The New Balance phenomenon

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So I noticed everyone's wearing these shoes - my Mom, jocks, music majors, hipsters, doofi. I didn't really understand why since they looked like ugly generic sneakers to me. Then I went shopping for gym shoes that would accomodate the orthotics I got recently and the only pair that would was NB. And I got it - they're amazingly comfortable and healthy and ethical to boot. So is the first time a fashion trend has been driven by comfort (and ethics?) over looks or has this happened before? Or am I wrong? Do people actually think these are great-looking shoes?

― sundarsubramanian (SundarS), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 03:55 (seventeen years ago) link

"is this"

― sundarsubramanian (SundarS), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 03:57 (seventeen years ago) link

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR TIME MACHINE??????

― grbchv! (gbx), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 03:58 (seventeen years ago) link

Huh, has this been discussed widely before? I sometimes miss these things for a while. In any case, it wasn't until recently that I noticed everyone was wearing these (when I had people over and all of them were wearing NB sneakers) and that I ended up getting a pair myself.

― sundarsubramanian (SundarS), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:02 (seventeen years ago) link

most of them are made in the USA too.

― grady (grady), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:02 (seventeen years ago) link

most of them are NOT made in the US anymore, actually, which is a bummer.

also, maybe not discussed, dude, but NBs have been a trend for, like, 8 years now.

― grbchv! (gbx), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:04 (seventeen years ago) link

omg major roffles at TIME MACHINEZ

― impermanent rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:04 (seventeen years ago) link

srsly, my pair is too old to wear anymore. My gym shoes are Pumas. Each and every one of us walk in circles.

― whoop de doodle (kenan), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:06 (seventeen years ago) link

They've been hot in the hood for a minute now too.

My friend Ben who looks like the lost member of Pavement bought a pair of NB classics a couple years ago and was approached by two twelve year old kids in Philly who were like "Oh snap! He got the new colors!"

― Hurting (A-Ron Hubbard), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:08 (seventeen years ago) link

But I remember them being a hip-hop thing like 10 years ago in DC. Maybe even 11 or 12 years ago now.

― Hurting (A-Ron Hubbard), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:09 (seventeen years ago) link

i do like new balance for running, way more than nike, reebok, addidas anyway. i have been wearing NB for athletic activities since um 1992? though, but have never owned a 'fashion' pair, though i like some of them. but must wear my gravis until they are dead and then just get more gravis probably.

― impermanent rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:10 (seventeen years ago) link

my NBs are the most comfortable shoes i own. they're getting a little dirtbagstyle though...

― jbr, Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:12 (seventeen years ago) link

i have been wearing NB for athletic activities since um ~~1992~~1997

for me, at least. that's when I figured out that my feet are weird and wide. my dad's been wearing New Balance since the dawn of time.

i don't think i've ever owned a pair of strictly fashionable sneakers!

xp: COSIGN

― grbchv! (gbx), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:12 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm seriously considering buying multiple pairs of my current NBs because I'm afraid they'll stop making them.

― grbchv! (gbx), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:14 (seventeen years ago) link

Do they have a comparatively narrow heel? I need room in the toebox but my heels slip out of wide shoes. Sauconys are good for that problem, and for supination, too.

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:15 (seventeen years ago) link

Unfortunately they don't make the classics (the ones I actually like) in wide widths - only the ugly and/or super expensive running shoes. I recently decided that wearing sneakers for non-sport purposes is for children anyway, and I have some ugly Asics now for running.

― Hurting (A-Ron Hubbard), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I have narrow feet and NB are the only athletic shoes I can wear. Really wish they still made a basketball high-top (or even a mid) in a narrow width, though -- had a pair for about ten years until they literally disintegrated.

― Jeff Wright (jaw1858), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:19 (seventeen years ago) link

You wanna diss the phifer but you still dont know the half
I sport new balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path

phife dawg, a tribe called quest, 1991
earliest recorded evidence of the new balance phenomenon

― jhoshea (jhoshea), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:21 (seventeen years ago) link

i wear the charcoal new balance a lot, yo
the Ds knocked my man marco
his money was marked, yo

― DLK, Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:38 (seventeen years ago) link

Why are they especially ethical?

I had a pair for middle school track, and they were pretty good, but now I use Sauconys for running. It would be nice to find a running shoe with arch support (is that possible?) next time I buy a pair, though. Tips?

― Maria, Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:06 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/original/mugatu-thumb.jpg

Sauconys are so hot right now.

― whoop de doodle (kenan), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:19 (seventeen years ago) link

xpost They used to be made in USA - meaning sweatshop-free. I don't think they are anymore.

― Hurting (A-Ron Hubbard), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:24 (seventeen years ago) link

new balance still seems to be the best for (my) high arches. i haven't run in sauconys but they just didn't feel right in the store. that was too long ago though.
i really need new runners. i am going to damage myself soon.

