The new New Balance Fresh Foam Tempo is the continuation of the successful Zante saga with the latest evolution of the star compound of the american brand, called Fresh Foam X. It seems unclear whether the choice of the Tempo trade name is the most appropriate because surely more than one knows the mythical saga for Adidas pronators (whose latest exponent is the Adizero Tempo 9) and it is also scheduled to launch both the Brooks Hyperion Tempo for late February 2020 and the Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% for summer 2020. Beyond sharing a name, at least they are all mixed sneakers.
It does not look like its predecessor Fresh Foam Zante Pursuit met the expectations set from New Balance and opted to make a more consistent shoe, in fact this Fresh Foam Tempo is 20% heavier, although it is in the average of its rivals. The upper is made of highly breathable Hypoknit™ stretch fabric and the foot support for better motion transmission has been improved with the combination of stitched midfoot reinforcements that are certainly reminiscent of the premium Fresh Foam 1080 v10 and a synthetic structure in the rear that gives an extra consistency to the whole.
The imposing midsole of the Fresh Foam Tempo maintains the 6 mm of drop and is entirely made of a Fresh Foam X that plays with geometry and laser-cut perforations to offer the best performance and balance the ratio between cushioning and responsiveness. The outsole has been completely renewed and has three differentiated zones, using a specific rubber both front and rear and leaving the middle zone with the Fresh Foam X in sight. The cleats are made up of hexagons that vary both in size and proportion to adapt to the needs of the area where they are located.
