New Balance Fresh Foam BB Review 2023

Here is the summary of the New Balance Fresh Foam BB Review. For a detailed review, continue reading!

Overall Rating

83%

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Traction

90%

Cushion

85%

Material

80%

Support

90%

Fit & Lock

90%

Outdoor & Durability

80%

Comfort

60%

User Reviews

85%

Expert Reviews

90%

Our Verdict

Detailed New Balance Fresh Foam BB Review

New Balance Fresh Foam BB has used Fresh Foam technology for the first time in their basketball shoes. It was initially used in running shoes, and its step-in comfort and super cosy feel are unmatchable.

Moreover, its support pattern draws you towards wearing them more often. The ankle pillows, lateral support and containment are all been excellent.

Moreover, its association with Zach Lavine and lightweight silhouette are the other things that you will definitely enjoy about the shoe. 

Keep reading because I will tell you the entire Fresh Foam BB performance review outdoors and indoors.

You can check our top 10 recommendations for Best Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support here

1. Traction:

New Balance Fresh Foam BB has a distinctive traction pattern, and like most experts, I loved the crazy bite of Fresh Foam BB. the translucent outsole has numerous geometric circular patterns. Grooves are thicker than the average basketball shoe outsole contains. 

I had solid stops on the indoor clean courts, and no shoe right now is giving better traction than Fresh Foam BB. 

I think the tiny hollow spaces between the circular pattern in the forefoot create a suction effect. That ultimately allows the traction pattern to stick better and grip better. However, its outsole attracts dust quite easily. So it’s a great performer on the clean basketball court. On a dusty court, you must frequently wipe the outsole.

2. Cushion: 

New Balance Fresh Foam BB has a full-length Fresh Foam cushioning in the midsole. The concave and convex shapes of tiny integrated fresh foam cushions are lightweight and responsive.

Its step-in comfort is fantastic. The cushion feels soft and pleasant under the feet. It’s such cushioning that it gives a solid push-up force combined with the midfoot shank plate. 

The cushion gives a good amount of responsiveness and impact protection on crash landings. The bounce and jump force that it gives is more than most sneakers. I get a decent jump height. So it’s an excellent cushion.

Related: New Balance Two Wxy V2 Review 

3. Material:

New Balance used its Fitweave upper material on the Fresh Foam BB basketball sneakers. The fit weave is mesh material which is much stronger than an ordinary fabric wrapping the shoe. 

The sides have synthetic overlays as well as the ankle eyelets area has a patch of synthetic overlay for re-enforcement.

Suede material covers the back of the shoe, which looks cheap. On top of it, there is a tough plastic piece that acts as an external heel counter.

The material is durable and not stiff at all. It does not rub the toes or create any discomfort. Instead, with its nice padding and Acullies pillows, which are super soft and durable to give you comfort and longevity.

4. Support: 

I loved its support and lockdown features. Hence I strongly recommend them as one of the best basketball shoes for ankle support.

The shoe material contains the foot perfectly. I had no containment issue. Fresh Foam BB has a shank plate which is top-loaded, and it gives the shoe a certain stiffness. So your foot muscle and tendon would get sufficient torsional support.

The ankle area is super protected by the extra eyelets going to the ankle area. You get a tight hugging when you tie the laces until the last eyelet, and the Achilles pillows hug the sides for a secure and comfortable lockdown. 

The back of the shoe has both internal and external heel counters. The New Balance Fresh Foam BB has a plastic piece running on the sides that keep the foam contained in the footbed. So that provides you excellent lateral stability on the side-to-side move. 

Overall it’s a top-tier stability and support pattern, and new balance has always done a great job in this department. 

Check out our guide about: Can You Play Basketball In New Balance?

5. Fit:

Fresh Foam BB fits true to size. Only very wide feet players should go half-size up. Otherwise, it’s a comfortable kind of snug fir basketball shoe that does not hurt the  feet length or sides. It gives you a one-on-one fit with comfortable hugging feel. So just go true to size, or if you have doubts, then buy both true to size and the one that is a half size bigger than the actual size. Then keep the one that fits you best.

6. Looks / Appearance/ Colorways:

 New Balance Fresh Foam BB’s aesthetics are good. There is nothing that I disliked. It is currently available in two colourways on the official retail shop: Quartz grey with black and neon dragonfly and Black with vibrant sky and true red. 

I expect more colourways to drop soon. The looks on both colourways are nice.

7. Outdoor/Durability:

Fresh Foam BB has a durable and thick rubber outsole. It’s definitely a great option for outdoor use. It’s durable and going to have a solid grip on outdoor surfaces. 

But it picks up dust on dusty outdoor surfaces. So if you are going to wear them on a dusty outdoor court then you are going to have a hard time wiping them over and over again. But it’s great for clean outdoor basketball courts. Also, these are durable with a Fitweave upper and thick rubber outsole.  

Check out: New Balance Kawhi 2 Review

8. Breathability/Ventilation: 

New Balance Fresh Foam BB is wrapped in a soft layer of cushioning beneath its upper material. That fulfils the comfort needs, but it has reduced the breathability to a certain degree. So its not completely non–breathable like leather and suede uppers. 

But you will get average breathability. Ensure you wear them in less hot weather to maintain stamina throughout the game.

9. User Review

Fresh Foam BB is getting good user feedback. So it has got a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from users around the world. 

10. Expert Review

1-Kentavious Wilcox

“If you are gonna wear on any court, indoor or outdoor, its gonna shine. The areas where this shoes is gonna shoe shine is its support and traction. Support is on the level of Kyrie’s.”

2-The Sole Drop

“The bite on the dusty court, is not good but on the clean court its the best performer. The material is thin and lightweight. New Balance Fresh Foam BB is responsive and has a soft cushion. Support and fit is amazing. I would definitely recommend this sneaker.”

3-Foot Doctor Zach

“You are gonna get easy rebounds and alot of easy jumpshots. If you someone who need to race, stop on a dime and stepback then you might be sliding into their player.”

4-Soled Out review

“Its definitely the shoe that i would recommend. These are light weight  structure, the foam and traction, i loved it as its great for side to side cuts. Only thing that is not good is its support. If you want a sneaker with tons of support, then its might not be the best option.”