New Balance Numeric’s team rider Marquise Henry sure is a prolific skateboarder. In fact, he’s so productive on his skateboard that he found himself out of skate shoes during his last Euro tour. But instead of bitching about it, Marquise humbly went into some sportswear store and bought himself a pair of classic, run-of-the-mill NB 420s (a model that has been around since the 70s, mind you). Surprisingly, he liked the shoes so much that he would later nag New Balance’s management to release a pair of dedicated 420. And so they did. With the 420, New Balance Numeric continues to release some of the most advanced skateboarding shoes out there: the Numeric version unites a clean techie look with a bunch of timely updates. As a result, the 420’s spec sheet reads like the manual for an industrial grade air conditioning system with nerdy terms like REVlight technology, mesh panels for ventilation, synthetic mesh upper, and tapered hull without outer seams. REVlight, for the uninitiated, is New Balance’s state-of-the-art insole that offers maximum impact cushioning at a minimal net weight. If you’re looking for a contemporary skate shoe that doesn’t look like the Michelin Man and Optimus Prime had a baby, don’t look any further. You can buy the New Balance Numeric 420 both at our web shop and at our store in Frankfurt.
