I know I tend to be hard on athletic shoes, but this was a joke.  There were cheap, by today's standards.  I guess you get what you pay for.  I really expected more from New Balance. I have owned others that lasted for years. These shoes lasted a only a few months before the rubber around the heal area was degraded to the point that the shoes hurt to wear them.  I don't think I ever had that happen on a pair of shoes before, never within two months use at least.