If there’s one sneaker I consistently see people overpaying for, it’s this one. The New Balance 991 in grey, the Made in England version, is a pair where prices can vary so wildly between shops that you can waste a hundred euros simply by clicking on the wrong store. That’s what I want to talk about, but first, let’s look at the shoe itself.
Grey on grey on grey
What you’re looking at here is a study in a single color. Grey suede covers the toe box, side panels, and heel, while grey mesh fills the mid sections, with dark grey overlays providing a subtle accent. The “N” logo is grey with a white outline, and the heel panel features “991” in white on a dark grey background. Even the laces are grey.
The only thing breaking up the monotony is in the sole: sea-green, lightly mint-toned elements in the heel and forefoot, set into a white-and-grey midsole. There’s just enough green to keep the shoe looking lively without it jumping out at you from ten meters away. To me, that’s the detail this pair really relies on.
What Made in England means in practical terms
This version is made in England rather than Asia, and that shows up in two ways: it costs more than the regular line, and availability is more limited. For collectors, that’s a reason to want a pair. If you’re simply looking for a grey sneaker, though, it’s honestly an expensive choice—the regular models look almost identical for half the price.
Here’s where it gets interesting: because the 991 is bought in far smaller quantities than the models everyone knows, shops are much less likely to align their prices. With a widely stocked model, everyone gravitates toward the same recommended retail price. Not here. I’ve seen prices for the exact same pair differ by almost a factor of two, depending entirely on which store you open and whether it happens to be on sale.
What buyers should know
There are three things I do myself with pairs like this. One: never start with the most well-known store, because it’s rarely the most competitively priced. Two: check the less common sizes. With a limited-release model, the very small and very large sizes tend to sit around the longest, and that’s where prices drop first. If you wear one of those sizes, you’re in luck. Three: be patient with grey. Grey colorways are the least impulsive purchase there is, so they tend to stick around longer than a more striking color.
What I wouldn’t do is buy it simply because it’s “the good” 991. That argument will cost you the difference here, and on the street, nobody can tell whether your grey New Balance came from Flimby or somewhere else.
So: great-looking shoe, genuinely great sole, and a price that depends entirely on where you look. Compare the shops offering your size before you check out. With this pair, that’s not just a tip—it’s simply the sensible thing to do.