― impermanent rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:33 (seventeen years ago) link

My not-high arches tend to walk sideways in Sauconys, kind of on the sides of my feet. That's gotta be bad somehow.

― whoop de doodle (kenan), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:36 (seventeen years ago) link

my sauconys are comfortable, but not as comfy as my NBs. much cuter and more stylish though.

― jbr, Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:41 (seventeen years ago) link

My saucony's are comfortable for the first hour, but they fool me every time. I've worn them to things that I know will require crazy comfy shoes, and every time, my feet end up hurting like bastards.

― whoop de doodle (kenan), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:45 (seventeen years ago) link

a tribe called quest and de la soul circa like 1991 to thread.

YA HERBS.

― hstencil not logged in, Wednesday, 29 November 2006 07:17 (seventeen years ago) link

read thread

― jhoshea (jhoshea), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:31 (seventeen years ago) link

since I don't need sneakers for athelitic purposes I've never owned any of these. is the comfort worth giving up crocs for?

― Ms Misery (MsMisery), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:35 (seventeen years ago) link

giving up crocs is reason enough

― jhoshea (jhoshea), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:42 (seventeen years ago) link

My not-high arches tend to walk sideways in Sauconys, kind of on the sides of my feet.

EXACTLY! Good for my outward-rolling high-ish arches.

Oh who am I kidding, I don't own any athletic shoes anymore, just Chucks and Pumas. Haven't in years!

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:44 (seventeen years ago) link

besides crocs my fave shoes are my van slip ons. pumas also rock.

― Ms Misery (MsMisery), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:45 (seventeen years ago) link

Also, I too am guilty of the croc luv. I bought solid red ones and if it weren't for the lure of my new harness boots I might wear teh crocs EVERY DAY.

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:46 (seventeen years ago) link

they are insanely comfortable. I need to get some of the mary jane ones.

― Ms Misery (MsMisery), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:47 (seventeen years ago) link

i read something a couple of years back about how willie nelson gets custom-made new balances shipped out to him. the toe of one sneaker says "willie" and the other says "nelson."

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:59 (seventeen years ago) link

pimpin'!

― Ms Misery (MsMisery), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 15:59 (seventeen years ago) link

most of them are NOT made in the US anymore, actually, which is a bummer.

Actually a kind of interesting story - they outsourced their manufacturing to China, then got in a beef with the guy who ran the factory there, and he flooded the European market with cheap New Balance product. Since he was licensed to produce actual New Balance product, there was no way to distinguish his "illicit" goods from the legal ones. A great example of a company getting burned in their attempt to go the cheap manufacturing route.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/05/01/8375455/index.htm

― Nu-Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 17:20 (seventeen years ago) link

so that's why there were all those crazy euro only new balance

― jhoshea (jhoshea), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 17:28 (seventeen years ago) link

If the comfort difference between Saucony and New Balance is to the point where you can't wear Sauconys I CALL BULLSHIT. I have high arches and Saucony's are fine.

― jw (ex machina), Wednesday, 29 November 2006 17:33 (seventeen years ago) link

made in USA - meaning sweatshop-free

arent a lot of these made in usa things actually made in places like guam and northern marianas islands, which are technically usa, but not subject to same labor laws?

― ricky doncaster, Wednesday, 29 November 2006 17:59 (seventeen years ago) link

OK, let's get some facts straight, shall we? New Balance shoes are made in Workington, Cumbria, UK.

http://www.newbalance.co.uk/2005/AboutUs/NB-AboutUs-MIE.shtml

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 30 November 2006 08:10 (seventeen years ago) link

(The ones you buy here, anyway.)

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 30 November 2006 08:13 (seventeen years ago) link

The US factory has a better name: Norridgewock.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 30 November 2006 08:15 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't feel like ranting about it, but I have an irrational hatred of New Balances and anywone I see wearing them.

― Rodney Von Bushwickin The Barbarian Mother-Funky Stay High Dollar Billster (Rodn, Thursday, 30 November 2006 08:45 (seventeen years ago) link

anyone, etc.

― Rodney Von Bushwickin The Barbarian Mother-Funky Stay High Dollar Billster (Rodn, Thursday, 30 November 2006 08:45 (seventeen years ago) link

The main pair of trainers I wear at the moment are New Balance. The only reason I wear them, though, was that I needed new shoes, popped in Office, and they were the nicest ones in the sale.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 November 2006 09:21 (seventeen years ago) link

NB website claims one quarter of shoes made in USA

Massachusetts and Maine.

― grady (grady), Thursday, 30 November 2006 09:31 (seventeen years ago) link

(The ones you buy here, anyway.)

Are they really? Still? I thought they were making them all in Vietnam now.

The only "athletic" activity I do is walking an hour a day on an Irish beach, and for that I have found that waterproof Hi-Tech walking boots are the greatest.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Thursday, 30 November 2006 10:12 (seventeen years ago) link

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