My New Sneaker Experience

Once the shoes are handled, I feel a seam inside the toe box. For me, that usually means a trip to Blistville.

The price of $260 + tax (Canadian) does the sneaker no favors. Makes me wonder if the price is due to a higher quality shoe or as a fashion trend markup.

But as an avid city-walker who loves fashionable sneakers, these make sense. I hung on to them since I couldn’t feel the internal seams as my feet swung inside.

Sneaker Overview
The New Balance 990 V6 is a less chunky version of the dad sneaker style, as they have a sleek design that is more of a running shoe than a dad sneaker.

They feature a suede and mesh upper and a FuelCell foam midsole that claims to provide forward propulsion and a comfortable, durable fit.
They’ve been my go-to walking sneaker for school and a comfortable weekend outfit with jeans.

Comfort and fit
I do this with all of my sneakers and it doesn’t affect my review because the insoles are similar in shape and thickness. The only difference is that the Vionic insoles are firmer and provide more support in the arch and on the outside of the foot. They do not add more or less padding to the bottom of the foot.

Comfort
From the first day of wearing them, they are extremely comfortable. It’s like wearing cozy slippers, really.

They are nicely cushioned and offer great support. I have no problem walking, not even a quick sprint. They do propel my feet forward when I walk/run and provide a nice bounce in my step.

After 6 months, I have no blisters or pain. Wear them with socks and you can’t feel the seams on the inside. No break-in required – they are perfect for first time wear!

The only time I’ve had any issues is when I walk 3 hours a day and feel some soreness at the top of my longest toes: my big toe and second toe.

Sizing.
However, this is my fault! I read that the New Balance 990 V6 fit better, so I went with the 7.5 instead of my usual 8s. My mistake.

After buying these sneakers, I went to the New Balance store in Toronto and got my foot size for their shoes (which they do for free with this high-tech machine that gives you detailed information on foot width, length and position. They told me I should wear a size 8.5 or even a 9.

Given that my front toes can clearly touch inside the toe box when I walk (although it’s not noticeable unless worn for long periods of time), the New Balance 990 V6 sneakers are the right size for someone with slim feet like mine.

However, for optimal comfort during extended wear, I would recommend sizing up half a size, or even full size if you have wider feet.

Durability and performance

After 6 months, these have held up well. They show very little sign of wear on the outsole and upper. And they still feel the same as when I first wore them.

Considering I take them on dusty roads, green grassy parks, and cobblestones, they don’t look dirty, and I’ve only had to wipe them down a couple times with a damp rag.

I cleaned the sides of the outer sole with some soap and water and the dirt and wear marks came off easily.

Apparently they are as high quality as they claim to be. I’m curious to see how they perform after a year! Like in true ShoeTease fashion, I’ll update this post and report back in 6 months.

Pros:
Comfort – Aside from sizing down by mistake (which you can still do if you don’t plan on walking long distances), they’re very comfortable, easy to slip in and out of and keep my feet stable.
Appearance – Even as a larger “dad” sneaker, they don’t make my already slightly larger-than-average feet look big, so I can wear them with different outfits without looking silly.
High quality – Other sneakers wear out and the outsoles “flatten”, but they don’t at all. They look very similar to what they were originally made to look like and I’ve had very little maintenance. Obviously, they are durable and long-lasting.
Practical – The perfect combination of comfort and style, so you don’t have to compromise on either, so you can be effortlessly stylish!