New Balance 1296 Tennis Shoes

I have generally had good luck with New Balance tennis shoes, so when it came time to buy a new pair, I looked at the New Balance latest offerings. The New Balance tennis offerings are divided into stability and cushioning shoes. since I try to keep my feet moving (I’ve been listening to my tennis coach) and trying to cover the court as much as possible. I have had previous history of rolling my ankle so I figured I’d choose from the stability line. Besides the features, the other main reason I chose the New Balance 1296 were the available colors. I chose the Blue with Orange color. I’m also a Mets fan and this color represented my favorite baseball team perfectly. Listed below are the features of the 1296:

New Balance 1296 Tennis Shoes

  • S-Curve technology for lateral support.
  • Ndurance forefoot cage
  • long-wearing drag tip
  • Non-marking outsole
  • No-sew material application
  • Synthetic/mesh upper
  • ACTEVAâ„¢ LITE 24% lighter than New Balance’s standard compression molded foam for optimal compression set properties.
  • Rubber compound for maximum durability used in high wear areas.

Ordering and shipping from Newbalance.com was very easy and straightforward. I received the shoes a few days after ordering and was excited to try them on. Unfortunately, that is where my excitement ended. The NB 1296 offer a superior stable feeling, but they are very narrow. Much narrower than the New Balance regular fit that I am accustomed to. I originally ordered the regular width. Because of how narrow these shoes are, I probably should have ordered the wide width but I am not sure if it would have made a difference or not.

Unfortunately, I had to pack them up and return for a refund. Fortunately, the New Balance return procedure is also very easy and straightforward. A return label was provided and the refund issued to the credit card I used for payment. Once I returned the NB1296, I ordered a different pair of New Balance Tennis shoes, hoping that they would fit much better. The replacement order, a pair of New Balance 996’s were perfect. Look for an upcoming review on those shoes at a later date.

Pro:

These shoes really look good!

New Balance return policy makes returns super easy

Con:

They are more narrow than normal

Not sure if the extra width would help

Click the shoe reviews link to read more of our shoe reviews. 

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