New Balance 871 Kicks Boot Camp’s Butt

Like many of you, I love a good boot camp-style class. But my regular running shoes aren’t quite the right fit for the side-to-side movements and jumping. Well, say hello to my pretty new pal, the New Balance 871. It’s a lightweight (8.5 oz) trainer specifically designed to kick fitness boot camp’s butt. Or allow you to kick some butt, anyway.

What makes it different? There’s major reinforcement in the upper, which, for someone who was plagued with ankle injuries in high school, is totally reassuring—when I go to make a quick move (stop laughing, I have quick moves), I truly feel the shoe holding my foot in place. Plus, there’s a funky little pivot point on the bottom designed to make turning on a dime a little easier. And, let’s talk laces for a second—New Balance has these great, uhh, lumpy laces that hold much better than traditional shoelaces. Considering the only thing I hate more than stopping to retie a shoe is stopping to correct an “underwear situation,” this is a very, very good thing.

I’ve worn these for a variety of workouts, ranging from an 8.6-mile charity walk, a considerably shorter run, and several types of boot camp-esque classes and videos, and the verdict is in. They’re cute, comfortable (seriously, no blisters at all) and offer amazing support. This is what I call a go-to shoe for sure! —Kristen