I was looking for a sturdy yet comfortable athletic shoe that I would be able to wear for many hours at a time, either at the lab or while on vacation. Hence I would not accept anything that did not have special cushioning for both heel and forefoot.
At the same time I wanted something that would not clash too much with a sports jacket. Hence the search for a total black look.

For years I had been an exclusive NIKE customer when it came to athletic shoes but that brand has no all-black AIR MAX 360 (which was what I was looking for at first). Then I came across the NEW BALANCE 622 and did not regret giving them a try (disregard the mini-picture: it comes also in black).

This model indeed has special cushioning for both heel and forefoot (a copyrighted system called Abzorb) and the sole design hags the foot from all angles. It feels solid yet light, sturdy yet flexible. I especially like the upper curvature of the sole in the front, whereas I really appreciated the availability of three sizes of wideness.

My only gripe is that some of the eyelets are plastic. Now, they are not flimsy and none has even demonstrated a tendency to brake so far - but I 'd rather have metal trimmed eyelets peace of mind anytime.

A student of mine commented that NEW BALANCE is the brand that Steve Jobs wears exclusively and I was...strutting for almost a day before I found out that APPLE's creative genius favors the...991 model.

Anyway, computer moguls preferences non-withstanding, over the past months I found myself wearing this pair much more than I though. No wonder back-pain specialists recommend NEW BALANCE shoes.

RECOMMENDED!