I love New Balance sneakers, but some New Balances will never be cool

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 01/04/2016 at 15:04 • Filed to: None

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New Balance is a sneaker brand beloved by three very different sets of people: runners, dads looking for the most comfortable shoe no matter what it looks like, and sneakerheads who like all the different colors and special editions. Sometimes, these groups’ interests overlap.

New Balance has for a long time made basic-looking running shoes that didn’t follow style trends. They were shoes for professors and middle management types whose idea of “style” is when their khakis became a little too ratty to wear to work anymore, those become weekend khakis.

Then, some funny things started to happen in the late 80s and early 90s: because because New Balance running shoes tended to be expensive, certain, shall we say, disreputable individuals would buy them for no other reason than because they were expensive. All the badass kids at my middle school in the early 90s had Oakland Raiders Starter jackets and grey NB runners.

As running shoes became more technologically-advanced, the top-level NB runners started to evolve from very basic suede & mesh silhouettes with basic foam midsoles like the 996, to more built-up models like the 997 and 998 that had techy soles, then going full on superchunk dad shoe with the 999.

After the 999, New Balance ran out of 99x numbers, so like Porsche going from 997 to 991 on the 911, they went back to 990, even though they had already produced a 990 back in the early 80s. The 990v2 is the originator of the modern New Balance Dad Shoe look.

Since then, New Balance !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (if you could call it that) the same basic style through the 991, 992, 993, and 990v3, which they still position as a performance running shoe.

The most famous wearer of the NB Dad Shoe was Steve Jobs, but my dad swears by them. He’s had every model since the 990v2. When a pair gets too beat up to wear around out in public, he retires them to lawn mowing duty. The 990v3 replaced the 993 in 2012, and I’d be totally unsurprised if he still has a pair of grass-stained 993 or even 992s chilling somewhere.

My first pair of New Balances, on the other hand, were a pair of crimson leather and mesh 574s that I happened upon for like 35 bucks at Marshall’s when I was in high school. Kinda like these, but leather instead of suede:

Now there’s a small segment of sneakerheads who are trying to make Dad Shoes cool. They sorta-unironically wear the NB 990v3. NB is getting in on the act with special colorways of the 990v3, and even doing collaborative special editions with sneaker boutiques and fashion designers. You can customize your very own 990v3 through New Balance’s website.

These colorways could look pretty cool on any number of other shoes that aren’t the 990v3. But hell, not even Denzel Washington can make the 990v3 look cool.

Sorry NB, I love you, but stop trying to make the 990v3 cool. It’s not a good-looking shoe. That’s ok! It serves a purpose. The people who buy them have come to expect a certain look. They see a pair of 990v3s and think, ahhh, my plantar fascitis will be so much better with those. The guy !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !

When you update a shoe you don’t want to lose your consumers with it. You want to carry them into the new shoe and get new people into it. If you change it too much you lose what the shoe is all about. We’re all very aware of that.

The people who buy New Balance Dad Shoes expect them to look a certain way. Sneaker enthusiasts don’t have to start liking them just because NB happens to make other shoes that look better than the Dad Shoe lineup. Leave the Dad Shoes to the Dads. And hey Dads, if you want to up your shoe game a bit, try out some PBR-themed 997s. They’re still super comfy!

For Sweden > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:10

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Party-vi > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:15

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These are grandpa shoes.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:16

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I generally don’t like really plain looking shoes, despite the fact that in one of your previous posts I picked a really grey looking NB as your next pair.

Buying NBs is a balancing act, I find - some look way too much like runners where they look out of place when just wearing them casually. I think the 574 is great for casual wear and doesn’t look out of place as long as the rest of you is dressed well. I think I’ve already shown you the red 574s I wear which look damn close to the one you posted, just with a bit more red. The 990s you listed here... no thanks.

I think my next pair will be the all-black Stan Smiths. I had a pair when I was a lot younger and that was a simple, no-nonsense shoe that (I thought) looked great with almost anything I wore.

CALUSA > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:17

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Some of the real sneaker models (997, 999) are really cool. 990 Not so.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:22

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Currently wearing MT411 grandpa trail NBs.

