New Balance Minimus TR BOA Review | Innovative Training Shoes Or a Miss?

New Balance Minimus TR BOA Pros

After extensively testing and reviewing the New Balance Minimus TR BOA, I found a few key things to like about this shoe’s performance.

1. Super Lightweight and Breathable
2. Strong Performer for Heavy Lifting and Athletic Training
3. BOA System Is Convenient and Easy to Use

The first thing to like about the New Balance Minimus TR BOA is how lightweight and breathable this model is. This shoe has a weight of 8.35 oz for my size 10 model, and the mesh upper promotes breathability when training.

The PerformFit™ Wrap Upper gives this shoe a low-profile and sock-like fit which could be hit or miss for lifters and athletes. I like training shoes with snugger fits, but I know that’s not a feature for everyone.

If you like training shoes with almost a cleat-like or sock-like fit and feel, then you’ll enjoy this model’s upper and how it hugs the foot. This model nails the “minimalist” fit and vibe some lifters and athletes prefer. It almost reminds me of the Nike Metcon 4’s fit.

The second thing to like about New Balance Minimus TR BOA is their performance for heavy lifting and athletic training. This model had no issues accommodating my stability tests which included 460 lb Hatfield squats and 455 lb deadlifts.

The flatter and more minimalist sole give you a nice amount of ground contact and feedback, which was also a perk for lifting. Plus, if you’re a lifter who likes zero-drop shoes, I think you’ll resonate well with this shoe’s lifting performance.

For athletic-style training, I enjoyed the lightweight nature of this shoe and how it moved well with my feet when being explosive and tackling multi-directional work. This shoe’s sole articulates pretty well and the outsole provides a nice level of grip.

My final perk and thing to like with this shoe is the BOA lacing system. I love BOA lacing systems because, at times, I admit, I can be lazy with unlacing and re-lacing my shoes.

The BOA system made taking and putting on these shoes easy and it did a good job of giving you a nice level of security when tightened. If you like the BOA lacing system, I could see you enjoying this feature on the Minimus TR BOA.

New Balance Minimus TR BOA Cons

Despite enjoying the New Balance Minimus TR BOA’s performance for certain workouts, I also found a few cons with this model to keep in mind before investing.

1. Long-Term Durability Could Be An Issue
2. Not Great for Wide Feet

The first and main drawback I have with the New Balance Minimus TR BOA is its long-term durability. I feel like this shoe is so close to being awesome, but there are lacking construction areas that need to be improved.

For example, some of the features feel like an afterthought with this model and two examples include the heel clip and midfoot outsole wrap. Both of these features feel pretty “meh” regarding their construction and security.

On my right shoe, I’ve already started to experience some lipping with the outsole wrap due to stress from rope climbs. This is less than optimal, especially considering this model’s price. This feature should be reworked and made more secure before I recommend them for serious CrossFit.

I also feel the upper construction could use more reinforcement around the toe box and midfoot. I get that this shoe is trying to be as minimal as possible, however, that shouldn’t come at the cost of clear durability issues.

The second drawback with this model is its overall width. This shoe’s width is pretty narrow through the midfoot and toe box, which is problematic for two reasons.

First, the lack of width could be a big issue for those with wider feet, especially with this model’s sock-like fit. I could see this model feeling like it’s suffocating wider feet.

Second, I noticed some foot overhang on the medial side of the shoe. This is due to this model’s super thin midfoot sole, my foot width, and fairly high arch. If you depend on medial side walls when training, then I think you’ll loathe this aspect of the Minimus TR BOA.

New Balance: If you’re reading this, if you made this shoe wider and fixed some of the durability issues, you’d have a seriously strong model for training. I feel there’s so much potential in the Minimus cross-training shoe line, but various things hold it back.

Performance

To cover the performance of the New Balance Minimus TR BOA, I will break this section into a few parts. I’m going to talk about this model performs for CrossFit, lifting, versatile training, short runs, and daily wear.

If you’re considering this model, hopefully, this section can help you better understand if this shoe’s performance aligns well with your training needs.

Testing the New Balance Minimus TR BOA for Lifting and CrossFit

In the context of lifting, I enjoyed the overall performance of the New Balance Minimus TR BOA. This model excelled for heavier squats, deadlifts, and cleans, and it provided a nice level of stability across the board.

I used a heavy Hatfield squat triple at 460 lbs to gauge midsole compression to test this shoe’s stability in squats. The midsole didn’t have any glaring issues with compression, so if you want this shoe for heavy training, you should be fine doing so in them.

My only gripe with this model, along with some of my strength work, involved the lack of medial midfoot support. I noticed at times that my foot’s arch would hang over the medial outsole wrap of the midfoot.

This could be something to consider if you need more midfoot/arch support when lifting. Other than that, though, I enjoyed the zero-drop construction of this shoe and how grounded it felt when lifting.

This model did a pretty good job for most workouts for CrossFit and CrossFit-style workouts. For example, I liked how this model performed for cleans, dumbbell unders, and kettlebell snatches.

