2013. A New Year. A New Year’s Revolution. A new training regime. A new you?

Now that may sound familiar it may not be a guarantee or last the distance but one thing is for sure.

No New Year fitness plan can commence without a sparkling new pair of running shoes to give you that all important motivation to put down the Christmas leftovers and get active.

And sport-Locker.net is happy to abide by this rule with the New Balance Limited Edition 1260V2 our trusty sidekick in the fight against the recently devoured festive feast!

Appearance / First impressions

As with all upgrades, the immediate question to ask is: what new features do we get now that we didn’t have before?

And the answer in the case of the evolution of the New Balance 1260V2 is quite subtle.

That is largely due to the fact that the 1260 was very popular and very effective piece of running kit.

Apart from a fresh new look and colourway, the major evolutionary feature is that the shoe is lower to the ground with the intention of giving the wearer greater feel and control on the road.

The price that these running shoes pay for offering stability for the moderate over pronator is that they look slightly bulkier than many of the lightweight models on the market.

But weighing in at just 372 grams, they feel light and instantly comfortable.

Tech Talk

The 1260V2 is loaded with four major tech features all exclusive to New Balance and all with suitably exotic names:

1. ABZORB®

2. Ndurance®

3. ACTEVA™ LITE

4. Stabilicore®

These features combine to provide a running shoe that performs well from the off with a high level of comfort.

Comfort

As a self-proclaimed stability shoe you would expect some extra support and cushioning. And with the ACTEVA LITE technology that is exactly what you get.

Cleverly this additional comfort feature does not come at the expense of too much excess weight. This is courtesy of some clever manufacturing. The foam that provides the cushioning is 24% lighter than standard foam giving the wearer luxury without the additional load.

Having worn and play-tested some lighter, racier models in the recent past, what is particularly noticeable about the 1260 V2 is smooth ride you get because of the ABZORB technology that does exactly what it says on the tin…absorbing much of the shock as the foot comes into contact with the most unforgiving of surfaces.

Performance

Having recently suffered with a bad case of ‘Runner’s Knee’, it has been on the agenda to shift the impact point on the sole of my feet from the heel towards the ball.

This is not the most natural of transitions but the 1260V2’s Stabilicore technology has offered some assistance. It is labelled as a ‘medial support system’ and translates in performance, almost as a roller that smoothes the transition from back to front edging you forward and encouraging your forward momentum, which is never a bad thing when the miles rack up.

Talking of endurance or ‘Ndurance’ we have been promised that the rubber compound that makes up the outsole is particularly durable. Only time and miles on the clock will tell but the first impressions are good with flexibility at a high level.

The Verdict

The New Balance 1260V2 may not be the sleekest model on the shelf but what they lack in finesse they more than make up for in performance with cushioning, support and stability all scoring particularly highly.

So if your gait analysis indicates that you are a moderate overpronator look no further.

But as a limited edition model, inevitably you’ll have to get a jog on…

What are your impressions of the New Balance Limited Edition 1260V2? Do you wear them? If so, please leave a comment below or on our Twitter and Facebook pages letting us know what you think of them.