I’m not alone in my affinity for the New Balance 574. Even the Massachusetts shoemaker calls it “The most New Balance shoe ever.”
Countless color and material variations have come and gone, but the definitive version of the 574 is gray suede over gray mesh with reflective gray detailing and a white foam midsole.
Plenty of other New Balance models are available in gray, like every iteration in the 99x series, but none have that distinctive vibe (for lack of a better term) of the 574. The last sneaker to come close was the 1400, which J.Crew brought to the American market in the 2010s.
That is, until now. New Balance revived the 475 in 2024 exclusively for the European market, and it is now available in the distinctive Castlerock gray color scheme.
The look of the 475 is just as close to the 574 as its numeric designation because it is a precursor to the now iconic sneaker. The 475 debuted in 1986 as a trail runner, and the 574 was created two years later as an adaptation for all-terrain running.
The updated version was so successful that it became a foundational design, while its predecessor was almost forgotten. Over three decades later, the revived 475 feels like a fresh new take on the 574, even though it is historically the opposite.
