On-Feet Look At The New Balance 577 "Year Of The Rat"
The New Balance 577 "Year Of The Rat" (M577YOR) is a retro running shoe from New Balance that celebrates the 2020 Chinese New Year. Check out this exclusive post to view the unboxing video and our initial impressions.
Unboxing Video:
Quick Hits:
Here are a few of my initial thoughts after unboxing this New Balance 577 βYear of the Ratβ
This is my first βMade in Englandβ New Balance and overall Iβm impressed with quality.
I really love the colors used on this shoeβs upper. The subtle hints of blue, purple, pink and even green really do work well together.
The red indsole and rat on the interior label are also nice touches that no one sees, but makes the shoe a little more special for the Chinese New Year holiday.
This silhouette closely resembles the New Balance 574, but the toe area is much slimmer when it comes to the height.
This is definitely a shoe that you want to stay true-to-size with and itβs probably do to the toe box area being so slim.
How Is The Quality?
New Balanceβs Boston and Flimby factories are known for cranking out some of the best sneakers in the game and this shoe is no exception. Special touches that celebrate the Chinese New Year and help give the shoe its βYear of the Ratβ nickname also add the shoeβs premium feel.
The Materials
Suede: The shoeβs upper is comprised of high-quality cuts of pig-skin suede that come in various shades of blue, purple, pink, and green.Perforated suede appears on the toe and heel area, while the rest of the shoe is the traditional variety.
3M & Plastic: A small portion of grey 3M appear on the shoeβs upper, by the toe area. Rounding out the shoeβs materials, there is a white plastic support strap for added stability.
βThe red insole and rat on the interior label are also nice touches that no one sees, but makes the shoe a little more special for the Chinese New Year holiday.β
The construction
The construction of the shoe was decent, but not perfect. In some images of the shoe, you can see stray stitches in multiple areas, which is unlike New Balance.
When it comes to the construction of shoes, each individual pair is going to be different, so this should in no way be a deal-breaker for you if youβre interested in copping a pair.
How Is The Fit & Comfort?
Midsole Technology
This shoeβs midsole is made from New Balanceβs ENCAP Technology, which is known for being extremely durable and providing all-day comfort.
The ride is plush, but more on the firmer side which leads to the shoe being able to maintain its comfort level over a longer period of time, compared to newer technologies.
FiT & Sizing
As far as the fit, the New Balance 577 can be described as being a bit snug in the toe area. Not in a bad way, but definitely different than the New Balance 998 or New Balance 574 which have higher toe-boxes.
Because of the slim nature of the toe-box, I would highly suggest that you stay true-to-size (TTS) in the shoe, and if youβre in between sizes, definitely opt for the larger size.
Where To Buy:
I was able to purchase this shoe for retail from Fresh Rags which is a lifestyle and sneaker boutique based in Florida that also has an online store.
Most retailers have sold-out in most sizes of this shoe, so youβll have to go to the secondary market to get a pair for yourself.