I've been buying New Balance shoes for years and this 1080v9 shoe is the softest, most comfortable shoe ever. The sole of this shoe is almost 3/8 inch thicker than the 1080v7 shoes I've used. I run about 5 days a week but wear running shoes most of the time. I like black because it doesn't show dirt as the shoe ages. The width that used to be called "2E" is now called "broad".