Initial Impressions, New Balance, Sneakers

New Balance 990v1: Beginnings

August 6, 2023May 23, 2024 by 100wears

Price: $190

Why Buy?

The New Balance 990v1 has incredible retro charm combined with Made-in-America build quality.

Why Avoid?

The New Balance 990v1 is extremely similar to the ever present New Balance 574, while costing more than twice as much.

Specs

Model	990v1
Height	Low
Materials	Suede / Nylon / EVA / Rubber
Size	13
Weight	427 g / 15 oz
Construction	Cemented
Country of Origin	USA

History

The New Balance 990v1 launched way back in 1982, famously the first performance sneaker to cost $100. It was designed to be the best possible running shoe on the planet. The company wanted to offer the best stability, flexibility, and materials possible on a sneaker.

However, I think it’s important to put that $100 into context when you think about this shoe. While a $100 doesn’t even get you real leather with a lot of brands these days, you can’t forget inflation. Converting that $100 from 1982 to 2023, you get a staggering $323 dollars. Considering the Nike shoes that broke marathon running come in at $250, that is quite the price point.

This price also forever intertwined the 990 with the DMV, or DC/Maryland/Virginia area. Where guys in New York wanted to show off with a pair of Air Force 1s, and their counterparts on the west coast had the Cortez, people in the DMV showed off by rocking these. Afterall, they were comfortable and a flex.

While you’re not going to pay $323 today, the sneaker isn’t cheap. Priced at $190, it’s higher than almost any other sneaker from a major brand out there. That raises the question – could it possibly be worth it? Let’s dive in and find out by looking at this Green and Gold Colorway.

Looks

Upper

The upper of the New Balance 990v1 is fairly simple, but shows the beginnings of the dad-shoe style that New Balance would become known for. Made primarily of just two materials – suede and nylon – the sneaker looks surprisingly modern for something that came out just 2 years after the Carter presidency.

The suede on this colorway shows Teddy Santis’ preference for long-haired variaties, though most versions of the shoe will have pig suede instead. Definitely a premium vibe. The nylon is significantly less premium, though accurate to 1982 so not really worth complaining about.

Interestingly, unlike most later 990 models, the white heel tab and yellow “N” are both real leather. The same can’t be said for the lining, which comes in a plasticky faux-leather. I’d really have preferred cloth.

Finishing off the upper are a cream heel cap and tongue, along with some classy looking text referencing their made-in-USA heritage.

Mid and Outsole

The bottom half of the New Balance 990v1 is surprisingly simple for fans of the brand’s more modern offerings.

The midsole itself is three colors of EVA foam. Basically, identical to the 574 legacy’s midsole, they are a visually interesting if a basic design. This colorway has green and white on the top, with a cream color raising the heel up for an approximately .8 cm drop.

The outsole of the shoe is entirely black, with a blocky pattern pressed in. The majority is a glossy looking foam, with the back heel a matte-finished rubber – though more on the materials later.

Summary

There is something refreshing about the simplicity of the New Balance 990v1. Most sneakers that are either hyped or well-made scream it from the mountain tops. Look at the 990v6, Jordan 1s, or even the gold lettering on a pair of Common Projects. Even the green colorway is surprisingly easy to pull off, and should become easier as the suede inevitably fades.

All that being said, it’s impossible to ignore just how similar these looks to the New Balance 574. There are differences, sure, but at 15 feet away even the most hardcore sneakerheads will have trouble spotting the difference.

With the 574 coming in at significantly less than half the price, from a pure style perspective it’s difficult to see where the extra $130 is going.

Fit & Comfort

Fit

The New Balance 990v1 has a fairly forgiving last due to the lack of structure on the upper. I would say that most people should take their normal sneaker size. That being said, if you find that you’re often in between sizes, I would consider going down rather than up due to the flexibility of the sneaker.

The shape of the last is pretty sausage-y. In other words, it probably won’t fit anyone perfectly, but also won’t fit anyone really poorly.

I take these in a size 13, which is my typical sneaker size. If I wanted to relive the 1980’s and go for a run in these I could probably do a 12.5, but for causal wear I’m confident I went with the right choice.

