This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Before diving in here, I would like to apologize to my dad.
Too many times in my teenage years did I look at his calf-high white socks and chunky sneakers and think, yikes.
But now, as a dad myself, I find myself casting my Vans slip-ons aside and reaching for my New Balances on the daily.
However, the New Balance of today is not the New Balance of old. It’s cool to wear dad shoes, and it’s cool to wear New Balances (again, sorry Dad).
The beauty of this is not about the cool factor, though. It’s about the fact that wearing New Balance sneakers feels like you’re walking on a goddamn cloud. Now my feet are looking good and feeling good on all occasions. And they say beauty is pain.
Now, this isn’t a post for the sneakerheads. I am not trying to cop the new colorway of the season to coordinate with my fits. I’m just looking for sneakers that are stylish, comfortable, and versatile, and I am happy to say I’ve found three different models I love.
New Balance 550: My Gateway Drug to Dadcore
My first NB purchase was the 550s.
The 550s are the closest thing to a streetwear shoe NB has, in my opinion, and since I didn’t want to dive headfirst into the dadcore life, I figured this was a good starting point.
To be honest, it was not love at first wear. This was not my Cinderella slipper, and I did not turn into streetwear royalty.
In fact, the first time I wore them, I thought they felt clunky, more like boots than shoes. These puppies are heavy, and coming from wearing mostly canvas shoes, it was a shock to the system.
But after a few wears and breaking in the leather, they’ve become my go-to.
I went for the white-on-white colorway, and I am glad I did. It goes with everything. I can dress them up or down, wear them with pants or shorts, or even jorts.
New Balance 603: The Unexpected Favorite
Once I became comfortable in my new era, I expanded my NB arsenal.
Most recently, I went with the 603s in black for two reasons:
- They were on sale.
- The mesh upper meant they would be significantly lighter than the 550s, which was their only drawback.
I don’t think they’re the most popular New Balance model (I like to be different, if you couldn’t tell), but I feel like I’ve been chosen to spread the word and give them the life they deserve.
They’re so comfortable and come in so many different colors that I immediately went back and purchased a second pair (in brown and camel) and might go back for a third.
New Balance Fresh Foam 520 v9: Apparently, I’m a Runner Now
And finally, the running shoes.
If you ask my wife, my friends, or my kids when was the last time they saw me run by choice, they would remain silent.
But since my brain has no boundaries, I decided to look into running shoes and see if I could enter yet another era of my life.
Well, let me tell you, running shoes are complicated.
So many factors to consider, like cushioning (okay, that’s an obvious one), energy return (I did not take physics in high school), material construction, stability… okay, you get it.
My goal was to find a balanced option, perhaps even a New Balance(d) option, and that is exactly what I did.
The Fresh Foam 520 v9 is where I landed, thanks to its attractive price point (I mean, it was 50 bucks compared to a plethora of $150 running shoes) and the Fresh Foam cushioning.
Listen, I’m not a runner. I do not need the best running shoes. I am just a guy trying to stay healthy (and sane) as I navigate the crazy years of being a parent to young children.
Are the $150 shoes potentially better in some of those categories I previously listed? Sure. Do I care? No.
I just want a shoe that is comfortable for when I huff and puff around my neighborhood, checking my watch every tenth of a mile, praying for the second I make it back home.
And that is exactly what these are.
Just don’t ask me how many miles I’ve run since buying them.