Lost Kingdoms: New Balance

I had those Worthy's back in the day. Good quality shoes for the courts. NB bought them back.

So maybe you have never copped a pair of NB's, but you have always seen them. Hip Hoppers have rocked New Balance whether it has been past or present representatives. A lot of people say "those are them old people sneakers." First off that tells me the support of the shoe is official, second I would think that statement comes from a Nike fan, because Nike makes some fugly looking shoes too. New Balance makes a couple of their sneaker lines in the US, which is almost unheard of these days with NAFTA and cheap foreign sweatshop labor. You would be helping someone out there keep their job. And I can't forget, pro and amateur runners co-sign New Balance to the maximum, just like Asics.



I have the 999's in all gray. Before last year they were discontinued. 10 years and counting on my pair. I always liked the reflective N on them. US made.



I'm feeling the forest green look, and also the Gore-Tex. You can't pass on a pair of kicks with Gore-Tex. You can rock these in whatever weather. Do you guys see the old school 'Lotto' sneaker in these? The 'N's are velcro (oranges ones too!). I might have to let a bill double up, these are camping/trailing/chilling sneaks, right up my alley. If I had to leave the house on an emergency 'the sky is falling' basis, I would either put these on or my high top Timberland Gore-Tex field boots. If I have both, the boots go in the survival bag. But notice both pairs of shoes would have Gore-Tex.



I like the colorway. See the tongue? Someone on US soil can pay their rent now.



I've always wanted the original 1500's which came in a grayish blue leather. About the time I was willing to pay close to $200 for a pair of running shoes back then they were discontinued, so I won't leave out the part where the price for these is pretty much the same now ($180).



Here's the colorway I always knew the 1500 series above to be in. The 1300's (and 1400's) are the better quality version of the hood heavy 574's. US made.



And here's the 574, a hood staple. A good idea to keep a running shoe around in the hood, especially when the warm months ahead usually provide some type of reason to run in the first place.

Salutes to New Balance. Pics and kicks found at kicksonfire.

Bonus: Sneaker fiends take a moment to browse all of the discontinued (retired) NB's.

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