New year, new shoes. That sounds about right!
The first new shoes to hit our shelves for 2013 are from New Balance.
New Balance has been pushing the envelope the last few years. No longer are they known as the “army shoes” here in Singapore. New Balance regularly produces technologically advanced and good looking shoes.
Two traditional favourites, the RC1300 and RT1100, are back but with a couple of upgrades.
Both models are now built on New Balance’s Revlite cushioning platform which is 30% lighter than traditional compounds but results in no loss of cushioning.
sizes: US7.0 – US12.0
Another welcomed improvement is in the upper. There has been a big reduction in the amount of stitching. New Balance has instead gone for more breathable mesh paneling and seamless overlays (especially in the mid/forefoot region) that are likely to have been borrowed from the FantomFit upper that we saw on the RC1600 racer.
sizes: US 4.0 – US 12.0
Technical mambo jumbo aside, what this translates to is a significantly lighter shoe with a more comfortable and secure upper. The RC1300 is the Japanese inspired racer while the RT1100 is the versatile, lightweight race-trainer.
The RC1300 (RRP: $185) and the RT1100 (RRP: $175) are available now at The Runner’s Gait.
