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New Balance 2002R: the number that’s not a year

At New Balance, you tend to read a model number as a date, especially next to a neighbor called 1906. But the 2002 didn’t come out in 2002: it appeared in 2010 as a flagship in the running line. The number is more a series name from the period when the brand gave its best runners four‑digit codes — and the model already relied on the sole family of the 1906.

That kinship became even more literal with the reissue. Since 2020 the shoe is called 2002R, and as with the 1906R the R stands for remastered: the familiar upper, with underneath it the complete sole unit of the 860v2. Under a 2002R and a 1906R lies exactly the same sole. The difference between the two runs from the laces to the heel — but never under your foot.

The upper is the classic side of that story. Suede panels over open mesh, perforations in the toe, and on the flank the number 2002 with an italic R applied as a separate mark. In the midsole wall N-ERGY is pressed in full, in the heel the ABZORB cushioning chambers shimmer through like windows, and on top of the heel counter sits a small reflective triangle — the sort of detail you only notice when the shoe is in front of you. Where the 1906 opts for metallic and science fiction, the 2002R chooses the soft materials of a classic runner.

The reissue became famous because of damage. The Protection Pack from 2021 brought versions that look out of the box as if they’ve already lived a life: deliberately unfinished, fraying edges and layers that look cut loose. It grew into one of the most talked-about New Balance releases of recent years and attracted a parade of collaborations, from Salehe Bembury to GANNI and Joe Freshgoods. In the titles you can recognize the Protection Pack by codes that begin with M2002RD — the code reveals more here than the product photo. For wet weather there is also an edition with Gore‑Tex lining.

In the archive the 2002R sits between two worlds. The 990 series is the neat American standard, the 9060 the overbuilt makeover, the 1906 the shiny futurist — and the 2002R is the quietest of that group, which may make it the easiest to wear every day. If in doubt, simply choose an upper: you’ll get the 1906R’s sole with it anyway.

On this page you’ll see which versions of the New Balance 2002R are currently hottest according to the Hypescore, from what price they’re available and in how many shops they’re in stock.