New Balance

SCCutler

SCCutler

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Spike Cutler
So, I needed new sneakers.

Went to the store, and of the hundreds of styles of shoes, from a dozen or more manufacturers, only New Balance were made in good ol' USA. The rest - China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, whatever.

They looked sound, so that's what I bought.

New Balance. Made in the USA.
 
I made the switch to NB several years ago. So far, I only have to get new shoes because the old ones get so nasty that my wife won't let me wear them in public - I haven't had to replace a 'worn out' pair yet. Before, when I did Nike and Reebok, the rubber sole would wear down to the spongy pad within one summer.

Didn't know about the Made in USA part. Added bonus!
 
Some (not all) Red Wing boots are still Made in the USA.

But they are made so well they last for years (and I actually wear them -- alot).

Our Cannondale tandem was made in the USA.

Our Honda Accord was assembled in Marysville, OH.

Matterhorn boots are also USA -- I had several pair through my Army career. Had a new pair in 200. They were worn out after two days on the pile in NYC and I haven't worn them since.
 
Even high end shoes are made elsewhere, and only a few new balance varieties are made in the US. I wound up buying a pair of italian made sneakers, were about 200 bucks but I've had them 5 times as long as my last pair of 150 buck Merrills and they still look brand spanking new.
 
I've been wearing New Balance for the longest time and really enjoy them. I'm on my second pair of 397's. I started putting Dr. Scholl's inserts in them last fall and it has made a significant improvement.
 
I wear new balance as well.

however, when i first saw this thread, i thought it was nother weight and balance thread. haha...
 
And they come in different lasts (for us with high arch & high instep) and....narrow & wide widths!
 
ajstoner21 said:
I wear new balance as well.

however, when i first saw this thread, i thought it was nother weight and balance thread. haha...
Click to expand...

Very funny. I am performing a weight and balance before each of my flights now and I get to ask PASSENGERS their weight ha ha!

I used to run each day (on treadmills) 6-12 miles. There was a running store where they watched you run on a fake track to see if your feet go inwards or outwards - they paid attention to your gait and sold you "the" shoes for you.

I was running enough at that time - that people told me I should "invest" in a good quality shoe.

I think they were called Mizuno. Possibly Japanese? Great running shoes.
 
New Balance is good - I do like them. However, not all their shoes are made in the US. I was very impressed with the company after judging a business case competition that was focused on a case about NB.
 
ditto, long time NB wearer and the insole change makes them much more comfortable when working on pavement for any length of time

HPNPilot1200 said:
I've been wearing New Balance for the longest time and really enjoy them. I'm on my second pair of 397's. I started putting Dr. Scholl's inserts in them last fall and it has made a significant improvement.
Click to expand...
 
wsuffa said:
New Balance is good - I do like them. However, not all their shoes are made in the US. I was very impressed with the company after judging a business case competition that was focused on a case about NB.
Click to expand...

I can't speak for *all* of them; but they were the only ones I could find that were US-made.

Also, I could not help but notice that the rest of the manufacturers found new and creative ways to conceal or minimize the countries of origin on the boxes.
 
bartmc said:
Even high end shoes are made elsewhere, and only a few new balance varieties are made in the US. I wound up buying a pair of italian made sneakers, were about 200 bucks but I've had them 5 times as long as my last pair of 150 buck Merrills and they still look brand spanking new.
Click to expand...

Allen Edmond shoes (the finest dress shoes made IMO) are made right here in Port Washington, Wisconsin. I've worn them for 25 years.
 
Here is a link to New Balance describing the U.S. content. Twenty Five percent of their shoes are made in the USA.
http://www.shopnewbalance.com/information/madeinusa.asp?s1=NBAS&s2=madeinusa

MIT has a program called OpenCourseWare where you can watch videos on various subjects. Here is a video from the Six Sigma course in aerospace engineering featuring the New Balance factory.
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/aeronaut...08/videos/session-1-7-new-balance-plant-tour/

Here is a link to Allen Edmonds, nice shoes made in Wisconsin.
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/AboutAEHeritage?catalogId=40000000001&langId=-1&storeId=1
 
SCCutler said:
I can't speak for *all* of them; but they were the only ones I could find that were US-made.

Also, I could not help but notice that the rest of the manufacturers found new and creative ways to conceal or minimize the countries of origin on the boxes.
Click to expand...

Very good. Now, were all the parts made on the US, or were they assembled here? NB does/did three means of building shoes: parts made/shoes built in US, parts made elsewhere assembled in US, and whole shoes made elsewhere. ;)

Still, much preferred that they are labeled "made in US".

Concealing country of origin is becoming the way things are done....
 
SCCutler said:
So, I needed new sneakers.

Went to the store, and of the hundreds of styles of shoes, from a dozen or more manufacturers, only New Balance were made in good ol' USA. The rest - China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, whatever.

They looked sound, so that's what I bought.

New Balance. Made in the USA.
Click to expand...

Yep, US made has some advantages for our economy.

It is very difficult to find stuff that is made in the US. I'm disappointed with companies like LL Bean and EMS that sell so much imported crap
 
wsuffa said:
Very good. Now, were all the parts made on the US, or were they assembled here? NB does/did three means of building shoes: parts made/shoes built in US, parts made elsewhere assembled in US, and whole shoes made elsewhere. ;)

Still, much preferred that they are labeled "made in US".

Concealing country of origin is becoming the way things are done....
Click to expand...
Not all of the New Balance shoes are labeled made in the USA but if they are the shoes have a minimum 70% USA content. From the New Balance website:

Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we have labeled the shoe "Made in the USA." Where it falls below 70%, we have qualified the label referencing domestic and imported materials. This determination is based in part on the Federal Trade Commission's survey of consumers.
 
Years ago when I ran every morning, it was on New Balance shoes. I still have that pair floating around my house somewhere. I didn't buy them because they were made in the US, I bought them because they were a great running shoe.

John
 
Wow, shoe talk on a pilot board. One can feel the estrogen flowing!!!! ;) :)

Might be a sale at Nordstroms on Coach bags to go with those new shoes! :D:D:D:D
 
my two year old nike's were probably sewn together by child laborers somewhere but i've worn them every day. the sides are starting to blow out and i've worn the sole clear through so i suppose its time to get new ones.
 
tonycondon said:
my two year old nike's were probably sewn together by child laborers somewhere but i've worn them every day. the sides are starting to blow out and i've worn the sole clear through so i suppose its time to get new ones.
Click to expand...
Child laborers? you know ones that can make better quality shoes. :D:D:D
 
The invention of a sewing machine that could stitch the top of the shoe to the sole instead of doing by hand, by someone named McKay, was a contributing factor to the North's ability to keep shoes on their soldier's feet vs. the South marching barefoot in the Civil War.

It's Trivia Monday... I guess.
 
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