NEW BALANCE 575 TRAIL

The New Balance 575 is a classic off-roader with more presence than a jacked-up Humvee in a Hyundai dealership. This thing is heavy, and I mean h-e-a-v-y – it’s literally a 2lb weapon, which makes it a monty for anyone sent off for a stretch on Prison Break. NB fans without Alzheimers however, will remember the 575 fondly from the first Solebox x NB collabo known as The Purple Devil. Most recently, the 575 model was branded by the hands of Jeff Staple into the Pigeon MKII, making it quite the go-to sneaker for New Balance.

After those two roundhouses, this is one pair of NB x GR that is sure to TKO Trail fans and maybe even convert a few city-slickers as well. Fuschia suede and pink bits mixed with black mesh and enough speckle to keep your freckle impeccable, makes for a perfectly timed seasonal crossover. Not to mention the safety orange slapped on the bone stock suede... either way they both spell Bear Grylls!

While the JPE inspired hiker-phenom has largely refused to nudge into the euro mainstream, this ‘woodsy’ vibe has really caught our imagination and we have developed a renewed hunger for anything ACG-ish the biz can throw our way. The main question seems to be whether upmarket boutiques have the werewithal to actually get behind this stuff and order shoes for their customers in markets where the concept of Trail Running isn’t fashionable or even possible without a five hour journey by plane, train and automobile. We hope they do, because this whole category deserves a warm reception...