New Balance WR1012 vs. New Balance WR1123 review

New Balance WR1012 is a durable motion control running shoe built for the severe overpronator with stabilicore and stability web in the midsole to provide excellent stability and motion control. New Balance WR1123 is a high mileage trainer, which offers maximum motion control, stability and cushioning to runners or walkers with low arches. Learn how these two running shoes differ and in which areas they are similar.

In two previous articles I wrote about the New Balance WR1012 and the New Balance WR1123 motion control running shoes for women.

The New Balance WR1012 is the flagship motion control running shoe from New Balance, so one would expect it to be superior to the New Balance WR1123. Let's compare these two New Balance motion control running shoes and take a look at where they are similar and how they are different.

Looking at the New Balance WR1012 and the New Balance WR1123 side-by-side gives a good comparison of the two motion control running shoes.

Both running shoes have a plate in the midsole to control overpronation, which puts them in the motion control running shoes category, but the New Balance WR1123 uses an older technology called a Rollbar. The New Balance WR1012, which is the successor of the New Balance WR1011 has an upgraded technology for motion control called Stabilicore and Stability Web.

The uppers of the New Balance WR1012 and the New Balance WR1123 both consist of breathable mesh with synthetic overlays, but the New Balance WR1123 has slightly more synthetic overlays than the New Balance WR1012, so is expected to give your feet a more secure fit, but less air than the New Balance WR1012.

Where locking down of your feet on the platform is concerned, the New Balance WR1123 has an NLock external support system, which ensures that the shoe is pulled snugly around your midfoot, while the New Balance WR1012 has a Lockdown Liner integrated into the lacing system to provide a custom fit. If you ask me, I'd say that the New Balance WR1123 would give you a more tighter fit than the New Balance WR1012.

If we now look at the outsoles of both New Balance motion control running shoes, we can see that the New balance WR1123 has durable rubber almost all over the entire outsole, while this rubber is placed on the heel and on the outsides of the forefeet on the New Balance WR1012. This means that the New Balance WR1123 might last longer and give you more mileage.

But if you look at the shape of the two outsoles, you can see that the outsole of the New Balance WR1012 more closely follows the natural shape of a foot, while that of the New Balance WR1123 is more linear, so more suitable for people with low arches or flat feet. The shape of the outsoles also means that the New Balance WR1012 is more suitable as a running shoe, while the New Balance WR1123 could serve you well as a gym shoe or walking shoe.

Both the New Balance WR1012 and New Balance WR1123 are expected to provide you with an equal amount of flexibility in the forefoot area, although the New Balance WR1123 might be a bit more flexible up to the toes, because it has many smaller flex grooves in that area.

But the New Balance WR1012 is expected to absorb more shock in the heel area and not have this shock transfer to your midfoot and forefoot areas, thereby providing you with a more comfortable ride when running.

The New Balance WR1123 weighs approximately 11.6 oz (329 grams), while the New Balance WR1012 weighs approximately 11.4 oz (323 grams), so is 0.2 oz (6 grams) lighter than the New Balance WR1123 when you compare motion control running shoes by weight.

If you're looking for a Medicare diabetic shoe that is flexible and provides pronation control in addition to a secure fit, then the New Balance WR1123 would be the motion control shoe to go with.

If you are looking for a slightly lighter motion control running shoe, which uses more modern technology for providing stability and pronation control, is more suitable for running, and gives you a comfortable ride, then the New Balance WR1012 might be the running shoe for you.

The suggested retail running shoe price of the New Balance WR1123 is US $147.99, which is approximately US $18 more expensive than the New Balance WR1012, which costs around US $129.99 when you compare motion control running shoes by price.

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.