As a counter to bwak's impression of the M990v3, I wanted to share my thoughts on this shoe. (bwak mentions ankle surgeries which make make him or her more sensitive to aspects of the shoe that I can't appreciate.) I too have been wearing New Balance 99X shoes for years. They've always been my favorite shoe due to their comfortable fit. I wear a pair of them about 90% of the time. Some events call for something other than these gray beauties unfortunately.

When I went to order my latest pair of New Balance 993's, I saw this new improved version. I was skeptical of an upgrade to my shoe of choice, but completed the order anyway. Happily, the new model _did_ live up to the promise in my opinion. (Regarding the name, saying "M990v3" is sort of a mouthful, though.) Compared to the 993's, they feel a bit lighter, but just barely. Perhaps it's better stitching or slightly higher grade materials. I can't put my finger on it. One noticeable upgrade are the laces which are a bit narrower and thicker on this shoe than the 993. Basically, I can't actually pin point a defining difference of this shoe vs. the 993's. Whatever NB has done though, these shoes feel just right to me. This shoe is my new "shoe."