Official New Balance Thread *sizing info for different models on first page*

[up your pujol]

 
To be frank, your shoes look fine. Just because they're "Made in USA" is no guarantee of perfection. They're manufactured, there are quality standards, and they're definitely not perfect. It's a fallacy to assume that everything made in America is "perfect" or quality. I buy American shoes (and specifically, NBs) because I believe in supporting the heritage of American manufacturing, which these days means decent pay, good conditions, and more pride in the craft, since it was inherently made slower than East Asian factories. For me, it's also buying local. If you're seriously unhappy with your shoes, get in touch with NBs customer support and I'm sure they'd help you out but you still have a fantastic shoe, regardless. 

Agree completely. Apart from that glue stain, what do you see wrong with the shoe? Specifically what on the tongue doesn't meet your expectations? @kebrinho  

 

[threegeees]

Hi. My first post here... I recently bought my first Made in USA New Balance, the 997PR from the recent restock at the http://thenextdoor.fr/. This is my second pair of NB (second to 999 from Barber shop pack) and I was really expecting a perfectly made shoe because of the Made in USA tag. And when I got them in hands I was kinda bummed because they had a glue stain and some other faults (see pictures). So my question now is was I expecting too much or was I really unlucky and got a bad pair or what? Thanks for the help!

its normal for NB these days. Their quality control has drastically fallen off yet their prices keep going up.

 

[lunes]

General question. Where is the best  place or site to buy new balance laces or laces in general? 

 

[ce4423]

General question. Where is the best  place or site to buy new balance laces or laces in general? 

You can buy laces on newbalance.com or in a new balance store for pretty cheap. Other than that, I would check eBay

 

[javyLSU]

11.5 998MDs for $99.99 @ UBIQ for anyone looking:

http://www.ubiqlife.com/m998md-grey-blue-m998md.html

 

[benoited]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=321714175373
Legit Check please I'm pretty confident they are authentic need 2nd opinion thanks

 

[mykoh]

Wow.. did you just pay 500 for a shoe?

 

[benoited]

Not yet, but for these gladly

 

[grizzlyboy]

Geez. And they ended at $500

 

[thejacobsharp]

To each his own... I've never been a huge fan of 999s. $500 for those seems insane.

 

[jagtheman]

I had no idea those fetched that much! Holy!!

 

[kebrinho]

Thanks for answers @AlexandNB, @Up Your Pujol, @ThreeGeees. So I guess it is the same with New Balance Made in USA as with other brands and I just had too big expectations. Because everywhere I saw/read something about Made in USA NB and especially the 997PR everybody was praising them as the best quality sneaker you can get at the moment while in the same breath talking trash about the quality of all other shoes made in China and other asian contries. I'll write an email to New Balance just to see their take on the topic.  The part that bothers me the most is that the heel logo is stitched way too low on the right shoe. And a perfect shoe wouldn't have foam seeing through in the tongue area  stitching 

  Yeah I know I can be really picky if I want to 

 

Regardless I like the 997 silhouette very much and have my eyes already on the 997 connoisseur guitar and distinct weekend and of course it is nice to add something to my collection that isn't made in Asia as most of the shoes that are out there...

 

[posterr]

hey guys, i did some research but found nothing definitive. i'm a size 9 in most shoes, but wear 8.5 for my 990's and 1300's. how would i size on 997's? thanks.

 

[underfeated]

 
hey guys, i did some research but found nothing definitive. i'm a size 9 in most shoes, but wear 8.5 for my 990's and 1300's. how would i size on 997's? thanks.

997's definitely run narrower than most nb's. You can get away with an 8.5 but if you have somewhat wide feet I would go with a 9 to be safe

 

[niketalk13]

 
hey guys, i did some research but found nothing definitive. i'm a size 9 in most shoes, but wear 8.5 for my 990's and 1300's. how would i size on 997's? thanks.

go for a 8.5 imo, curious that you are an 8.5 in the 990 and 1300 when people go down 0.5 from what I've seen

 

[dead stokc]

To each his own... I've never been a huge fan of 999s. $500 for those seems insane.

Kennedy's are severely overrated to me,
but I guess the same can be said about a
lot of NB's.

 

[ce4423]

Kennedy's are severely overrated to me,
but I guess the same can be said about a
lot of NB's.

No way the Kennedy's are over rated. They are a classic shoe/color way that will stay relevant forever. It's such a simple color way with A+ materials. A shoe like that you can wear any day with anything (I feel like no one wears them though, which is a shame). I think it's one of those shoes that defines concepts and makes them a top store.

 

[thecheef]

They are cool but not ~1000 cool especially on a 999 model

 

[ce4423]

They are cool but not ~1000 cool especially on a 999 model

I would pay $1k for any pair of sneakers.

 

[posterr]

 
go for a 8.5 imo, curious that you are an 8.5 in the 990 and 1300 when people go down 0.5 from what I've seen

thanks. for both the 990 and 1300, i just went down 0.5 from my normal size 9 and it worked out. are 997's that much narrower?

 

[niketalk13]

 
thanks. for both the 990 and 1300, i just went down 0.5 from my normal size 9 and it worked out. are 997's that much narrower?

I don't believe so, i think whatever your 1300 size is, you'll be fine

 

[benoited]

 
No way the Kennedy's are over rated. They are a classic shoe/color way that will stay relevant forever. It's such a simple color way with A+ materials. A shoe like that you can wear any day with anything (I feel like no one wears them though, which is a shame). I think it's one of those shoes that defines concepts and makes them a top store.

These are one of person grails (also lookin for sneaker freaker 998 tassie devils). This is the most I've ever paid for a sneaker and will pay probably. But I think I got a steal go to campless.com and see what the avg price is. Totally agree with you. One of the most famous NB's ever if not the most, and I will wear them.

 

[cmoneymontana]

Kennedy's go for crazy prices now. I thought paying $250 when they first dropped was insane. In my size 13, every pair I found was $600 and up.

 

[zeroregret]

Thanks for answers @AlexandNB, @Up Your Pujol, @ThreeGeees. So I guess it is the same with New Balance Made in USA as with other brands and I just had too big expectations. Because everywhere I saw/read something about Made in USA NB and especially the 997PR everybody was praising them as the best quality sneaker you can get at the moment while in the same breath talking trash about the quality of all other shoes made in China and other asian contries. I'll write an email to New Balance just to see their take on the topic.  The part that bothers me the most is that the heel logo is stitched way too low on the right shoe. And a perfect shoe wouldn't have foam seeing through in the tongue area  stitching 

  Yeah I know I can be really picky if I want to 

 





Regardless I like the 997 silhouette very much and have my eyes already on the 997 connoisseur guitar and distinct weekend and of course it is nice to add something to my collection that isn't made in Asia as most of the shoes that are out there...

Sometimes it's luck of the draw. There will always be quality control issues no matter where things are made. I find that the 997's generally have really nice materials for their GR's. The only thing that be annoying for me would be the glue stain. You're planning to wear these anyway right?

 

[sircharles]

These are one of person grails (also lookin for sneaker freaker 998 tassie devils). This is the most I've ever paid for a sneaker and will pay probably. But I think I got a steal go to campless.com and see what the avg price is. Totally agree with you. One of the most famous NB's ever if not the most, and I will wear them.

DS Kennedys in a size 9.5 are atleast 700$. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise.
You can argue that the price is too high but $500 is an excellent price for these shoes. Congrats.