I decided to sell my New Balance 991 V2.
In this article, I’ll explain the reason why I ended up letting them go.
Not Enough Performance as a Tool for Walking
I walk 20,000 steps at work, which is about four times more than an average adult male.
These shoes, however, make my soles hurt after just 10,000 steps, let alone 20,000.
So, I had thought many times about selling them before.
But the 991 V2 Looks Great
In terms of style, I think the 991 V2 is top-class.
The stitching is clean, and the silhouette of the shoe is elegant.
Especially when paired with wide pants, its silhouette looks far better than other New Balance models.
Because of this style, I hesitated to part with them.
But Performance Matters Most
The most important thing is the performance of the product.
Even if the design is good, if the performance isn’t enough, the item fails to fulfill its role.
Appearance is secondary.
Of course, shoes like Nike prioritize looks, but the 991 V2 is supposed to be a “shoe that also delivers comfort.”
The 991 V2 Is Flawed in Its Design
So why is the comfort of the 991 V2 lacking?
I think it’s because the design itself is flawed.
There are three main reasons:
1. The Rebound Performance Is Too Weak
The cushioning focuses solely on shock absorption.
To walk 20,000 steps, it’s important to convert the impact of landing into energy for the next step.
This requires rebound force.
The cause lies in the combination of the cushions.
The cushioning leans toward shock absorption and makes it difficult to turn landing impact into forward energy.
Specifically, the combination of FuelCell (focused on rebound) and Absorb SBS (focused on shock absorption) doesn’t work well.
Simply using FuelCell and ENCAP alone would have been better.
2. The Toe Box Is Too Narrow
After 10,000 steps, my feet swell.
At that point, the toe box feels tight.
Also, because of the narrowness, I can’t push off strongly with my toes.
This makes walking feel less efficient.
3. The Sole Under the Ball of the Foot Is Too Thin
After walking 10,000 steps, the ball of my foot hurts.
This is because I rely on my toes to push off and generate forward momentum.
The sole in the ball area of the 991 V2 is just too thin for that.
My Opinion as a Minority
Looking at opinions online, most people say the comfort is good.
And I think that makes sense.
People like me, who walk 20,000 steps a day, are rare.
So I fully understand that my opinion is in the minority.
However, there are still people who walk a lot like me.
I wrote this article hoping it will be a useful reference for them.
I’ve also written a previous review article on the New Balance 991 V2.
If you want to know more about the 991 V2, please check out the article below.
For those who want to see it in video form, I’ve also created a video on YouTube.
Feel free to check that out as well.
I’m also active on the following social media.
Feel free to connect with me!
Sayonara
