Image via Complex Original
11.
Quarantine be damned, the New Balance 992 is making a strong case for one of the best sneakers of the year.
Originally released in 2006, the 992 was designed by Jonathan Bacon and functioned as a follow-up to 2001's 991 model. A "dad shoe" before dad shoes were even a thing, the former performance runner saw its first-ever retro this year. In its first incarnation, the 992 was made famous as part of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' signature uniform—as well as having regional appeal in areas like D.C. and Philadelphia—but in 2020, it's found a wider fan base than ever thanks to its right-on-time reissue and a handful of well-received collaborations.
Yes, there’s still a few months left, but the year’s most important 992 colorways have already arrived. There’s a lot to choose from. Is it the Instagram-favorite JJJJound collabs? Does Joe Freshgoods take the crown after stealing the show in Chicago at NBA All-Star Weekend? And what about the sleeper general release styles that readers may have overlooked? All of that and more was considered, and after much debate, this is where things stand based on cultural impact, connoisseur significance, and overall design.
Read on to find out our picks of the best New Balance 992s of 2020. —Riley Jones
10.New Balance 992 'Black'
These black suede 992s might not demand attention from passersby, but there’s something to be said for a solid general release colorway that’s both wearable and not coveted enough that one feels compelled to keep on ice for a future sale. That’s kind of what the brand is built on anyway—flashy is great, but not exactly what New Balance is known for. Solid general releases became something of a theme in 2020, with colorways including the tan, "Nimbus Cloud," and yellow also being considered for this list. It’s hard to go wrong with the versatility of a black suede sneaker though, and that’s what ultimately landed it a spot in the top 10. —Zac Dubasik
9.New Balance 992 'Multicolor'
The word is that the 992’s Steve Jobs connection helped inspire this multicolor makeup. Said to be an unofficial homage to Apple’s rainbow logo (which lasted from 1976 to 1998), this pair cleverly mixes all six shades from the retro emblem. It’s not for everyone, but it isn’t an easy feat to combine this many different colors and still come up with something this wearable. It also deserves props for taking a risk during a time when a lot of sneakers are relying on tried-and-true “cheat code” colorways. Maybe best of all, these can be picked up for under retail currently, proving it’s not all about resale value. —Riley Jones
8.JJJJound x New Balance 992 'Green'
Depending on your Instagram algorithm, this might be the thousandth time your eyes have seen this shoe. For some, that overkill that has caused it to lose some luster. Others can’t get enough of it and are patiently waiting for the resell price to go down to scoop a pair of their own. Either way, Justin Saunders definitely crafted a winner with his latest JJJJound x New Balance collaboration.
The grey colorway that mimics the Montreal-based design studio’s 990v3 from 2018 is arguably the more coveted of the two options, but the green version is also worthy of some praise. The earthy suede and mesh upper fits perfectly into JJJJound’s established color palette and looks right at home on a New Balance runner. The subtle branding hit on the heel is the perfect finishing touch. With the fall wardrobes starting to get dusted off, this shoe is only going to look better in the coming months. But, through no fault of its own, it still sort of feels like a consolation prize to the grey pair because of how well-executed that was. For that reason, it sits comfortably in the bottom half of the rankings. —Mike DeStefano
7.New Balance 992 'Purple'
Bold shades of purple don’t typically scream “New Balance,” but after seeing this late-summer in-line release, maybe that’s a combination that should happen more often. Without a collaborator in sight or the heritage of an OG colorway, pairs sold swiftly, proving that hype alone isn’t fueling the 992's 2020 demand. Instead, it was simply a well-made shoe that happens to look great in this new color scheme. The sneaker even got a pop culture co-sign from Lil Uzi Vert, who was spotted roaming the streets of Philadelphia in a pair. —Zac Dubasik
6.New Balance 992 'Kith Exclusive'
Ronnie Fieg knows a thing or two about New Balance. As a teen, Fieg sold New Balance’s grey suede sneakers to hustlers who wanted an expensive shoe that was comfortable on the corner. He also had a close connection to Japan, where he’d trade with foreign customers for exclusive sneakers before the age of buying sneakers online. He also grew an appreciation for the brand’s CL colorway, a combination of grey and blue that was made famous on the brand’s 1300 sneaker. He took all of these learnings and applied it to what some might argue is his best New Balance project, an exclusive colorway for Kith on the 992, which was released alongside a 998. The 992 stole the show. Some even argued that the model was so good that it didn’t need Fieg or Kith’s name attached to it for it to sell. They may be right, but that doesn’t subtract any points from the final product. For those who have been a fan of the brand for a long time, this might be the one this year. —Matt Welty
5.New Balance 992 'Packer Exclusive'
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be fielding some text messages about this sneaker's placement on this list. Full disclosure: I'm friends with the team at Packer Shoes and hence have been privy to some of the process behind this pair that the public didn't see. I am biased towards the shoe—I like to see Packer, a family business that's been serving up shoes for a century, win. And make no mistake about it, while my contacts there may be hitting me up at this very moment questioning why this isn't the flat-out No. 1 on the list, this is a win.
