The All-Time Greatest New Balance 998s: Part 1
New Balance Brown Shoe thing 998 revival in 2023 for its 30th anniversary – or at least that’s what many sneakerheads are wishing for. In light of the milestone, let’s look back on some of the best colourways that have graced the model over the years.
‘GNR’ (2013)‘GNR’ (2013)
New Balance colourways typically don’t have nicknames unless they’re part of a collaboration, so it’s commonplace to assign them codenames based on the official SKU. The M998GNR was an essential among those rocking NB at the time the model was revived for its 20th anniversary in 2013 – and thus well ahead of the mainstream curve that the brand occupies now. This pair quietly retroed in 2019, too.
‘Hunter Green’ (2012)‘Hunter Green’ (2012)
Despite having the SKU of M998BB, this pair was given the ‘Hunter Green’ nickname. This lush edition is a time capsule of the premium runner era of the early- to mid-2010s, transforming retro runners into luxe lifestyle models. Mesh was ditched for perforated suede, as was the style of the time. The relative abundance of 998s like these back then meant many took their availability for granted. One day, they just disappeared.
Kith x 998 ‘Steel Blue’ (2020)Kith x 998 ‘Steel Blue’ (2020)
Ronnie Fieg might be cooking up a Kith colabs since almost his earliest days. He’d perfected the simple art by the time 2020’s ‘Steel Blue’ pack hit, which celebrated his favourite shoe and colourway ever. Having already used it previously on 2012’s 999 colab, he reprised the combination on the 992 and 998, proving to be one of the most recent times the latter model has appeared.
OG (1993)OG (1993)
has applied the KISS principle to his. The NB 998, in its original grey make-up, is perfect. Advancing the established palette of its forebears, the 997’s successor carried over distinct elements in the pebbled leather tongue, while adding more stance thanks to its chunkier ENCAP midsole. After making regular reappearances over the years, another retro is due – 2023 would make a lot of sense.
998 NB1 (2015–2020)998 NB1 (2015–2020)
The now-defunct (maybe it’s just a hiatus, hopefully) NB1 custom program allowed customers to spec their own colourways of Made In USA models, which added the 998 in mid-2015. It was this model that many in the know gravitated towards, as it was something of a left-field option compared to the all-time best-seller in the 574 and the popular 990v3 and v5. The NB1 998 was also championed as part of the ‘MADE Responsibly’ sustainability push that used leftover materials.
FhyzicsShops x 998 ‘Tassie Devil’ (2013)FhyzicsShops x 998 ‘Tassie Devil’ (2013)
Well, it was obvious these were coming. Released as part of a bumper 10th anniversary for this very publication, the ‘Tassie Devil’ was inspired by and named after the endangered Australian animal. Plenty of signature SF colab touches are present: lotsa purple, speckled midsoles and limited numbers. They might not be Made In USA like most of the entries on this list, but the quality holds its own.
Horween x 998 (2014–2016)Horween x 998 (2014–2016)
The 998 was absolutely steaming along in the mid-2010s. It was also peak #menswear, so it wasn’t really a surprise that two American titans in New Balance and Horween teamed up for a domestically crafted flagship product. The latter, a Chicago leather tannery best known for products such as Chromexcel and Shell Cordovan, provided some of their finest hides for these luxe 998s, commanding a then-unheard $400 retail.
J.Crew x 998 ‘Pebble Blue’ (2013)J.Crew x 998 ‘Pebble Blue’ (2013)
American retailer J.Crew were at the forefront of the aforementioned #menswear movement thanks to their exclusive NB releases, one of which was the ‘Pebble Blue’ 998. Doing the Where To Buy before JJJJound et al. laid moodboard eyes on it, this pair celebrated NB’s penchant for suede and mesh by highlighting them in earth tones with a fresh clash of royal blue. Talk about being ahead of the curve.
Super Team 33 ‘Luggage Collection’ (2008)Super Team 33 ‘Luggage Collection’ (2008)
Here’s a slightly deeper cut for the 998. The New Balance Super Team 33 (ST33) was a crew of the brand’s 33 finest production members (28 workers and five craftsmen) from their top-end factory in Skowhegan, Maine. ST33 produced some of the rarest NB releases ever, which were only available from 33 select retailers globally. This croc-pattern 998 from the ‘Luggage Collection’ is one of the most premium expressions of the model, and they’re pretty hard to find in deadstock condition these days.
green label relaxing x CM998GL (2008)green label relaxing x CM998GL (2008)
Another deep cut finishes off this list. United Arrows’ sub-brand, green label relaxing, reworked these 998s (the CM prefix was used for Asian-made pairs) with the purple and grey colourway initially used on the OG 1500 ‘Plum Wine’ (M1500PW). It was an incredible easter egg for NB nerds and a faultless example of the brand’s colour and material cross-compatibility between models. You really had to be there.
Stay tuned for The All-Time Greatest New Balance 998s: Part 2 – in the meantime, get even more All-Time Greatest here.
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