New Balance 993 'Chive Green'
When I initially saw these, it felt similar to the V4 that released last year, but also reminded me of the jjjjound v3 & jfg 993, but these have some subtle hits to them that help these stand apart. Ultimately, I'm just glad to see some fresh colorways on the 993 model & this pack looked pretty nice.
Materials: starting at the toe, there's a premium green suede that looks similar to the jjjjound v3, but it's a bit brighter when comparing side-by-side. The stitching on these caught my eye bc the color is a red-ish/brown (almost gold-brown with a green tint) Another subtle detail is synthetic panels bc they have bright green exposed edges that adds a nice contrast/pop. The mesh that they went with is a green, big hole mesh for added breathability. That mesh continues on the tongue, but they went with a subtle cream mesh instead. Lastly, the N logo on the side reminds me of a candy apple green w/ a white underlay(Side note: NB sprinkled some 3m on the logo) Overall, I feel like they did a nice job, but, personally; I prefer the purple 993 in the pack. Idk why, but it feels like something is missing on this pair where the purple pair has a completed overall aesthetic.
Comfort/Sizing: the 993 is a pretty comfortable model bc it has a soft & squishy feel on foot, while also maintaining some stability. The 993 could easily be worn all day w/o any discomfort at the end of the night. For sizing, I would recommend going half down or sticking to your typical MADE in US sizing, unless you need extra room, then go tts. I personally went tts bc I find it to be more comfortable & need the extra toe room.
Overall Opinion: It's been awhile since I wore a 993 & this was one of the first pairs that really piqued my interest since the Spring 101 by Kith. I will say that I feel like the shade of green will definitely make it the more popular cw of the pack, but that purple pair is really nice in hand & won me over on this set. I don't think there are many sizes left of the green compared to the purple, so if you're waiting for a sale, I'd recommend grabbing them at first sight of a discount or pretty soon b4 it goes OOS.