As the only major sportswear brand to manufacture footwear in the USA, New Balance’s American-made sneakers often carry a notably artisanal feel which emphasizes their hand-made, small-batch production. And yet, the brand’s latest Made in USA offering may have managed to raise the ceiling even higher for domestic footwear manufacturing.
The New Balance Made in USA 2040v5 will be released exclusively in North America this month followed by a wider global release in May 2027. According to the company’s global vice president of lifestyle product, Brian Lynn, the 2040v5 one of the most ambitious products New Balance has ever created.
You May Also Like
New Balance says the new model is intended to push the company’s New England production facilities to its limits, combining premium materials, modern tech and advanced manufacturing. The result is an absolute powerhouse of a lifestyle sneaker.
The 2040v5 breakdown begins with premium Horween nubuck leather on the shoe’s foxing, toe and mudguard, which is paired with mesh for breathability and a traditional New Balance aesthetic.
The underfoot setup is even more complex, as the brand’s FuelCell, Abzorb SBS and Encap cushioning technologies are all combined with a full-length carbon fiber plate and a secondary medial carbon plate. New Balance says the multi-tech cushioning system is one of the most “technically advanced and uncompromisingly executed footwear platforms” it’s ever produced.
“Every detail was evaluated through the lens of craft, performance, and material integrity. Free from trend-driven thinking or unnecessary compromise, the team focused on a singular objective: creating the ultimate expression of Made in USA footwear,” Lynn said.
A continuation of the 2040 line introduced in 2012 with the 2040v1, the ultra-premium franchise is intended to showcase the brand’s latest technology while pushing the capabilities of its U.S. production. The most recent installment was
The New Balance Made in USA 2040v5 will be released Aug. 20 from newbalance.com and select retailers at an expectedly premium price tag of $400. The wider global release will follow next May.
