New Balance 1221 Running Shoes

New Balance is one of those companies that has quietly become a giant in their industry. They don't spend a lot of money on marketing or advertising. I'm not sure how many professional athletes endorse the use of New Balance shoes either. The neat thing about these guys, though, is that they don't care! New Balance designs athletic wear for guys like me an you. While Nike and Reebok give people like Tiger Woods millions of dollars just to wear their shoes, New Balance just makes good products. I think the fact that they don't advertise much is actually a good thing. It gives this solid company more money to spend on research and development. It also allows this Boston based corporation to make all their shoes in the USA. How refreshing is this in an industry that is absolutely infamous for exploiting cheap offshore labor?

Now the New Balance 1221 running shoes are as good as anything NB has ever made. In this article, we'll go over exactly why these shoes have become very popular with runners all over the world. Before doing so though, it's worth mentioning a little trick I learned about buying shoes. The last two pairs of shoes I purchased have come from online stores. The Internet is great for shoe shopping. You'll find reviews by real people, cheap prices and even some free gifts! The only catch is that you have to know your size. You don't want to buy a pair of shoes online only to find out that they don't fit. On that note, I'll mention that all New Balance shoes for men and women fit about 1/2 size too small. This means that if you are a 9, you should probably order a 9 1/2...

New Balance 1221 - An Overview

One thing that makes New Balance such a great company is their willingness to invest in new technology.  They are always looking for unique, innovative ways to make their shoes for comfortable and supportive.  The 1221 is a perfect example of this.  They feature three pieces of technology that really set this shoe apart from it's competitors.  The first of these features is what New Balance refers to as the TS2 Transition Support System.  What this does is create a smoother transition from the heel of the foot to the toe as the runner is making a stride.  This lessens the impact on the lower leg and makes for a more enjoyable run.  The other two features on this shoe are ABZORB SBS and ACTEVA.  Both of these things work together to provide more support and cushioning for the foot.  It almost acts like a shock absorbing type system.

New Balance 1221 - The Verdict

As far as running shoes go, I think this is one of the best ones on the market.  In fact, we are starting to see a lot of companies copy the New Balance style.  I guess they say that imitation is the finest form of flattery.  The NB 1221's are just so soft when they are on your foot.  Just to give you an example of how well the cushioning system works on this shoe, here's a little story.  A friend of mind who suffered from violent shin splints recently switched over to these shoes.  His pain and symptoms have almost disappeared since he started using these shoes.  How's that for soft!  The New Balance 1221 is also an extremely supportive shoe.  This is evidenced by the fact that I recently saw a man that must have been 250lbs running with these shoes on.  There is no way a guy that heavy could run on a shoe that wasn't incredibly supportive.  These things can handle some seriously heavy loads!

The one complaint that I've heard about these shoes is they are not really exciting.  I can only imagine that whoever said this is referring to the look of the shoe.  While it may be a bit bland to look, I've always been a "function before aesthetics" type of guy.  To each his own though!

Do you have any experience with New Balance running shoes?  I'd love to hear from you!  Please fill out the comment field below.  Good luck and happy running!