Customer Reviews New Balance 990v4 Boot

Great high top sneaker/boot. Quality materials. American made. However and this is a significant criticism... for a shoe that costs this much you would think New Balance would equip it with a good quality insert. The one it comes with is about 1/16th of an inch thick. To truly enjoy wearing these shoes you have to replace the insert with a more cushioned alternative. Come on NB you can do better.

I like the fact that they offer high tops / boots now but they aren't as comfortable as the low 990s. I wish that I looked more and bought the MW1400 high top boots that have Thinsulate and water repellent tops.

This feels like an all around great sneaker. The material is great and the build feels rigid along the bottom, and solid and supportive through the upper, practically like a hiking boot but with a sneaker's style and molding. Unfortunately I found the toe box area incredibly tight and unsupportive while the body of the shoe fits perfectly. It has a dramatically high drop from heel to toe, meaning that the sole is nice and thick in the heel and body, but much lower under the ball and toes. This makes my step uneven, as my heel feels very supported and protected from the ground but the front of my foot does not. The shoe is advertised as helping with arch support and overpronation, which I need, but it didn't feel different than any other shoe in that regard. Because of the tight toe box and high heel-to-toe drop, this shoe was painful to my metatarsalgia so I had to return it.