in the upper portion of the shoe. The mesh which runs in the front. sides and back provide a lot of breath-ability and ensures longer runs without sweat build up.

There's just enough cushion in the inside for the feet to feel comfortable and the arc support is great..probably the STABILITY WEB® kicking into life. This is actually a rubber mesh like structure in the mid sole :)

The out sole does not have rugged deep grooves in the New Balance M880, which is one other reason I preferred the shoe.  Deep grooves in the out sole mean tiny bits of rock can embed in the shoe when running outdoors. This makes you stop and remove the rock bits which is annoying and a hindrance. Fortunately the out sole of this shoe does not have deep grooves and unlikely for rocks to get embedded while doing outdoor/trail runs.

If you need comparison of other shoes check out my below reviews

Steve Madden PALLOW Shoes for Men

New Balance 870 Shoes for Men

Skechers Adrenaline - Rush Shoes for Men

Puma El Rey Trainer Shoes for Men

Recommend this product? Yes