It's a win because the store challenged the stigma of releasing a shoe through NB1, New Balance's custom sneaker platform that's been publicly available in the past, by being transparent about the origins. It's a win because that didn't diminish the sneaker's reception—for other collaborators it felt like a cheat code, but for Packer it felt like a hard-fought victory to release a domestically made NB silhouette. And it's a win because, like the store it originates from, this 992 does not seek points through bells and whistles, but rather through classic American sportswear. Again, I'm biased here, but I hope they keep on winning. —Brendan Dunne
4.JJJJound x New Balance 992 'Grey'
The pairing of Montreal-based design studio JJJJound and the New Balance 992 just makes sense. JJJJound has developed a cult-like following thanks to founder Justin Saunders’ keen eye for minimalism. Likewise, the 992 is right at home in the normcore aesthetic, with the shoe having been worn by the one and only Steve Jobs following its original run in 2006.
For this sneaker, JJJJound revisited the taupe hues seen on its New Balance 990v3 design from 2018. Described by New Balance as a “test project” with an especially small production run, 2018’s 990v3 was so rare that some sizes can’t be found for sale at all on the usual marketplaces. Unlike the first collaboration, this year’s 992 was a bit more accessible, releasing not only on the JJJJound website, but from a handful of other retailers.
With its brownish greys and black accents, this colorway resembles a lovingly worn pair of New Balance’s signature grey sneakers. It’s a palette that’s as enduring as it is on trend, and while it mimics the look of JJJJound’s previous collab, it’s not a one-to-one copy. Among other details, the Montreal studio forgoes the cream shoelaces it helped make trendy in favor of a more traditional flat white. It’s a nuance that most will overlook, but one that speaks to exactly what makes the shoe so good to begin with.
While there may not be any faults with the product itself, one could argue the JJJJound x 992 has a case of Instagram fatigue after becoming one of the “it” shoes of quarantine. Sure, it’s hard to shake the feeling that some of the shares are coming from New Balance first-timers. But again, that’s another testament to just how well of a job Saunders and his team have done here—and it wasn’t even the only shoe in the collection. —Riley Jones
3.WTAPS x New Balance 992
Americans have always been a little bit behind when it comes to our appreciation of New Balance's lifestyle product. Sure, it's an American sneaker company, but a lot of stateside consumers were slower to accept its merits in the hype world in the early 2000s. In that era, enthusiasm for their retro sneakers shined brighter across Europe and in Japan. Its collaboration partners reflected this—on the Japanese side, streetwear brand Real Mad Hectic consistently churned out MT580s and shops like Nonnative and United Arrows gave us some of the best 997s ever. Where was WTAPS, the revered Tokyo label founded by Tetsu Nishiyama in 1996, in all of this?
Absent for too long, it turns out. New Balance finally worked on WTAPS with a sneaker for the first time in 2020 on this, a co-branded 992 that works in Tet's military aesthetic. It's the sort of project you'd have guessed already existed. Surely WTAPS has flipped a New Balance model at some point. The long wait was worth it. The WTAPS reworking of the 992 understands that New Balance's best projects don't need to be flashy, dressing it up in muted olive drab and striking the right amount of orange across the midsole. Alright, it's a little bit flashy thanks to the reflective paneling on the upper, but no wearer should ever be denied that reserved level of NB pizzazz. The WTAPS design philosophy is "placing things where it should be," and this project proves that stamped on a pair of New Balance sneakers is exactly where WTAPS belongs. —Brendan Dunne
2.Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 992 'No Emotions Are Emotions'
When you think of New Balance in the United States, you might think of the affinity that locals in the DMV area or Philadelphia have for models like the 990. You might think of its global headquarters in Boston. But you probably don’t think of Chicago—or at least you didn’t before Joe Freshgoods dropped his 992 collaboration during NBA All-Star Weekend this past February.
Joe Freshgoods (real name Joseph Robinson) even admits he didn’t know much about the brand before the partnership, and that the Windy City didn’t traditionally pay much attention to it beforehand. With a sneaker legacy like Michael Jordan’s captivating the city, it’s hard not to understand why. But that didn’t stop Joe Freshgoods from concocting arguably the biggest release of the weekend around the 2000s runner. I saw it with my own two eyes—hundreds lined up at the pop-up stationed at 2358 North Damen Avenue in uncomfortably cold single-digit temperatures to try and score a pair. Kids were stopping into the Popeye’s across the street with pairs already laced on their feet. It was the perfect energy to reintroduce the 992 to market. And the best part was, it was unexpected.
The color scheme was unexpected too, with Joe Freshgoods dressing the pair in purple mesh, bright red suede, and pink detailing to mimic the anatomy of the human heart. It easily stands out from the muted and earthy tones we have become accustomed to seeing on plenty of New Balances, and was created using the NB1 customization program. The refreshing collaboration is a New Balance purist’s nightmare, but it also jumpstarted the 992 hype that has carried throughout 2020 and successfully showed the shoe to a much bigger audience, something that isn’t the easiest thing to do these days without a backwards Swoosh or some “AIR.” Some love it. Some hate it. But its impact cannot be overlooked. —Mike DeStefano
1.New Balance 992 'Grey'
If there’s one thing that New Balance does better than any brand, it’s make grey suede sneakers. And the 992 is near the top of the brand's charmingly boring varieties. If we were making a list of Air Force 1s, the white on white would be on top, so it makes sense that the grey secures the ultimate spot on this list.
There’s something perfect about a grey suede shoe. You can wear it everyday. Keep it by the door. Put it on without thinking about what you’re going to wear. And, yes, they look a little better with age and wear. And if we’re being honest, none of the other shoes on the list would be here without the grey pair. They were good enough for Steve Jobs, they’re good enough for you. —Matt Welty