Brooks Addiction 9 vs. New Balance 850 review
Learn what the difference is between Brooks Addiction 9 and New Balance 850 in this review, and compare prices to find the best deal.
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In two previous articles I wrote about the Brooks Addiction 9 and the New Balance WR850 motion control running shoes for women.
The Brooks Addiction 9 is a running shoe from Brooks that is comparable to the New Balance WR817, so it should differ quite a bit from the New Balance WR850 from New Balance. Let's compare them and take a look at where these two running shoes are similar and how they differ.
Looking at the Brooks Addiction 9 and the New Balance WR850 side-by-side gives a good comparison of the two motion control running shoes.
It is immediately visible that the midsoles of both running shoes contain a plate to control over-pronation so can be classified as motion control running shoes. In the Brooks Addiction 9 it is called a Rollbar, while in the New Balance WR 850 it is called Stabilicore.
Both running shoes consist of a breathable mesh upper with strategically placed synthetic overlays for a secure fit. However, the New Balance WR850 consists of slightly more overlays especially around the mid foot area in addition to having an N-Lock external support system, so is expected to give you a more snug fit than the Brooks Addiction 9 around the mid foot.
On the other hand, there is an overlay running from the rear foot to the forefoot in the Brooks Addiction 9, which the New Balance WR 850 does not have, so the Brooks Addiction 9 is expected to give you a tighter fit from heel to toe.
Now looking at the outsoles we can see that they differ a lot between the two running shoes. The contour of the outsole of the New Balance WR850 follows the natural shape of normal feet, while the outsole of the Brooks Addiction 9 does not and is much straighter. Therefore, the Brooks Addiction 9 would be better suited as a walking or gym shoe, and the New Balance WR850 more as a running shoe.
Another difference in the outsoles is the location of the durable rubber. The durable rubber tends to be located all over the outsole of the Brooks Addiction 9, while it is located on the outsides of the heels and insides of the forefeet on the New Balance WR850.
This means that if you tend to run and then land on the outsides of your heels and then transition to and push off with the insides of your forefeet and big toe, then the New Balance WR850 would provide you with a better support in those two areas and last longer while accommodating your running style.
The New Balance WR850 weighs approximately 10.2 oz (289 grams), while the Brooks Addiction 9 weighs approximately 10.6 oz (301 grams), so is 0.4 oz (12 grams) heavier than the New Balance WR850.
If you're looking for a light motion control running shoe that is flexible and provides pronation control in addition to a comfortable ride and a secure fit around your mid foot, then the New Balance WR850 would be the running shoe to go with.
If you can live with running in a slightly heavier motion control running shoe and are looking for an environmentally friendly running shoe, which provides good stability, pronation control, and a secure fit from heel to toe, then the Brooks Addiction 9 might be the shoe for you.
The suggested retail running shoe price of the New Balance WR850 is US $114.99, which is almost US $15 more expensive than the Brooks Addiction 9, which costs around US $100.
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Disclaimer: This running shoe review on www.motioncontrolrunningshoe.org is based on personal research and analysis, and is not claimed to be accurate and/or complete. While the information presented in this review is intended to help you better understand the differences between running shoes, we shall not be held liable for any purchasing decisions you make based on this information. Please use your own good judgment before making a purchase. The owner of this website receives a small compensation whenever you buy a product after clicking a product link on this website; that's how we keep this site online. Read our full disclaimer.