Andrew Reynolds, one of the most recognized names in skateboarding, became the face of New Balance Numeric the moment he put pen to paper on a sponsorship deal in late 2022. While we’ve yet to see the release of a true signature shoe, you could argue that Reynolds’ ambassadorship of the Numeric 480 has made an equally significant impact on the brand’s skate division.
The Flordia-born skater saw the release of his first special edition Numeric 480 in September of 2023, and now as those pairs have surely become worn-down by now, Reynolds has a new colorway dropping July 2024. From the same school of contemporary, versatile skate footwear as his last pair, Reynolds’ latest delivery features a “Sea Salt” leather base, gum soles, and brown accents on heel, quarter branding, and co-branded tongue tag. Now in his mid-forties, it appears Reynolds’ collaborative New Balance catalog will continue to favor toned-down, agreeable sneaker aesthetics as ntete to flashy, color-blasted product, a testament to the staying power of the signature rider.
To the uninformed, the New Balance 480 is a basketball shoe from the 1980s that’s since been re-tooled for skateboarding, with the Numeric version emerging right around the same time Reynolds joined the team a couple years back. It’s firmly risen to become the sub-brand’s tentpole model, largely due in part to Reynolds’ endorsement and a wide array of readily available styles and colorways.
New Balance Air Max 97 QS Obsidian Numeric 480 ($100) is set to release July 29th via newbalance.com and skate shops. Reference our “Where To Buy” section below on that date for purchase links.
WHERE TO BUY
New Balance 480
Retailer | Release type | Status |
---|---|---|
Uomo New Balance 997 Sport Rain Cloud Pigment | Standard | Check Site |