New Balance Men's Rollbar 856 V1 Cross Trainer

Not made or marketed for tennis, this shoe seems very suitable still. When you're a semi-serious recreational player with EEE feet (and, in my case, 250 lbs. atop them) a durable, wide, supportive shoe is a must. I went for the 4E since New Balance does not do a 3E, and truth told the 4E is a pretty cavernous toe box. But rigorous tennis and my weight means that my feet swell some in the heat of vigorous contest, so I expect the tad extra room will be needed (I'll report back if wrong about that, since I have only worn them around the house so far).What else? They're a little heavy, and mildly stiffer than many athletic shoes, but VERY comfortable. And the arch is a bit higher than expected---which is ideal for my freakish feet.For tennis players who care: I spent a lot of time reading reviews on New Balance tennis shoes, since they're the only game in town for 3EEE fellas like myself (or gals)---and too many of those reviews were mixed for my comfort. That may be because players with monster wide feet like mine are often longtime New Balance buyers, and more than a few report that some of the newer New Balance tennis shoes aren't made quite as well as they used to be. Seems maybe NB has been skimping on costs/QA in that segment, since their buyers are kinda locked in (no other maker does wide--EEE or wider--tennis shoes, AFAIK).I figured that while heavier (like me) the NB cross training shoes were likely more durable and part of a much more competitive market segment---thus a greater incentive for quality design and manufacture than perhaps applies to the relatively tiny "tennis shoe" market. So far, that seems true.Hope that's helpful.

My husband's favorite tennis shoe of all time. These keep his Plantar Fasciitis from flaring up; he wears them all day- every day and usually gets a year out of them. We have purchased this exact same shoe 4 times in a row now - that's how much he loves them. In addition to the good arch support for the PF, they are genuine leather so they breath and don't get stinky. He wears 13DD (wide) and these fit true to size. A great shoe!!

I try to buy American products whenever I can. I understand that it will cost more but I figure the quality makes up for it. I bought a pair of New balance 856 cross trainers and was initially pleased with the fit and how they felt. I noticed that they are only assembled in the USA from imported materials which was a little disappointing. The real issue came after less than 2 months when one of the seams split. I've never had that happen even with much cheaper sneakers. I contacted NB. They were polite and apologetic and said they would send me a shipping tag to return the old shoes and that they would issue me a $119.99 credit. I returned the old ones and ordered new ones. Here's where the bigger issue of integrity comes into play. Now that they have my money for the new shoes and I've returned the old ones they are refusing to issue a credit to my card. They will only give me credit on a future purchase. They gave me some non sense about how their procedure don't allow the credit on the pair I just purchased. After all, I did need something to wear since I returned the old ones. I've bought thousands of products over the years and fortunately I've had relatively few problems and when I did virtually every company has done the right thing. This time they didn't. I'm disappointed in the quality of these shoes but I'm even more disappointed in the way New Balance has handled the situation. Do yourself a favor....DON'T spend the extra money on New Balance. Buy the $40-$50 sneakers and when they wear out after a year or two you won't feel too bad.Mark Halkin

I purchased two pairs of NB MX856 because they are being discontinued. New Balance is notorious in changing models that work for so many to "improve" them. The replacement for the MX856 is now the MX857. Of course. I am victim of plantar fasciitis and pes planus (flat feet) at the same time. My podiatrist recommended NB shoes. We decided on the old NB 845 with molded inserts. In a month, this combination eliminated my foot pain. NB then discontinued the 845 model with their 846 and 847. I wasted money on those "improvement" models. In two weeks, I started getting blisters and foot pain. They went to a nonprofit. The MX856 fits a tad bit large for me, but they are perfect when jogging and walking on the tread and elliptical. Once these shoes end their efficiency (4-5 months for each) I will begin the search for another model that works. Good luck.

Okay, I've had a few New Balance shoes over the years and I love the walking and hiking shoes, as well as the trainers and cross-trainers. The running shoes are another story, they fit well but they are 'cantilevered' for any inward pronation that a runner might experience, so, if you're not going to run, get one of the former, much better for walking and exercising. I love these MX856 training shoes, they're great for diabetics, are comfortable and fit and wear well. The black ones are very nice, you can pretty much wear them with anything, unless you just gotta have the white/blue ones. Make sure you get the right sizing. I normally wear a 10 and a half, 2E, but I ordered the 11 and a half, 4E, and they have plenty of room without being too loose (in fact they fit snug but just right). Remember that if you wear them all day, your feet will expand into them and the 'extra' room is welcomed. Highly recommended. Thank you.

This is a great shoe, I've used them for years since they were called by a different model name. Only thing is, my new pair has an odd defect in the LH shoe, it feels as if some thread is bunched up under the cloth, a manufacturing defect. Makes me wonder if New Balance sends Amazon the "B" stock. Didn't subtract a star for that.My major complaint about these shoes is that they really wear out fast. I don't even run in them, I just can't seem to get a single pair to last more than a year. They're also a little bit "hot" in the summer, although in the winter and the rain, the extra protection is appreciated. These are consistent shoes and quite comfortable overall, so I will continue to buy them. Price is a bit steep also.