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I’m constantly hunting down dope New Balances. When it comes to retro inspired but new, these New Balance 2002r take it a step further!
The 2002 was originally released in 2010, and this version adds the R on the end of the model as well as the sole unit from the 860v2. The original 2002 was super expensive and made out to be a luxury sneaker, this version makes them a bit more affordable.
I have been meaning to try this sneaker and now that I have, I’m very glad. Whenever I see that certain type of overlay on a New Balance toebox, I get reminded of the 990 and I know the shoe is going to be very comfortable. At retail price, new balance definitely knocks it out the park with these in terms of value.
There are collaborations and more premium editions of this model with additional backstory/extras/rarity/etc. If you are interested in this model, but want something more collectible, I highly recommend checking around for some of the collabs and packs.
How Are The Materials on the New Balance 2002r?
These aren’t marked as being from the Made lines, however the quality is still very good at this price point.
Generally we get a decent leather and/or suede makeup with the typical 3M hits. While the composition and quality varies from colorway to colorway, overall we get something just a slight tier below the Made in USA and England releases. By that same turn, these are quality-wise a tier above many offerings from other brands at similar prices.
How Does the 2002r Fit?
The New Balance 2002r are comfortable at true to size. They are wide foot friendly with a slightly roomy feel.
I consider my true size a 9.5, and typically that’s what I’ll get in NBs like these. The comfort on these is very nice, and reminds me a lot of the 990. New Balances site claims these have an ABZORB midsole, ABZORB SBS heel cushioning and an N-ergy outsole. All this amounts to a nice feel underfoot with just the right amount of give without being “squishy”. Overall I find these very comfortable!
Where To Buy the New Balance 2002r
You can shop for the New balance 2002r at the New Balance website and various online sneaker boutiques such as Sneakersnstuff.
Shop New Balance 2002r on: eBay
See below for individual links to colorways I have purchased:
New Balance 2002r Heliotrope / Incense review
Colorway: Heliotrope / Incense
Style Code: M2002RWA
Year of Release: 2022
MSRP: $140
Buy: eBay
People initially thought these were a J-crew exclusive! I’ve seen these dropping at too many stores for that to be accurate, though. Besides the rubbery plastic on the N logo and backtab hit, these sport an all suede makeup for the most part. The suede quality here is very good for a $140 sneaker, although of course it pales in comparison to Made-line NBs.
This pair includes sets of grey and purple flat laces and ship in a grey New Balance box which seems slightly darker than the typical Made-line box.
I think ever since ACG-looking colorways started coming back, these combinations of purple, light blue and tan/yellow are increasingly appealing. These are of course very comfortable and probably my only pickup for this month!
New Balance 2002r Triumph Green
Colorway: Triumph Green / Black
Style Code: ML2002RM
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $140
Buy: eBay
The Triumph Green colorway sports an all-suede upper and while the texture isn’t as buttery as a Made NB, it is still very lush and soft and produces a clear backstroke when touched. There are a couple of leather hits as well although these are so minimal they are tough to really critique. Still, I think this is a great value in terms of the suede used.
This pair includes olive colored flat laces and ship in a small red New Balance box instead of the typical grey box. These otherwise don’t include any extras or have any particularly special details vs any other pair of this model.