For a hair under ¥30,000 JPY ($334 USD), many people and myself included wondered how the fuck these New Balance 1300s are so extravagantly priced. So the story goes, once every 5 years, New Balance drops a limited run of MADE IN USA retros in top notch materials that stay as true to the original release as possible. The 1300 comes across as an unassuming favorite for me. It doesn’t have the bulk of some of New Balance’s other retro models and doesn’t succumb to the sleek (… and feminine lines???) of the 1500 (I still really like that shoe though). I have absolutely ZERO complaints about the very much grandpa-esque OG color. Despite the price point, more often than not they sell out with some apparent long lines (you’ll need to get your Google Translate out) for lucky draws. Like heather gray tees, you can’t go wrong… or does nobody else like heather gray?

MY fellow Eugene of New Balance came through once again, thanks homie!

-Eugene