New Balance 990v3 Review: A Dad Shoe for Sneakerheads

New Balance’s best-selling running sneakers are simple — but plenty sought after.

Published March 4, 2023

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It may be harder to buy nowadays than it used to be, but New Balance’s 990v3 sneaker isn’t going anywhere. First introduced in 2012 to commemorate the 990‘s 30th birthday, the v3 is the third generation of the venerable running silhouette, and it’s widely regarded as the best iteration. (There are six total, for the record: 990, 990v2, 990v3, 990v4, 990v5 and 990v6.)

Here, best means the most ubiquitous, or at least the most welcome amongst the fashion elite. For years, New Balance sneakers were regarded as comfort-focused “dad” sneakers, with the all-gray designs taking the most heat. But then things slowly changed, starting with niche New Balance collectors and comfortable sneaker appreciators before going mainstream. Nowadays, New Balance sneakers are everywhere.

The brand’s growth spurt resulted in a number of new numbered designs: the 550 and 650, for example. But I still recommend starting from the beginning — or at least somewhere in the middle. The 990v3 just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and while the most recent reissue was in 2021, New Balance could plan another restock down the road. For now, you can get them elsewhere, though: from resellers, on resale sites and even at some sneaker boutiques, which are still sitting on stock.

New Balance 990v3 Review

New Balance 990v3

$185.00 at

Pros

A quintessential New Balance sneaker that'll never go out of style
ENCAP insole midsole makes these super comfortable

Cons

They were last reissued in 2021, making them semi-hard to find

Where to Buy the New Balance 990v3

What’s Good About the New Balance 990v3

It comes from a long lineage of comfortable designs.

With New Balance, the numbers mean something. No, they aren’t descriptive down to where they were made, but it’s generally safe to assume that the higher the number, the more tech inside. The 550, for example, New Balance’s Air Force 1 equivalent, is far less comfortable than the 990v3.

And the 990v3 is the third evolution of what was — at least at the time it debuted — the top running model on the market, the 990. That was 1982, when spending $100 for a sneaker was unheard of, but the 990 was loaded with new tech and its all-gray colorway boldly contrasted with the trend at the time: colorful, statement-making sneakers.

Then, as brands branched out, delivering dozens of new silhouettes, New Balance worked to improve its core products. It was 16 years until the 990v2 dropped — this marked the introduction of New Balance’s ENCAP cushioned insole technology — and another 14 until the 990v3 arrived. The most recent iteration, the 990v6, dropped in November 2022.

It’s the best 990 — by far.

Because there are a number of 990s, consensus is split on which one’s truly the best. “Best,” in our case, refers to the best-looking, with the obvious fact being all of them are comfortable. As such, aesthetics are the emphasis.

To the untrained eye, all six are hardly that different, especially when done in the traditional all-gray scheme — but up close, the 990v3 looks the most proportionate. (They look the best from above, too, which is how the wearer sees them anyway.) And this particular version features a pigskin leather upper that overlays mesh inserts, giving this performance sneaker a more luxe look. Smaller, “if you know, you know” accents include the soft suede rear, the red “NB” logo hit on the heel and the big New Balance USA text printed on the tongue, the giveaway that these were made in America, unlike many other New Balance sneakers.

It’s slightly rare — for now.

New Balance doesn’t make all of its sneakers all of the time — but no brand really does. Instead, they “retro” pairs previously released. This essentially means they reissue them, but often with tiny tweaks — which is why you’ll find 990v3s from 2019 and 2021, the years they last came out. The variations between these two are minimal, but they’re different from the pairs that debuted in 2012.

That makes these relatively recent reissues rare, simply because they aren’t as abundant as when the sneaker first debuted. New Balance could flood the market with a 2023 or 2024 retro, but it seems unlikely — especially given the success of both the 550 and 650, as well as some of the brand’s new hiking-centric sneakers.

new balance 990v3 5 — The tread on these is totally fine for everyday wear.

What’s Not Ideal About the New Balance 990v3

They’re not an evergreen release.

You can’t go to newbalance.com and buy a pair of 990v3s — unless you wear a kids’s size. (Those are the only sizes they have left.) Like I said before, they’re rare, which is good for fledging sneaker collectors but bad for the general public. You’ll have to sift through resale sites and sneaker boutiques in order to find yourself a pair, but eventually doing so shouldn’t be too hard. There are pairs available via a number of stores, like StockX, Bodega, Yankee Kicks and more.

They don’t have the newest tech.

The New Balance 990v3, after all, sits right in the middle of the sneaker’s evolutionary journey. It isn’t the newest model, nor is it the oldest; in fact, it was the second one to feature the ENCAP insole technology, which was introduced with its predecessor. That being said, the actual platform of the shoe feels sturdy and supportive and the upper wraps more comfortably, thanks in part to its leather overlay, over the forefoot.

I’m flat-footed and there’s plenty of room for my feet to, well, spread — and my toes don’t feel crammed in the slightest. Would I go running in these? I could, sure…but there are better running sneakers out there, and this sneaker is decidedly lifestyle now.

New Balance 990v3: The Verdict

If you’re looking for a comfortable everyday sneaker with running roots, look no further: the 990v3 is your best bet. The ENCAP insole technology guarantees a comfortable ride, while the all-gray colorway meshes (pun intended) well with most styles. The sneaker is neither too plain nor too over the top, making it the ideal addition to any budding sneaker collection. Or, as New Balance is known for being, it can be the anchor of a super-simple sneaker rotation.