Sneakerheads didn’t necessarily put New Balance on their shortlist for brands to look out for in the past, however, 2022 has proven the Boston-based footwear brand has a place at the table in terms of hype releases. Timely link-ups with Joe Freshgoods and Aime Leon Dore as well as hiring the founder of ALD, Teddy Santis, to spearhead the Made in USA line created buzz for the brand, though their most popular series of inline releases would have to be the Protection Pack (both for the 2002R and 1906D models). Just after the release of three new colorways on the former of the two models, early images have surfaced of a primarily “Black” colorway on the New Balance 2002R Protection Pack.
As with all other sneakers in the Protection Pack series, the silhouettes suede and leather overlays take on a deconstructed, worn-in appearance to mimic what designer Yue Wu calls a “wearable relic.” Jagged edges seen on the black suede around the toe, midfoot, and heel convey this idea while greytone suede overlays on the toebox and midfoot provide contrast to both the aforementioned black suede and black mesh base. Branding details remain standard for the 2002R with the midfoot featuring a black “N” logo piped with white leather while the top of the tongue features a window that hosts “New Balance Running” text. Adding some stark whites around the sockliner and insole helps the sole unit (borrowed from the NB 860v2) shine while the outsole below continues the black look.
The New Balance 2002R Protection Pack Black is set to release in March 2023 through New Balance and select retailers online and in-store. Coming in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $150. Keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest happenings in sneakers, streetwear, and more.
New Balance 2002R Protection Pack “Black”
Images via New Balance
Images via woganwodeyang
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
