From Everyday to Everest: Explore More in the New Balance Rainier

Gorpcore has well and truly taken over the sneaker scene, but if Salomon’s aren’t your bag, then New Balance is here to provide a tried and tested alternative. Bringing back another Santis-approved silhouette from the archives, the Boston-based brand offers up its Rainier Boot to those looking for a smarter alternative, bridging the gap between Gorpcore and the preppy wave of streetwear egged on by Aimé Leon Dore.

For those new to the Rainier (or even hiking history) then here’s a quick lesson. The boot first dropped in 1982, and was originally developed with the help of mountaineer Lou Whittaker, who was looking for a lighter-weight hiking boot following an injury. Two years later, the Rainier took the mountaineer to the top of Everest, hailing itself as a breakthrough for the outdoors industry, and a huge turning point for otherwise heavy and bulky outdoor wear. Whittaker then famously coined the slogan “You couldn’t pay me to wear these boots up Mt Everest” which just so happened to fit nicely into NB’s tongue-in-cheek marketing messaging style - convenient much?

That being said, sneakerheads these days are far less likely to scale the world’s tallest peak, even if hiking has seen an increase in popularity. New Balance brought back the boot in 2016, when (if you haven’t erased it from your memory) sneaker culture revolved around models like the Yeezy 350 and tacky logomania. Perhaps sensing it was ahead of its time, the Boston-based brand shelved the style, before Teddy Santis ushered in a comeback through a collaboration with his grown-up streetwear imprint Aimé Leon Dore.

Once the model had been given the Santis seal of approval, New Balance was well positioned to get in on the Gorpcore trend. Updating the silhouette for the modern age, the brand added GORE-TEX proofing to the already rugged Cordura upper for the ALD version, while the original choice of suede or leather and canvas uppers help other pairs to retain their quintessential vintage look and feel.

Underfoot, Vibram midsoles nod to the nature of the original release - aside from the ALD pair’s GORE-TEX upper, the only other minor change to both versions is an update to the New Balance logo. These tiny adjustments nod to the style as a testament to great design, and even though it was snubbed in 2016, it was clearly ahead of itself in 1982 - so much so that it’s back in demand over 40 years later.

Looking to add a pair to your rotation? Hit the links to shop the style at New Balance now, or head over to the brand’s site to check out the rest of the range.