For a full list of sizing for all shoes reviewed on this site, click here.

Comfort

The New Balance 990v1 certainly is not an uncomfortable sneaker, at least as far as retro sneakers go. I could happily wear these all day, even went walking around a significant amount. It isn’t as good as the more recent versions of the 990, but much better than other 1980’s shoes.

That being said, there are two complaints that I do have that you might want to know about.

First, the lining on the heel cuts down to a small strip behind your ankle. When wearing thinner socks, this can rub your foot in a weird way. It isn’t painful, instead it feels like when you’re wearing no show socks and the sneaker is pulling them off. You get used to it, and thicker socks solve the problem, but it does take a few minutes after you put them on.

Second, the foam on the outsole is incredibly slippery. This may change with time, but at least during the first few wears they have almost no grip on anything other than concrete/asphalt. Think of brand-new leather soles. I’m hoping that with wear this resolves itself, but still, something worth noting.

Materials & Construction

Materials

The materials on the New Balance 990v1 are a noticeable step up from a standard sneaker in most ways, though there are a few items that could use improving.

The upper is primarily made from a very hairy cow suede. The consistency is a bit hit or miss – the toebox is nearly a half a centimeter long and the heel cap is almost smooth – but it’s definitely got a premium feel none the less. Further, the white heel cap and yellow N are real cow leather. The green nylon feels sturdy, if a bit cheap on a shoe at this price point.

The tongue – also nylon – has a minimal amount of padding. However, it does the job and shouldn’t be a failure point in the sneaker. Inside the upper, a plastic lining looks great, but doesn’t feel great when you walk around.

The plastic heel cap is a thick and strong, and should provide at least a little bit of support. The midsole is made of three EVA-foam wedges. It is different densities, though not different enough to feel a major change as the foams compress under foot.

I found the outsole on the 990v1 interesting. In an effort to maximize comfort with the technology available to them at the time, New Balance made the majority of the outsole a rubberized foam. This makes it very soft and squishy, but will likely result in pretty poor durability. On the plus side, it is made by Vibram, so should be as good as it can be.

In order to try and keep some life in the shoes, the rear panel is an integrated rubber piece. This will help with wear, but I can’t help but wonder if the sneaker wouldn’t be better if the entire outsole was made of this.

Construction

The New Balance 990v1 is made with cemented construction, though with a slight twist. Where most cemented shoes have a hole at the bottom of the upper that is filled with a cloth lasting piece and sewn along the edge, the 990v1 is slip lasted. In other words, the upper materials meet underneath, kind of like a tube. This allows for a bit more flexibility (though, I don’t think you’ll notice).

Cemented construction is now the most common way to make a sneaker, though was pretty rare back in 1982. It offers the best flexibility and lowest cost, but can be a bit less durable than other construction methods.

It’s also important to mention where these shoes are made – New Balance’s Massachusetts factory. This expensive American labor can significantly drive up the price, and is one of the main reasons for the higher MSRP of the sneaker.

Pricing

As mentioned above, the New Balance 990v1 comes in at an MSRP of $190, which fits it right in the middle of New Balance’s Made in America price point.

I understand that the pricing of a sneaker doesn’t exactly correlate to the technology inside of it, but it does seem a bit hard to understand that price point when the much more technologically complex 990v4, 990v5, and 990v6 are each either a few dollars more or less at MSRP.

It’s also important to highlight the price of the similar looking 574 – which can be had for as low as $38 dollars. If you’re really willing to squint, you can even find the super affordable New Balance 420 in a very similar colorway.

Are the New Balance 990v1 Worth It?

If it’s possible to justify the $190 MSRP of the New Balance 990v1 is really going to depend on what you’re looking for in a sneaker.

For the person who loves the retro New Balance style, and just want something to kick around in, my suggestion would be to go for the 574. It’s significantly more affordable, has way more color choices, and is popular enough in its own right that you don’t need to be worried about picking the knock-down version. In fact, most people probably think it’s the more classic design at this point.

If someone wants to really appreciate the 990v1, you need to be a bit of a shoe nerd. You have to understand the history of the sneaker. Appreciate the made-in-USA construction. Potentially live within 30 miles of downtown DC.