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New Balance CT500: the tennis court as starting point

The letters in the name tell where this shoe comes from: CT stands for court. The CT500 is New Balance’s classic tennis shape, and that mainly means everything stays as low and flat as possible. The cupsole is thin, the toe box flares wide and the collar barely rises above the ankle. On the court it’s about feeling the surface, and you see that logic reflected in every component.

The upper combines soft suede with open mesh on the side panels, with the N as a large panel covering almost the entire flank. The brand name is pressed into the sole rim, and there’s a small contrast panel at the heel. What’s missing is at least as telling: no visible cushioning, no window, no thick midsole. Everything a court shoe doesn’t need isn’t on it.

Within New Balance’s architecture this is the court branch, alongside the CT302. Those two fill the same spot as the 480 from the basketball side: simple, low shoes that borrow their form from a sport without actually being used for it anymore.

If you want to make a cross-brand comparison: this is New Balance’s answer to what the Adidas Grand Court and the Puma Smash do at their brands. Each brand has such a shoe, and the difference lies in the details of the sole rim and the placement of the logo.

On this page you can see which versions of the New Balance CT500 are currently hottest according to the Hypescore, from what price they’re available and in how many shops they’re in stock.