Will the New Balance 237 Take the Baton from the 327?

The winds of change are sweeping through over at New Balance. While the esteemed running shoe company has a very formidable back catalogue that is being steadily reissued, they are also advancing their contemporary offerings. One year is a long time in the sneaker world, which means the darling 327 model is now essentially a veteran of the game, with dozens of colourways and colabs available in the market. With the recent reveal of the Casablanca-co-signed XC-72, and now the imminent arrival of the new 237, could this mark the 327 passing the baton to these new N-logoed wunderkinds?

That may be too early to say – considering neither the XC-72 nor 237 have hit the market yet – but the latter certainly is ready to roll. Where the 327 predecessor had some rather radical Jekyll and Hyde design cues, with its exaggerated proportions and 70s references, the 237 shows a bit more restraint. There’s plenty of old-world NB influence on show via the suede, mesh and nylon upper, and those bright primary colours are pretty trippy. Underfoot, straight slabs of foam hark back to the pre-ENCAP days, and an uncomplicated rubber outsole simply works. Where this design excels is its contemporary panel proportions, plus modern ideas like oversized N logos and zigzagged edges without verging on self-parody.

The New Balance 237 is set to release on February 6.