New Balance 1906: The Ultimate Sneaker Guide
The New Balance 1906 is not a single silhouette, but a franchise.
In 2009, the Boston-based trainer label established the blueprint: the OG was developed as a running shoe, hence its use of technologies such as N-ERGY (a cushioning, shock-absorbing gel that delivers bounce back) and NLOCK (a sophisticated lacing system that makes practical use of the N logo on the sidewall). As for the name, it nods to the brand's founding year. It was a middling success.
In 2022 (so, 13 years post-debut) the marque had a vision of the model as a lifestyle hit. So, they made a soft reboot: the 1906R. It was to be the first of a few as the trainer franchise has become one of the most popular, most ubiquitous trainer series of the 2020s.
Here, we take a look at the nuances between each variation released thus far.
(Top tip: if you're struggling to identify a pair, peer at the ankle of the lateral sidewall where you'll find the name of the variation incorporated within the design.)
1906
The OG is unapologetically techy. It very much matches the aura of a noughties dad. Such vibes are manufactured from a combination of a honeycombed mesh upper, a futuristic exoskeleton, oval laces and a midsole that boasts N-ERGY gel capsules under both the toes and the heel.
Debut year: 2009
1906R
R is for remastered. The most obvious modification is the sole which is borrowed from another New Balance silhouette: the 860v2. It swaps out the N-ERGY capsules at the front half of the shoe for ABZORB foam cushioning for a more streamlined appearance and what some say is an improved on-foot experience.
Debut year: 2022
1906D
Distressed – but destroyed works, too – is the meaning of the D suffix here. You might recognise this as the 'Protection Pack 1906' since this is the drop that introduced the world to the silhouette. As the name suggests, the design is quite post-nuclear war, quite Fallout; rugged, uneven layers of suede and/or leather are stuck atop a tight mesh base.
Debut year: 2023
1906F
A debossed overlay either crafted from leather or suede wraps around the heel of the 1906F, just slightly elevating the everyday kick. The tongue tab is formed from the same premium fabric.
Debut year: 2023
1906 Utility/1906N
1906 Utility (AKA the 1906N) is for the lads and ladies that live in combat gear – namely, vests, gilets, cargo pants, tube socks. Mesh is swapped out for a wipeable ripstop nylon on the upper's foundation, and although the tongue is still formed from mesh, it's complete with some extra material to combat wear and tear.
Debut year: 2024
1906A
The 1906A – the iteration the internet has dubbed 'the deconstructed one' (so Friends of them) – is prototype chic. Additional fabric has been added across the upper to create flaps and asymmetry; the tongue tab is on the skew; decorative lace is positioned to look as if it's hanging from the NLock system; exposed green stitching appears to be patching up an error; and the midsole is haphazardly marked with spray paint.
Debut year: 2024
1906L
How does a function-first footwear make induce the avant-garde shoppers – you know, the Dover Street Market evangelists – to shop its 1906 line? It subverts expectations by transmuting the silhouette into something that resembles a penny loafer, and then debuts it on a Junya Watanabe runway. So chic. So bold. So fashion.
Debut year: 2024
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