From a dynamic training point of view, this model did an exceptional job, and if you like zero-drop shoes, they’ll resonate well with you. My gripe with this model is its durability for rope climbs. This shoe features a medial and lateral outsole wrap around the midfoot which is used to support rope climbs.

This feature helps with your performance from a grip standpoint, but the wrap on one of my models is already starting to peel off. Honestly, this feature feels like an afterthought and needs to be reworked.

Testing the New Balance Minimus TR BOA for Versatile Training

For the most part, I like how the New Balance Minimus TR BOA performs for versatile training. More specifically, I like this model for this training style for three key reasons.

First, I like the blend of stability and responsiveness with this shoe’s midsole and outsole. The outsole provides a nice “bounce” and a fair amount of stability for heavy training. The outsole also helps with some stability and has a good level of grip.

Second, I like how lightweight this shoe is and its sock-like fit. This model has a weight of 8.35 oz (for my size 10) which is super lightweight for a cross-training shoe. The sock-like fit also gives this shoe a nice “athletic” fit and feel.

Third and lastly, I like the BOA lacing system. BOA systems aren’t for everyone, however, if you do typically like this feature in shoes, then I think you’ll enjoy this model. The BOA system gives this shoe a nice level amount of security throughout.

My main gripe with this shoe for this training context, which I mentioned above, is the lack of midfoot support on the medial side. If you have a wide foot or need more arch support, I could see this model feeling pretty uncomfortable for you for versatile training.

Testing the New Balance Minimus TR BOA for Short Runs and Daily Wear

In the context of running, the New Balance Minimus TR BOA will be best served for short runs. If you have runs programmed in your WODs, want this model for speed work, or run under one mile, they’ll work just fine.

For long runs, I’d steer clear of this model and suggest opting for shoes that are much more specific to that training context. This model will likely feel pretty uncomfortable for runs longer than a mile.

I’d suggest limiting the use of the New Balance Minimus TR BOA for daily wear. Since this shoe is so minimalist in nature, I think you’ll get more out of its lifespan if you save using them for your workouts.

Don’t get me wrong, this model is pretty comfortable. However, with their higher price point and the durability concerns I have with this shoe, I think it’s the safer call to keep this model to workouts only.

New Balance Minimus TR BOA Sizing

The sizing for the New Balance Minimus TR BOA is interesting. This model has a sock-like fit, which means different foot anatomies should size this model differently based on your preferences.

If you have a narrow or neutral/normal-width foot and like a snugger fit, then you should be safe going true to size in this model. If you have a neutral-width foot and like a little room at the end of your toe box, then size up a half size.

If you have a wider foot and enjoy snugger-fitting shoes, you’ll want to size up a half size. However, this model does run fairly narrow, so if you have wide feet, tread lightly when looking into this model. You may want to pass on these and explore wide-feet-friendly shoes instead.

• New Balance Minimus TR BOA Sizing Thoughts: Narrow/Neutral-width feet go true to size. For more toe box room, size up a half size.

Drop a comment below if you have additional sizing and fit questions about the Minimus TR BOA, or if you have questions about how they fit compared to other training shoes.

Price Breakdown

For the New Balance Minimus TR BOA, you can expect to pay around $139.99 to $149.99 USD. This model’s price point is on the higher end compared to other cross-training and CrossFit-focused shoes.

If you like the BOA lacing system and plan to use this model primarily for lifting, cross-training, and athletic-style training sessions, I could see their price point making sense for your needs.

I think you’ll get more out of this model within these training contexts, and they should last longer than buying them solely for CrossFit workouts. Plus, I think folks with narrow feet who love “minimalist” feeling shoes will enjoy this model.

Conversely, if you’re thinking about investing in this model for CrossFit specifically, the price can be a miss due to the upper and midfoot outsole durability concerns that I have with this shoe. You can find cheaper models that will last longer.

Construction Details

There are a lot of cool construction details that go into the New Balance Minimus TR BOA. Below are a few of the key construction details that influence this shoe’s overall durability and performance.

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0mm
• Weight: 8.35 oz (for my size 10 model)
• Removable Insole: No
• Full Rubber Outsole
• EVA Foam Midsole
• BOA Lacing System
• PerformFit™ Wrap Upper
• Breathable Mesh Upper
• Heel Clip for Handstand Push-Ups

Drop a comment below if you have additional construction-related questions about the New Balance Minimus TR BOA.

Takeaway Thoughts

To be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with the New Balance Minimus TR BOA. I love the idea behind this training shoe, and I enjoy some of its features, but there are little things that cause some pause with this shoe.

For example, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lifting in this shoe, and I’m a fan of their minimalist-style fit and sole construction. They do well for recreational lifting and athletic-style training.

That being said, I think the upper and midfoot outsole wrap could use a rework due to durability concerns that I have with them. The upper could be better for abrasion resistance and the outsole wrap needs more security.

If you have additional questions on the New Balance Minimus TR BOA, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).