New Balance’s presence in basketball is no longer a novelty. Indeed, though the Boston brand’s foothold in the sport began with throwback embraces like the 550 and 650 which helped it regain its lifestyle footing as well, now the earnest performance side is a force to be reckoned with, holding a top 10 talents in Kawhi Leonard and Tyrese Maxey (soon to get his own signature shoe) and one of the most promising young talents in Cooper Flagg.
Yet aside from those current or soon-to-be signature athletes, New Balance’s mainline roster of hoops shoes continues to develop. We first caught wind of the New Balance p400 as Junya Watanabe brought his luxury touch to the performance model at Paris Fashion Week, but now the full scope of the new silhouette is coming into view. Three colorways have been loaded on the New Balance site, allowing a view at the initial color options and some of the tech it brings to the table.
Though the overall shape of previous BB Fresh Foam endeavors continues into this successor, the P400 stakes its claim with a lower profile and a nylon plate. In the sole, a dual-density cushioning package of an EVA carrier and a Fresh Foam X core aims at breezy landings, while the bulbous shape you see on the lateral side firms up that foam to lock in the foot. The mesh build seen in the two sportiest colorways on offer, a red-on-black and blue-on-black, continues that airy atmosphere, but an all-leather black build is also on tap if moodier aesthetics are your jam.
We’d be remiss not to mention how this may present a companion line to the Fresh Foam BB or just an outright replacement, especially given that the P400 is launching alongside a similar style in the P350. Any lingering questions will no doubt be clarified as we approach the silhouette’s release. Speaking of, all three styles of the New Balance P400 featured here release on February 11th via New Balance and partnering retailers, retailing for $130 a piece.