Textured Soy Protein > gin-san - shitpost specialist 01/04/2016 at 15:24

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See if you can track down the wings + horns X Adidas version made with Horween leather.

They’re $190 CAD from the wings + horns store , but may be cheaper elsewhere.

Alfalfa > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:25

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You know, runners like running shoes as well. There’s a third camp there you forgot about. Most of our distance runners in high school, myself included, trained in New Balance.

Textured Soy Protein > Alfalfa 01/04/2016 at 15:25

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Oh yeah, good point. I’ll update that.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:27

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I’m pretty sure you wrote this article about my father. Or maybe my father is your father? Are we brothers?

Anyways, let me know if Chucks ever become cool again. Because then I will be cool less dorky.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:30

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All I want is a comfortable shoe that looks cool. Is that too hard to ask?

Manny05x > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:36

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Just came here to say: what are those?

i love sneaker postings on oppo. i been wearing lots of sauconny lately they run great deals online and always free shipping.

Textured Soy Protein > For Sweden 01/04/2016 at 15:40

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The Dad Shoes being so popular means many people think that about NB, but there are those of us who know better.

For Sweden > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:41

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These look agreeable to me, but it’s probably just because I’m White.

Textured Soy Protein > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/04/2016 at 15:42

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Chucks are always cool. Nike bought Converse a few years ago, and this year they come out with the Chuck II which has Nike Lunarlon soles so they’re actually comfortable.

Textured Soy Protein > Manny05x 01/04/2016 at 15:46

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I do like a lot of the Saucony retros but I’ve never quite gotten around to buying some. The only pair of Sauconys I have are the Stabil CS3s I wear to work out, because I’ve got wide, flat feet. They’re ugly, but they give me the support I need.

You sure as shit won’t see me wearing them out in public unless I’m on my way to or from the gym. Or I suppose if I found myself doing something involving mass quantities of walking, but even in that situation, maybe not.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:47

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Interesting.. I knew about the Nike buyout, but didn’t know they were making a new version. I may have to consider a pair next time I buy shoes.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:48

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I do really like those, but unless I found it a lot cheaper I can’t justify spending that much on sneakers (right now).

Also, I have a pair of Lacoste sneaks that have black leather and the white sole, but I find the white rubber gets dirty very quickly and it's just not the same afterwards.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:49

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I’m digging the sneakerhead posts on Oppo lately, IMO shoes and cars are both interesting from a design perspective

Textured Soy Protein > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD 01/04/2016 at 15:50

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Nope, not at all. There are tons of shoes out there that are comfortable for just kicking around in that also look cool.

I have wide, flat feet. My real size is 11 extra wide, and I need stability shoes with extra arch support. That’s for what I wear to the gym.

The other 20+ sneakers I own are all size 12 and not “technically” what I should be wearing, but some models are more comfortable than others.

One shoe that might bridge the gap somewhat is the Nike Zoom Structure series. The most recent versions have the cool Flyknit uppers but proper support for people with feet like mine (and my dad, who wears NB Dad Shoes). Maybe I can get my pops to try these out?

davedave1111 > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:53

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I was thinking how much your dad sounds like my dad, stylewise, right up to this point:

“When a pair gets too beat up to wear around out in public, he retires them to lawn mowing duty.”

I don’t think a proper NB wearer understands the meaning of ‘too beat up to wear in public’...

wiffleballtony > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 15:58

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I bought them because I can get them in 15s and they’re not expensive.

Textured Soy Protein > For Sweden 01/04/2016 at 16:00

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I too, am a Caucasian American.

The original people who made NBs cool (to me) were the suburban wannabe-gangsta kids at my middle school wearing Raiders Starter jackets and NB 1500s.

Textured Soy Protein > gin-san - shitpost specialist 01/04/2016 at 16:05

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Yeah, that’s a lot for one pair of sneakers.

Generally speaking you can use Mr. Clean Magic Erasers on white soles, keeps em nice and clean.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 16:45

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They are old man shoes, but I have to get them because my stupid feet.

