U998TA "Grey Day"

In commemoration of their grey legacy, New Balance celebrates “Grey Day” — a moment in time to reflect and appreciate how far things have come. In over 100 years New Balance has done many things but none longer-lasting than their decision to make grey their colour.

Following a few years on the sidelines, New Balance's lifestyle workhorse – the 998 – gets called back onto the field. Debuting in 1993, the 998 introduced one of the most impactful advances in cushioning to NB to-date: ABZORB. The foam/rubber composition offered superior cushioning compared with anything on the market, making the 998 one of the most comfortable shoes money could buy. So effective was the combination that the 998 actually stayed in production for decades after the model itself was surpassed by newer 99x models. To this day, ABZORB still features in the modern New Balance arsenal of tools.

The Grey Day release retains the traditional suede and mesh material mix, substituting a rough-cut hairy suede for the velvety pigskin we are more used to seeing.