J
Jay Stone
January 08, 2014
Excellent Walking Shoes
I've worn the New Balance 990 Series for years, even though they are technically running shoes - I wore them for everyday use because they were so comfortable. I also wear size 8 2E, which is difficult if not impossible to find in shoes from other manufacturers. I also normally wear an orthotic.About two months ago I decided to try the 928, which are walking shoes, and I'm glad I did. They look nice and the support is great. I don't have to wear an orthotic with them.Some of the reviewers here mentioned getting sore spots on their feet trying to wear the 928. Keep in mind these have leather uppers, and though they are comfortable right out of the box for many, they don't for all and they may require a breakin period. Mine are definitely more comfortable now than when they were brand new. Also, if you are new to New Balance, you may need to wear a different size than the one you are used to wearing in other shoes. For example, I wear a 7.5 2E in dress shoes, but my size in New Balance is 8 2E. You may also have received a mislabelled pair that is actually smaller or larger than the size marked...it happens sometimes. My advice is return them and try another pair of the same size or slightly longer (or wider as the case may be).Another tip: the New Balance website has a helpful sizing tool to plug in the brand and size/width you normally wear and it suggests the appropriate New Balance size for any specific New Balance model you are considering. Even if you are used to wearing a particular New Balance model, the correct size/width may be slightly different for a different New Balance shoe. The sizing tool allows you to enter the New Balance model you wear already and see what size you might wear in a different New Balance model.Lastly, a lot of reviewers complain about the cost of New Balance shoes. You get what you pay for with New Balance. Once you're properly fitted, you won't want to wear another brand.5/12/2014 Updated Comments:As mentioned earlier, this is my first pair of 928s. I did find the break-in period to be significant, as these shoes are pretty stiff when new. I'm used to wearing the 990 series where the break-in period is much, much shorter. But since the 990s are technically running shoes and the 928 is a walking shoe, it's a bit like comparing apples and oranges! But do expect break-in.I see more recent comments complaining about the price. Two of my thoughts on this: (1) New Balance shoes will ALWAYS be higher than inferior knock-offs from Walmart and Costco. Many people who wear New Balance have foot size, width or physical conditions that make wearing other shoes frustrating and/or painful. New Balance is designed to address these issues, and guess what - that makes them more costly to make. (2) Constantly complaining about price just encourages New Balance to try to keep the price relatively constant and lower their quality and manufacturing costs. I would prefer they raise the price to reflect the increased costs of manufacturing and maintain high quality standards. Don't complain about cost when you're getting your money's worth. I don't know about you, but my feet deserve it!
✔ Verified Purchase
V
Virginia Falcon
March 19, 2013
Perfect fit, very comfortable
I've long been a fan of New Balance walking shoes simply because they offer wide widths (EE for me) and the quality has always been excellent. About two weeks ago, I purchased this 928 in both the brown leather and the grey suede, thinking I would send one of them back to Amazon. But I'm keeping them both. The 928 has a wide toe box, so there's plenty of room there. New Balance Men's MW928 Walking Shoe Other NB shoes built on an SL-1 last have less room for toes. This 928 is made on the SL-2 last (which means wide toes). You can see lots more technical info by going to New Balance dot com. The soles of both shoes (the brown leather and the grey suede) are very cushiony and are quite suitable for anyone with knee problems. I can't understand why one other reviewer wrote that they were hard to walk in. Not sure what that means. Perhaps he has some severe leg problems. Regarding the brown leather, look carefully at the Amazon photos, and go to the New Balance web site and look at their photos. You'll see that the natural leather pieces vary slightly in color, which I think makes an attractive shoe. My brown 928s are almost black on the top of the toes, and the rest of the saddle and the heel are a slightly lighter brown, but still dark. So don't expect every piece of this natural leather to be perfectly matched with every other piece. The varying dark/light is very nicely done. Can't say enough about the comfort.UPDATE: Wore both these shoes on a recent trip to Finland and Russia. Every day was spent visiting villages, churches, monastaries, Kremlins (yes, there's more than one), many on rough paths and cobblestone streets. Both my brown leather and my grey suede NB MW928s were VERY comfortable, and stylish enough for me to wear to the "captain's dinner" on our river cruise. This was the perfect choice for me, and I'm pleased that while they're "walking" shoes, they're stylish enough to wear almost anywhere. By the way, the "MW" in front of New Balance's style number means "Mens, Walking." The "Walking" part means this shoe has more comforting soles than their running or cross training shoes, whose soles are much more dense, and therefore, harder.
✔ Verified Purchase
Great shoes
These are great shoes. They are comfortable, roomy, supportive (with excellent arch support), and stable. I got them for fitness walking, but they quickly replaced pretty much all my other shoes for going outside for any purpose. No, they're not quite "high fashion", but they're reasonably attractive casual-wear for anything from a weekend to a casual office environment. The 928's are really the gold standard for higher-end walking shoes or for people who are on their feet all day; I'm not sure there's anything better out there. I like them so much I already bought a pair in both colors and a back up pair in brown. They are so much more comfortable than other shoes, especially if you're going to be standing or walking a lot, that it's hard to describe. One thing worth noting is that they're not heavily padded; the feel is more "supportive" than "springy". Kind of like sleeping on a firm or medium-firm mattress instead of a cushy soft one. These are not cheap, but you get what you pay for; the build quality is high and attention to detail is solid. I'm very satisfied and, at least as of right now, don't see myself wearing much of anything else shoe-wise in the future.
✔ Verified Purchase
