Home / Style / Sneakers

New Balance Just Made Its Best Affordable Sneaker Even Better

The 471 has barely left the factory floor. But it’s already up there with the best New Balance sneakers.

New Balance 471 arid stoneNew Balance

By Jack Seemer

Published

·

Updated

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Shoes don’t become iconic overnight. Unless we’re talking about the 471.

The New Balance sneaker has barely made it off the factory floor but it’s already won over the most discerning collectors with its vintage vibe and approachable price tag.

a pair of white New Balance running shoes on a brick wall
The New Balance 471 may look retro, but it’s a new model for 2025.
New Balance

Retro looks, affordably priced

When the 471 first dropped in March of this year, we called the shoe a “future classic” for its callbacks to 1970s New Balance models, specifically the 320 and discontinued 501. Naturally, a budget-friendly $100 MSRP didn’t hurt, either.

a pair of white New Balance running shoes on someones feet
The design of the 471 calls back to vintage runners like the 320 and discontinued 501.
New Balance

But if anything was missing from that first batch of 471s, it was a cool-gray colorway that has become synonymous with New Balance’s most iconic shoe models, from the 2002R to the myriad entires in the 990 series.

It hasn’t taken long for the brand to remedy the omission.

New Balance 471 arid stone
The 471 Grey Days features in two classic gray hues, arid stone and raincloud.
New Balance

Mere months after the 471’s debut, New Balance has dressed the shoe in various gray hues for its annual Grey Days collection, cementing its status as shoe with bona fide icon potential.

Going gray

The 471 Grey Days variant utilizes its ’70s-era upper materials, such as nylon and hairy suede, to showcase two of the brand’s best-known grays — specifically, raincloud and arid stone, which can be found across the New Balance portfolio.

New Balance 471 arid stone
The upper is a combination of ’70s-era nylon and hairy suede.
New Balance

That low-profile continues underfoot, literally, with a thin EVA midsole and transparent rubber outsole that complement the flat laces and large “N” logo for a decidedly retro feel.

New Balance 471 arid stone
The yellowish outsole plays into the 471s retro feel.
New Balance

While the model may comes across as old-school, however, it arrives as a breath of fresh air in today’s broader sneaker climate.

Today’s hottest drops bias heavily toward high-stack midsoles and synthetic overlays that reference the early 2000s. In fact, its a template New Balance knows well with releases like the 1906 Utility.

New Balance 471 arid stone
No high-stack midsole here. The 471 is defiantly low-profile.
New Balance

But of course, all trends are temporary. And it’s shoes that look like the 471 that tend to go the distance — especially when they come in gray.

Price and availability

In the US, the limited-edition New Balance 471 Grey Days is available now from authorized retailers, such as Kith. International shoppers can purchase a pair directly from the brand.

Like the mainline 471, it costs $100. For reference, Made in USA models go for $200 and up.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

Read More