New Balance - Fresh Foam X 880v15 GORE-TEX®

I've always just used NB 880 GTX (Gore-Tex), I'll be getting the newest version this winter. My current ones have 1000km on them and look pretty new still, winters are much easier on wear/tear it feels. I usually wear them with a thicker winter sock in my usual runner size, and they fit well still. I find regular summer runners let too much heat out without some type of weatherproofing, and at that point you might as well get something Gore-Tex

Neo Zen have an accommodating toe box & large volume upper. They're very light for the amount of cushioning you get. They're 6 mm drop. They're very soft & bouncy though so if you don't like soft shoes may want to look at something else. New Balance 880 v15, & 1080 v14 are 6 mm, but runrepeat measured them at 4 mm. New Balance shoes usually have good toebox room. Glycerin max are 6 mm drop & I've read feel less than that, but are 305 g so might be too heavy for you since you mentioned lightweight.

Have you tried the NB 880 v15? I have flat foot, and don't overpronate much but I like a firmer more supportive shoe. The new NB 880 fits the bill but it's a bit too much stack for me. Although I love the lower drop. The Brooks Ghost is even firmer, stiffer and more supportive. Foam feels much less clunky than the 880 v15 and more grounded, but I feel like the heel height/drop is higher than I like. Seems like my foot lands better in a lower drop shoe.

I'm a beginner meaning that I run around 80k per month or usually 2 runs per week - one 10k and another 10k or 15k. I think that having 2 do it all daily trainer are the way to go. One more plush and high stacked and one a bit more versatile that can be a bit more speedy but is still mostly a daily trainer. Additionally I have a speed shoe that tbh I really don't need at that point. I try to stay away from buying too many shoes until I actually become better. New Balance 880v15s is a great high stack shoes. Maybe buy another daily trainer with a lower stack that can also be a work horse but can pick up the pace a little more.

The 880v15 are wider in the midfoot than the 1080. I got the 4E and it’s nice, actual footbed is wider not just a sloppy huge upper. The asics wide kayanos are good too but give a lot of extra upper and volume. I’ve been marathon training with wide feet and I rotate the kayano and skyward x.

I am a bigger runner 250+ lbs sz 11.5 2e/4e foot that doesnt mind squeezing my feet into regular width sz 12 shoes. For wide options I definitely would look into the following: My daily runner is the Asics Novablast 5 and that comes in wide. This is probably my most used shoe. New Balance More v5, 880 v15, 1080 v14 all come in 4e - I enjoyed the 880 the most out of these New Balance SC Elite v4 comes in 2e (v5 if you can wait a month will come in wide as well) - this one is my comfort race day shoe Saucony Hurricane comes in 2e which I enjoy however this has been replaced by the Vomero 18 in regular width. That toebox is very wide for being a regular width shoe

I have the 1080v14 and the 880v15. I’m 195lbs at 6’2. The 880 is firmer but man sizing is all over the place. They run short compared to my 1080s. The 1080s are very very comfortable but just a tad too soft for me.

There are more options to choose from in the 4-6 mm range. My long distance low drop (4 mm) shoe of choice is the New Balance More series. If you're looking for a highly cushioned, inherently stable, and plush ride, it's worth a look. Ran a 50k in them. New Balance trainers typically have a 6 mm drop, but from my experience, their trainers run like low drop shoes. The heels of their shoes get out of my way and encourage a midfoot strike. 1080 v14, 880 v15, and Rebel v5 are 6mm drop. 1080 is their soft daily trainer, 880 is a firmer and balanced daily, and the Rebel is a light daily trainer. Hoka has been known for their signature 5 mm drop, although some models have increased to 8 mm. I've run in several of their 5 mm shoes. The sinking feeling in the heel makes the drop feel lower. The Mach 6, Skyflow, and Bondi give me that sensation. The Skyflow strikes the middle ground between the lighter and faster Mach, and the heavy max cushioned Bondi.

There aren't too many 4mm options that fit wide and run similar to Ghost. Altra features wide toe boxes. The Experience Flow 2 and FWD VIA are 4mm drop. New Balance are available in multiple widths. The More v5 features a 4mm drop and a very wide platform, but it's a max stacked and heavy shoe. 1080 v14 and 880 v15 are 6mm. The 1080 is cushy while the 880 has a firmer ride that is similar to Ghost. If you are ok running in a mild stability shoe, the Vongo v6 is lower stacked like Ghost. I personally love New Balance and each shoe I mentioned helps me to achieve a midfoot strike, especially the Vongo.

I've run in Kayanos since the earliest versions. I've also run in Clifton, Bondi, 880, 860, and Ghost. Since you're looking for a durable shoe, you can rule out Hoka and NB. I love NB personally, but durability wise you can't beat Brooks.

For your weight, the 1080s are absolute couches. Don't get me wrong, the shoe is great. One of the best New Balance shoes in decades. But I think you'd be better off with a much lighter shoe. For example, the ‘smaller’ 880 v15. If you want an even lighter shoe, try the Rebel v5. As you're a light runner, this very soft and very light shoe would be a dream for you. This shoe would also be great for recovery runs.

I’ve been running and walking in New Balance 880’s double wide for a few years. Before that was Asics Cumulus and various Hokas, but the best has been NB.