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 16:48

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I like shoes, too. New Balance makes some good stuff, but the 990v3, 993, 565, in beige, have become really popular for some reason. Those custom 990v3 shoes (especially the green ones) look really nice to be, but they’re so expensive.

I have two pairs of New Balances: a pair of $40 410v4s I found from Academy, and a pair of 996 court shoes (2014 special edition that was bright green) that I got for Christmas last week ($60 instead of $110, woo hoo).

Textured Soy Protein > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 01/04/2016 at 16:50

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I have wide, flat feet. I should be a prime candidate for Dad Shoes. I work out all the time and need proper support, which I get from Saucony Stabil CS3s. They don’t look too bad until you look at the arch support...

But I only wear these clunkers to the gym. Hell, I have 20+ pairs of sneakers and these are the only ones in my real 11 extra-wide size. The rest are 12s. Some are more comfortable than others. But plenty of them are decent enough for my feet that there’s no reason for me to wear my gym shoes the rest of the time.

Textured Soy Protein > Under_Score 01/04/2016 at 16:53

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IMHO, all of the flashy colorways on the 990v3 are lipstick on a (very comfortable) pig.

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 16:57

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The 99x New Balances are the Land Cruisers of the shoe world. Super expensive, but last forever.

Manny05x > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 17:31

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I got flat wide feet myself. I love the grid 9000 they have some cool colors too. Check out they're website from time to time they have sick deals. I picked up mines for 43$ shipped.

Textured Soy Protein > Manny05x 01/04/2016 at 17:48

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I like the Grid 9000s, I just haven’t quite pulled the trigger on any.

The problem is not including my workout shoes, I’ve got 21 pairs of sneakers that I hardly get to wear. I can’t wear sneakers to work, and most of my days consist of going to work, going home, then going to the gym.

It’s tough for me to impulse-buy sneakers because in the past I’ve often gravitated to the same thing. That’s how I ended up with all of these green sneakers:

So it’s like, I see another pair of green shoes, I think “oh I like those!” and then I have to remind myself, no more green sneakers!

Hell, I’m trying to not buy so many sneakers, and even doing that, I’ve bought 3 pairs in the last few months:

Damn, those Puma Baskets have green on them!

So anyway, I gotta chill on the sneaker buying, because there are things I need to buy that aren’t sneakers that I really should be focusing on buying.

Textured Soy Protein > Under_Score 01/04/2016 at 18:01

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Except Land Cruisers actually look kinda good in a timeless, utilitarian sort of way.

996 = Land Cruiser 60

997 = Land Cruiser 80

998 = Land Cruiser 100

999 = Land Cruiser 120

990v2, 990v3, 991, 992, 993 =

Jonee > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 18:13

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Like Huey Lewis memorably said, it’s hip to be square. I’m rocking custom 574’s right now. I tried to pick the ugliest colors and the result is beautiful.

I’m not sure if they beat my camo ones, though.

The most comfortable sneakers ever made.

D > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 19:24

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I’ve got a pair of these, just like this. They’re the ones made in the US too. I bought them right before embarking on a six week trip all over Europe with my friends last summer. They were one of two pairs of shoes I brought and I wore them literally everywhere except for rainy Amsterdam.

996 is the classic silhouette, grey is the classic color, and Made in the USA is just icing on the cake, so I felt great about buying them. I love classics.

Those 996s are actually my third and most recent pair of NBs. I’ve got some green 1500s and some bright red NB X Herschel 420s too. I really fuck with NB, but actually don’t end up wearing any of mine on a day-to-day basis; everyday, I’m driving somewhere and I really don’t like chunky, well-padded athletic shoes for driving. I stick with Vans, Nike SB and the likes. Also my style has sort of been shifting in way such that the two colorful pairs aren’t of much use. However if I’m going somewhere where I’ll be doing a lot of walking, I’ll pull out the 996s. If I ever change living situations (like move to a city or a university campus) and don’t need to drive everywhere, you bet there’ll be some more NBs in my rotation.

Now there’s a small segment of sneakerheads who are trying to make Dad Shoes cool.

