Welcome to Franky Villani's review of the New Balance Numeric 417 skate shoes.
With the release of this shoe and Frankie's latest part, we couldn't wait to try out the new silhouette. At first glance, the 417 caught our attention with its sleek look and mid-cut vulcanized skate shoe construction. However, upon closer inspection, we noticed a similar stitching pattern and cut height to the Vans Half Cab. The thin, slim profile had us wondering how it would skate and whether it would surpass one of our most popular skate shoes.
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The appeal of the New Balance 417
Overall durability
After about a month of skating and a total of 35 hours, Franky Villani's New Balance 417s demonstrated excellent durability. Thick foxing tape reinforced the shoe's weak spots, allowing them to withstand flip tricks and show almost no signs of wear.
shock absorption
Despite its thin profile, the shoe offers excellent impact protection thanks to its polyurethane insole with New Balance Absorb+ technology, which effectively cushions and protects your feet from hard landings.
Thick foxing tape for stable flicking
As always, New Balance pro shoes feature thick foxing tape to ensure consistent flicks. This tape reinforces high-wear areas, giving you the confidence you need to initiate and land tricks.
Board feeling
Unlike regular shoes, during my first session wearing these shoes, I immediately felt the board feel more like a vulcanized shoe. I had more confidence flicking tricks and loved the way they looked under my feet.
Concerns about the New Balance 417
Narrow fit
One issue with the New Balance 417 is its narrow fit, which may be uncomfortable for those with wider feet. During testing, the shoe felt very tight and restrictive. However, it's interesting to note that the shoe gradually stretches and loosens up a bit over time.
Heel stiffness
Another drawback is that the heel of the shoe is very stiff, which makes it difficult to put on easily and requires you to untie and retie the laces every time. However, this stiffness also contributes to the stability and support while skateboarding.
Toe cap wear and holes
We discovered a potential weak spot in the shoe design: the junction between the side panel and the suede toe cap. With use, the toe cap gradually wears down, eventually developing a hole. However, there's a layer of white fabric underneath the hole, which prevents direct contact with the sock and provides some protection and comfort. To solve this problem and improve the durability and lifespan of the shoe, we recommend using shoe glue or super glue to reinforce this area.
Insufficient rubber cover for high wear areas
While the shoes incorporate a rubber underlayment to reinforce the suede material, it's not enough to provide adequate protection in high-wear areas, especially the ollie spot. The rubber layer extends primarily to the kickflip area, leaving the ollie spot relatively exposed. This limited coverage increases the likelihood of wear and tear in certain areas.
Ideally, the rubber would extend beyond the seam between the sole and upper, providing additional protection and durability in this critical area, but the presence of an additional suede layer underneath the loosened areas maintains durability and partially compensates for the lack of rubber coverage.
What are the reviews of these skate shoes?
Overall, the Franky Villani New Balance Numeric 417 Skate Shoes impress with their excellent durability, excellent shock absorption, stable flicks, and great board feel. They're durable for flick tricks, offer reliable protection for high-impact landings, and offer consistent performance overall. However, those with wider feet should be aware of the narrow fit. The stiff heel may require some effort to break in, but ultimately provides increased stability. Overall, these shoes are great, and I'm excited to see how they evolve.
