New Balance 2002R

Everything about the shoe focused on performance and luxury. The sole was borrowed from the New Balance 1906, the brand’s top-tier running shoe that had come out the year prior in 2009. Andrew Nyssen was in charge of creating the upper for the NB 2002, filling up his mood board with luxury goods such as sports cars and watches that would later go on to inspire his design. New Balance went on to release the shoe in 2010 as its pinnacle of both cushioning technology and construction quality, with Ronnie Fieg even writing in his blog about how impressed he was with the silhouette. However, all this praise was met with a lack of sales numbers, letting the NB2002 fade into obscurity.

That was until 2020 when Tetsuya Shono, a long-standing employee and product line manager at New Balance Japan, unveiled the reissue that he’d been toiling over. With the upper being manufactured in Asia and New Balance swapping in the sole from the NB 860v2, the price point dropped significantly. The New Balance 2002R hit the shelves in the UK at £100 in 2020, which when coupled with a roster of great general releases and hot collaborative projects, gave the silhouette the best chance of success. While the 2002R might be a far cry from its original 2010 design, we’re just happy to see the silhouette out on the streets instead of the controlled temperatures of the New Balance archive.

It’s hard to discuss the New Balance 2002R without mentioning the “Protection Pack” from 2021 (originally titled “Refined Future”). The original three-shoe capsule had the whole industry tuned in as both sneakerheads and first-time buyers became adamant on owning a pair. Salehe Bembury also brought his individual genius to the silhouette, dressing the shoe in vibrant colours for his “Peace Be The Journey” and “Water Be The Guide” editions from 2020/21. UK streetwear community, The Basement, managed to cause significant waves with its earth-inspired colour palettes and interesting choice of materials. Not to forget Montreal based JJJJound using the silhouette as the base of their collaboration with the Boston brand twice.

Along with strong collaborations came a slew of functional editions that kitted the silhouette in GORE-TEX, CORDURA and even a Lace Pouch, all of which emphasised the technical appeal of the silhouette. Since its inception in 2010, the New Balance 2002 has gone from the pinnacle of running technology, to part of your average sneakerhead’s rotation, each time embracing the task at hand. If you haven't already, there's no better time to add a pair of NB 2002Rs to your collection.

If you're looking to buy a pair, check out our product specialists' New Balance 2002R Size Guide.