New Balance Spring 2010 Preview

words_Nick Engvall

One thing that seems to be suffering in the world of retro styled running shoes is quality. In the past few years, many brands have lowered standards to increase profits, when in reality that is the opposite of what they should be doing. Just like cutting advertising dollars during a recession, it’s a common misconception that often leads to dedicated customers looking for other alternatives. It seems some companies try to offer up as many colorways as possible in a down turned economy, sacrificing quality to raise quantities. In reality, when sneakerheads begin to cut their budgets, manufacturers should look at it as an opportunity to grab a hold of new life long customers with quality releases.

One manufacturer who hasn’t fallen into that misconception has been New Balance. With the exception of some of their very entry level retro silhouettes, the quality of their shoes is superb. While a quick trip to your local mall spot will prove, many manufacturers have overlooked excess glue and paint that has made its way onto panels it shouldn’t. This is something that most sneakerheads won’t overlook, except in the case of one of those extremely rare retro colorways that was slept on 8-10 years ago. While the company’s “Made In England” line has become synonymous with high quality, the general releases should not be glossed over either.

Last year, New Balance brought back the 850 for the first time since its inception in the early 90′s. The silhouette returns again next Spring in two solid new colorways, C-Cap cushioning included. Another New Balance favorite that has become a standard part of the New Balance retro lineup is the 1500, which will return in a simple black, grey and white colorway. Also returning with C-Cap cushioning in the midsole is two colorways of the 1400. Both colorways come with a brown leather heel cap, while the front side is comprised of two colors, one colorway in black and one light grey. So while some companies fill the shelves with a mass of low quality color choices, New Balance sticks with quality and simple, solid colorways. To top it off, the more technical 850 has a suggested retail price of $85 — that’s hard to argue with.

via SneakersBR

Tags: New Balance, New Balance 1400, New Balance 1500, New Balance 850

One Response to “New Balance Spring 2010 Preview”

1. Lidu Al says:

   December 14, 2009 at 6:52 pm

   white/red 850s a raw…
   i like the last 576s too…

   Reply