New Balance has unveiled a stripped-back version of one of its more futuristic lifestyle sneakers. The new 2000S is a sleeker take on the Abzorb 2000, a Y2K-inspired lifestyle runner that debuted last year with a much more technical look.
The big change here is the upper. Instead of the usual layered, busy New Balance design, the 2000S uses wide, uninterrupted panels that run from the front of the shoe to the back. There is still some gradient texturing near the laces, but overall, this is much more restrained than what you might expect from the brand.
Even the classic “N” logo has been scaled right down. It now appears as a small mark below the bottom of the laces, while the inner side of the shoe does not have an “N” logo at all. At first glance, it almost looks like a completely new silhouette.
Underfoot, though, the 2000S keeps the same tooling as the Abzorb 2000. That means it still has the sculpted midsole, full-length Abzorb cushioning and visible Abzorb SBS pods that give the shoe its more futuristic edge.
The first colourway keeps things simple too. New Balance has shown the 2000S in light grey, with black on the rubber outsole and dark charcoal accents around the midsole and mesh panel. It is not fully monochrome, but it is about as understated as this kind of sneaker gets.
More colours are expected later, including bright yellow and anthracite versions that appeared during a Quadro Creations runway show back in April.
The 2000S is expected to launch this autumn. Pricing has not been confirmed yet, but the standard Abzorb 2000 costs $170, so that should give buyers a rough idea of where this new version might land.
For New Balance, this is still a techy lifestyle sneaker. It is just one that hides most of the noise.