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New Balance 610: made for mud, worn on the street

The 610 doesn’t come from the road-running world of smooth surfaces but from that of forest trails. It is a trail model, and you can tell from the sole: chunky rubber lugs with deep grooves between them, continued over the edge so the shoe keeps grip on a sloping surface. Where most New Balance classics have a flat outsole, this one sits on a tread that bites into the earth.

The upper follows the same logic. Suede where it rubs against branches and stones, mesh in between for ventilation, and a series of perforations in the side panel. The N sits as a large panel on the flank and the model designation is printed on the side of the midsole. Everything is built to get dirty.

That the 610 is now mainly worn on the street fits a trend you see at other brands. Trail shoes have become popular in recent years precisely because they look robust, without the wearer ever seeking a forest trail. For those who do take that step: the tread is still made for it.

Within New Balance the 610, together with the XC-72, forms the trail branch of this cluster, opposite the flat court and runner models. Cross-brand it falls into the same corner as the Adidas Terrex and the Salomon XT, although the 610 remains closer to the classic sneaker shape than those two.

On this page you can see which versions of the New Balance 610 are hottest now according to the Hypescore, from what price they’re available and at how many shops they are in stock.