Whats New New Balance 4th quarter 2009
Sorry I am way behind in getting this out, saw this product about 3 months ago and just now getting around to writing about it.
1906 10-1-09 introduction $200 msrp! For lack of a better descriotion of this shoe imagine the 1063 on steroids…Has full length N-ergy midsole (NB has changed the name of Abzorb SBS to N-ergy…same material just new name) and full length abzorb FL, nlock and a lockdown liner should give good midfoot fit. Will be available in mens and womens medium and wide widths womens 10.9 oz mens 13.5
mens
womens
905 10-1-09 stays at $110 msrp comes in mediums and wides. As many of you know the 904, while a well functioning lightweight stability shoe, had issues with fit/sizing. The 905 is seemingly coming out early and looks like a very nice shoe. Features a lockdown liner (tongue attached on one side), N-lock now runs full length of laces (should pull down well over foot), same midsole as was in the 904, but new upper and should fit much better. Mens 9.5 oz, womens 7.4
mens
womens
801 10-01-09 same idea as the original 800 as far as being designed for the midfoot striker and giving them some shock absorbing material right where it is needed. There has been some significant re-working of the midsole of this shoe and oddly enough has a very small medial post placed under the forefoot (likely will give a better feel for push off, not as floppy as the original 800. Is based on a wider platform yet with the upper should have a snugger fit and not as “sloppy” feeling as the 800s upper. This is a very “niche” shoe, but the update does look improved from the original.
T100 a minimal trail shoe replacing the old 790 will be available in October with no widths, only mediums. This is technically a 3rd quarter shoe but I didnt post about it then so am adding this info now…
this info comes from the top of NB’s outdoor Division, Bryan Gothie who is NB Outdoor Product Manager
We tried not to treat the 100 as a direct update to the 790 but instead a new shoe to our lightweight trail category. We did start with the 790 though to figure out how we could build a better shoe. In addition, we added ultra trail runners Anton Krupicka and Kyle Skaags to our Outdoor Ambassador Team around the time we started looking into an update. The first thing we did was look at shoes they ran in for high wear areas. The attached image shows how we built the outsole specifically around the high wear areas of an ultra runner’s efficient gait. The lateral mid/forefoot has been built up the most to provide support to the highest wear area. The midfoot/heel is actually ground contact so that there is a smooth transition or just a contact point. The heel has been designed specifically for braking, as we found that the only time they landed on their heels was when they needed some control going downhill. The heel and forefoot heights are the same as the 790, 18mm in the heel and 8mm in the forefoot.
Anton and Klye then came out to our sports testing lab in our Lawrence office where we ran them through a bunch of tests like force plates and motion capture. This helped to validate our theory and solidify our work on the midsole/outsole.
They were also both closely involved in the design of the upper. We found that they were cutting up the uppers of their 790’s so we incorporated those “pattern adjustments” into the 100. This includes a more pronounced Achilles notch, a deconstructed tongue and the removal of all hardware. Basically the simpler the construction and pattern was, the more they liked it. The most unique thing is the EVA foxing which was done to reduce weight, simplify construction and provide a snugger heel fit. Also, these guys run without socks so we tried to keep the inside of the shoe as conducive to that as possible.
Here are some images of the October intro colors for men and women.
womens
Anton is running in the 100’s this weekend at Leadville so we are all hoping for big things.
That’s it for 4th quarter, will now be writing the Spring update…….