An Exercise in Futility: The New Balance MX709

In a previous post, I noted "The Great New Balance Divide" between dorky New Balance shoes and retro New Balance shoes. In short: dorky shoes - available in wide widths, retro shoes - not.

If there was any shoe that could break the mold of "The Great Divide," it's this shoe, the 709. Clean and modern, a stark contrast to the rest of the New Balance line, and available in 4E, too! In person, it looks slightly less clunky than what is seen in this picture; that "N" logo is a mighty good improvement over comparable misadventures. 

But, as will become a familiar theme in our wide width shoe search, there are issues. The leather upper, the cleanest New Balance has in it's line, doesn't fold properly in sync with your foot. So whenever you take a step, the leather jams into the area just above your toes.

By the end of a long day, your foot is bruised and you're praying for the pain to stop. And this wasn't a day of playing basketball or running or all of the other activities "cross-trainers" are supposed to be adept at providing, this was a day of walking. I can't imagine what the poor fellows attemping those activities in these are quietly suffering with.

And it's apparent that New Balance knows the issues with this shoe: the 709 is no longer available at the company website, and I recently spotted them on sale for 60% off at a New Balance Los Angeles store (sorry, no picture evidence).

Of course, I had bought my original pair on Corporate America's Favorite Dumping Ground: Amazon.com. So yeah, another day, another returned pair of shoes. The vicious cycle continues.