Our Three Cents

These New Balance cricket shoes feel HEAVY.

These size 9D New Balance cricket spikes weigh 465 gm apiece. That’s a lot. When i took them out the box, my first thought was, Wow, these feel heavy. Hannah’s giant size 10D Adidas Howzat spikes only weigh 659 gm total as a pair.

Each New Balance CK10 shoe has 11 metal spikes in a 7+4 configuration, which is the maximum number you’ll see on cricket spikes. The metal spikes are on a TPU plastic plate to reduce pressure. It does indeed spread the pressure across the cricket shoe, instead of concentrating on the spike pressure points.

However, it also increases the weight, on top of the already heavy 11 spikes, and the big, toothy plastic lugs along the shoe sole perimeter. There’s too much going on on the bottom of these 2026 CK10 F6 shoes, without a return in performance. What’s the point of having great grip if the shoe is too heavy?

Indeed, when batting and fielding, the CK10 V6 New Balance cricket shoes feel worse than my other, cheaper spikes. Even though the midsole feels explosive, the shoe itself is an anvil; I can’t have quick, active feet in these.

Spin Bowling

All that being said, the New Balance CK10 V6 cricket spikes are decent for spin bowling. Since they grip and plant in the ground so well, the extra grip feels like I have a second longer on my front foot, which helps me feel more stable and balanced. So, while they’re okay for slow movements, they don’t perform well in speed situations.

The 2026 CK10 New Balance cricket shoes are comfy, but it’s complicated.

The synthetic TPU mesh upper on these New Balance cricket shoes reminds me of running shoes. The decently breathable overlay provides reinforcement and protection like a traditional leather upper. It covers all three areas: the toe box, the middle of the foot, and the heel counter.

This checks the boxes for complete protection when batting. I intentionally yorker-ed myself with a ball from the Zooka machine and also dropped a cricket ball onto the toe box. I didn’t feel a thing in either test. The synthetic mesh gets an A+ for protection.

Unfortunately, it’s uncomfortable. The synthetic material is much stiffer than leather. New Balance calls it “Fantom Fit”: an ultralight, skeleton-like support around the feet. For me, it felt constricting. Real leather grows more supple and comfortable with use; I don’t see this plastic material doing the same.

I do like the elastic band that runs inside the shoe right below the tongue; it makes my foot feel comfortable and locked-in. The two loops on the tongue and heel counter are also a cool feature and make putting on the shoes easier.

Insole and midsole quality.

I look for insole support and midsole comfort in my cricket spikes. I hate when my foot slips/collapses inside a cricket shoe. The stock insole on the CK10 New Balance cricket shoes is quite thin. I can swap it out, but I’d expect better from a $160+ specialty cricket shoe.

The “FuelCell” midsole compound underneath feels pretty cushiony on grass. It’s supposed to propel the athlete and it does give an explosive feel similar to running shoes. However, this propulsion is ultimately negated by the stiffness and weight.