Not just this, but ‘dad’ altogether has been becoming cool. I camped out for Supreme last summer and the guy behind me in line was head-to-toe dad, with the stonewash jeans and like a Lacoste baseball hat or something. I’m a fan, got to say. The part of me that likes really simple, blank clothes likes it. I just got a pair of black Vans Chukka Lows with the white midsole and the white laces, and some tall white Ralph Lauren socks. And you bet I don’t wear skinny pants.

Textured Soy Protein > D 01/04/2016 at 20:34

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I’m fully on the plain, un-branded bandwagon. Plain, un-branded tees, hoodies and henleys plus dark wash slim (but not skinny) jeans or 5-pocket pants. I’m 33 years old, if I’m going to wear some goofy-ass sneakers, I can’t be wearing some similarly goofy-ass clothes. Like here’s a typical winter outfit for me, that works with both my denim blue 996s, or my Lebron 12 NSRLs. And cats.

D > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 23:13

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Yeah, I’m coming to the same conclusion. I can still be down for a tasteful graphic but I’m wearing a lot more solids than I used to.

Your kitties must think that camera looks awfully tasty

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Textured Soy Protein 01/04/2016 at 23:36

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Funny how you posted this today. I myself like shoes but I am feeling a little burned out from the mainstream offerings. I’ve been wearing Vans Slip-ons and/or Converse on and off for a few years as a result of that. Although I did just picked up some wine colored Clarks Desert boots for cheap.

Do you know of any current sneaker offerings that would be suitable with jeans for going out to some swanky places like bars or restaurants on the weekends (I’m stuck with dress shoes for everyday wear)?

Those NB 997s look really good. I never considered them until reading your post.

I’m also kind of smitten by the Nike SB Stefan Janoskis lately but for some reason cannot fully commit to them.

Textured Soy Protein > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 01/05/2016 at 12:04

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My “dressy” sneakers at the moment are these particular Air Jordan 1s, although I am not a camouflage wearer.

But, I can’t give a blanket endorsement to the AJ1, because more often than not Nike uses shitty materials on them (and many other retro sneakers). I picked these because they’re an exception to that trend, with nice soft leather and suede.

NBs are a good choice for what you’re describing but you have to pick the right silhouette and colors to avoid them looking like dad shoes. The good news is that NB keeps releasing new and different colors, and keeps bringing back new old models. The 997 for example had been out of production for a long time and they just started making it again within the past year or two.

Personally I avoid the traditional NB full grey colorways and instead if I’m getting a grey pair, go for one that’s grey but with a bit more flair. Good NB models to look at for this are the 530, 572, 574, 996, 997, 998, 1300, 1500. There are others too. Like I said, they are making a ton of shoes right now.

Textured Soy Protein > D 01/05/2016 at 12:08

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That look on the cats is “you just got home from work and you’re messing with that thing instead of feeding us?”

spanfucker retire bitch > Textured Soy Protein 01/05/2016 at 14:20

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I’ve worn a set of plain white NB MW928s the last 2.5 years and will not apologize for it.

Textured Soy Protein > spanfucker retire bitch 01/05/2016 at 14:34

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Do you by any chance work in a nursing home?

spanfucker retire bitch > Textured Soy Protein 01/05/2016 at 14:36

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Nope, I’m just a crotchety old man at heart.

Stapleface > Textured Soy Protein 01/05/2016 at 14:48

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I pretty much exclusively buy NB’s. Whenever I try to stray, I always come back. The only exception is some slip on Vans, which I wear more and more infrequently.

Part of the reason I always go with NB is because they make the proper 14 4E shoe that fits my flat, wide foot. NB’s seem to be the best shoe out there for people like us.

I must admit though, I don’t really stick to a particular number series of NB’s. I will buy whatever I find on sale in a size that fits. Right now I’m wearing NB 481's.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Textured Soy Protein 01/05/2016 at 20:17

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I have to look into those shoes. I like skate shoes, but they are the most uncomfortable thing to ever be invented.

Brian Ted > Textured Soy Protein 10/28/2018 at 04:55

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Got these two lovely 990. One is v2 the other v3. Also have a pair of 998, 577 and 1500. Love them all. Made in USA and Made in UK New Balance sneakers are beautifully made, and they  last.