New Balance Men's 623 V3 Casual Comfort Cross Trainer

(Unfortunately for this manufacturer) I recall clearly a time when New Balance shoes were manufactured "right here" in the United States -- and when the NB brand stitched into the uppers was an indication of quality commensurate with cost to the consumer.Not the case anymore; and I have bought my last pair of these "athletic shoes" ....I put that last phrase in quotation marks, because the NB 623 is entirely incapable of standing-up to any kind of athletic challenge -- describing this model as an "athletic" anything is therefore ridiculous.These shoes fit perfectly right out of the box; sizing (both length and width) was exactly as-expected, and break-in time was minimal. They also looked just great (for the first few weeks).But just like the last three pairs I have ordered and worn, the (black leather) uppers soon tore away from the PVC soles -- and I looked and felt ridiculous after having to use an after-market shoe repair product to re-glue this item.Now when I use the word "tore," I do not mean that the leather upper or the synthetic sole failed -- that would have actually been better, because it would at least indicate abuse on my part. Rather, the glue (once again) simply disintegrated, and I am out ANOTHER $60.00 US.The exact same failure four times in a row cannot be considered a "one-off" mistake in construction or an "oddball" error in quality control; rather, it indicates CONSISTENT failure to respect the consumer, and CONSISTENT failure to purchase and utilize materials appropriate to the task these shoes are supposed to accomplish.These are "athletic shoes," right? Wrong: no self-respecting athlete would ever buy such a terrible product again -- and I suggest that you NOT do so if you plan on putting any demands whatsoever on these shoes.

Not Recommended! A few months after purchasing these shoes I found I was wearing through the lining of the heel cup. The sole showed almost no wear and the upper was pristine. I called New Balance and the fellow with whom I spoke asked if I would take pictures and attach them to a reply to an e-mail message I would be receiving. No e-mail from New Balance ever came. I spent $40 having a local shoe repair shop fabricate and install leather linings in the heel area. I was happy until now, a few months later, when a section of the sole has suddenly and dramatically separated (delaminated) from the layer above it. Cheapness!These shoes are heavy, but I don't mind heavy since I wear them when working out in a gym. One might expect that heavy would mean robust or durable. The leather uppers seem to be durable - mine still look great, but the lining and sole are either poorly constructed or are constructed of cheap and vulnerable materials. One might think that heavy shoes would be supportive. Unfortunately, the inference would be unfounded. These shoes seem to lack the "roll bar" incorporated into higher New Balance lines.

Take a very good look. You know those white Costco kirkland signature athletic shoes they use to sellfor decades. well.. Costco Stopped selling them about a year or two ago. And then these popped up.And i kid you not, These are the same exact sneakers once commissioned by Kirkland. Obviously Kirland themselves didnt make the sneaker, it was NewBalance all along, and not NewBalance sells the sneakers independantly of Costco, with a much wider variety in style. Still the same quality but unfortunately, several times more expensive. So indeed the sneakers were great, for their price. but just as well they didnt last too long under harsher use, and i fear nothing has changed in that regard. A far more expensive shoe with the same longevity. But at least the fit and feel great with rubber soles. not that crappy foam stuff that turns into ice when walking thru wet.

I don't know what's happened to New Balance. I've been wearing New Balance shoes for 20 years or more. In the military, I used them as running shoes. Put lots of miles on them and they held up and served me well. Now I'm retired and just wear them daily around the house and in to town. I don't stress them like I did in my military days, but for some reason, the last two pair I bought, the soles came unglued. It has been less than a year on this latest pair and the soles came off of both shoes on the same day. Perfectly planned obsolescence I guess.I ordered some Boot Fix glue and re-glued them, but I don't know how long that is going to last. I have been loyal to New Balance for a long time, but this has got me looking for a different brand.

New Balance used to be one of the few companies making running shoes in large sizes(15-16), and I’ve owned at least a dozen pairs. Granting that this is a cheap shoe, it’s still not well suited for anything but lounging or light walking. It is NOT a running shoe if you do any distance at all.

Had the shoes for about a year and the bottom of the shoes came unglued. It appears from the reviews that this is a known problem. For the last 5 months I have been gluing the bottom of the shoes back on and it lasts for about a week.The shoes are comfortable but the construction of the shoes is horrible. They wear no better than Walmart tennis shoes. Won't buy them again.

Waaayyy too large. 9E is more like a 10E. I got these as a Christmas gift, specifically for PT and gym workouts. I feel like I’m wearing clown shoes. I tried to adjust but too big is too big. I guess they’ll go to Goodwill or Purple Heart as a donation. NB has always been my go-to athletic shoe. These are not a go-to, more like a good-bye to NB.

Feels like walking in just socks on stone. Hate these. Unfortunately, I waited too long to try them on. I usually order two or three pairs of New Balance when on sale. I'm used to them fitting just fine, and I have bought many, many pairs of New Balance shoes. I'm used to a good cushion on New Balance shoes. These do not have that.