Sneaker Freaker

TWIZM / SF FORUM / BRISBANE / HANON x NEW BALANCE 990

Some freakers may remember in last year’s ‘best of the rest’ Hanon mentioned they were developing a new collaboration with Schoeller Technologies. This is the result, the New Balance 990HSN. The main feature of these UK made beasts is the use of Schoeller’s 3XDRY fabric on the uppers, which keeps the shoes cool, light and best of all, it’s waterproof and heavy duty. The use of full-grain leather and nubuck (by Pittards of England no less) makes for a super durable shoe. I can put pay to this, as my particular pair makes the trek to uni more than any other shoe I own, and they do it in rain, hail or shine with no worries at all. With a bit of dirt, and some scuffing here and there, they start to look even better, and it seems to suit the whole feel of the shoe.

The use of the 990 means that you get the super fat and super comfortable sole unit, and overall, the whole shoe has a nice aggressive wedge shape, something the 991 and 992 have progressively lost. Of course you can’t have a UK made New Balance without the odd smattering of 3M, and it’s all tied together with Hanon’s signature Gold ‘N’. Whilst on paper it doesn’t sound convincing, in the flesh it all seems to work. All in all, the 990HSN is far and away my pick of the year, within it lies everything you could ever want in a shoe, good looks, practicality, and of course, the outstanding quality that is a UK made New Balance shoe.