Ok so I skated NBs today for the first time ever. Been interested to try as I've heard a lot of good things about 'em. Previously I've really liked e.g. the Etnies Joslin and the good ol' Es Accel, and I wanted to try something different for a change. Note that I'm a cupsole man 100 % – e.g. Vans insoles are great, but I just can't get seem to get the boardfeel I want with their shoes.
So I ended up getting the 440 lows and had my first session wearing them today.
Oh boy.
I mean, I wasn't expecting anything phenomenal, but I gotta say – they are the best skate shoes I've ever owned. Seriously. The hype is well justified.
The shoes needed next no break-in period – they felt great from the first push. They are LIGHT. The boardfeel is amazing, way way better than with any of my previous favorite shoes. It's like my feet had a whole new relationship with my board. And these shoes look good (a subjective thing of course), which is not a bad thing.
Before the session one thing I was a bit skeptical about was the cushioning, as the insole feels stiffer/thinner than on e.g. the Joslin and with the Vans Pop cush, but my fears turned out to be unfounded. I'm well over 40 yrs old and my feet WILL FUCKING HURT without proper cushioning/protection. However, these shoes felt great throughout a 2 hr+ session, providing solid impact protection and support. In a way they felt like really good tennis shoes that are made for skating.
I don't know. Shoes are a hella individual thing and some people probably hate the 440s – to each their own, one love, etc. – but for me they felt just fucking great. Positively surprised – I kinda feel like I've actually found that ever-elusive "my shoe" for the first time in many, many years.
Five stars, no relation to the company, this was not a paid ad, just a happy camper that's happy about his new shoes.
Topic: New Balance # containment thread (Read 1524231 times)