serc's Full Review: New Balance Balance W 420 Shoe for Women
My husband runs marathons, and is thus very picky about his running shoes. I walk between 15 and 20 miles on my treadmill every week, so I can afford to be a bit less choosy, but I still want an athletic shoe that's comfortable, offers good support, and isn't blatantly ugly. Last spring I bought a two pairs of New Balance W 420 Shoes for Women, and I've been very pleased with this purchase.
Description
These are clearly athletic shoes; I use them for walking, but I think they'd be appropriate for running, aerobics, or other fitness activities. This is a white shoe with white shoelaces; the accent colors are silver and sage green. The upper part of the shoe features a light weight fabric with a white mesh overlay to it. The sole is cushioned toward the heel of the shoe, offering cushioning and support to the back of the foot. Use and Experience
The first thing I noticed about these shoes when I put them on is that they were both comfortable and supportive. I do spend a lot of time on my treadmill, and my previous walking shoes were pretty beaten down; these felt great on my feet in comparison.
Of course, most shoes feel good when you put them on (at least the ones you're willing to buy for walking or running do…). The real key with athletic shoes is how they wear. My husband expects to get 500 miles of running out of each pair of shoes; I figure I can expect a bit more from my shoes, as I'm not pounding on them quite so hard. This particular style of shoe has been very good to me; I've been wearing one of the pairs for about 6 months and walking at least 16 miles per week in them. I have also worn them to the hospital for 8-hour clinical shifts, which involves a lot of standing and walking. I am sure I have a minimum of 400 miles on this pair of shoes and they still feel good and supportive when I put them on.
This pair of shoes is beginning to wear down a bit in the area where my heel touches the back of the shoe. Both shoes have developed small holes that back there and that's the area where the shoe will eventually (inevitably) break down and force me to start using my backup pair. This isn't a good thing, but it's also fairly typical for shoes that have been used this much. I've had other shoes break down faster, and worse. Interestingly, the front part of the upper, where I almost always develop a small hole over my big toe in this type of shoe, is still completely intact in both shoes in this pair.
As for style, I honestly think these are attractive… at least for an athletic shoe. I'm not out to make a fashion statement when I work out (particularly not when I'm going to be walking on my own treadmill in my home), but I like that these aren't ugly shoes. I'm not embarrassed to wear these in public when I need to… in fact, I like the way they look. Cost and Where to Buy
I purchased these shoes at the Famous Footwear store at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. They were priced at $60.00 per pair, but Famous Footwear was having a "buy a pair, get a pair half off" sale, so I got two pairs for $90.00. This is a pretty reasonable price ($45.00 per pair) for shoes that I have found very sturdy and comfortable.
While I don't see these as current selections at the New Balance website (www.newbalance.com), they are probably still available at shoe stores like Famous Footwear or online on Ebay. Another great spot to find athletic shoes is the clearance areas of specialty running stores; they are always having to clear the way for new merchandise.
I love my New Balance W 420 shoes. I've walked hundreds of miles on my treadmill - and on the floor of the hospital where I'm preceptoring - in one of my pairs of them, and they still offer good support. The only problem I've had is the small holes developing in the backs of the heels. 4 stars.
Simple yet sleek the New Balance W420 is just right for working out to peak performance. The classic running style has a mesh upper and reflective to...More at Shoes.com
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