The pair was first launched in 1985, and when it was released, there were a lot of commotion (in the modern day, we call it HYPE) caused by the pair. A few reasons was because New Balance billed it as “The very best running shoe ever made”, which was very hard to deny back then because it featured the most superior craftsmanship of that time, and it was praised by runners for having the best cushioning (New midsole tech + Vibram Sole). Another reason for the commotion was New Balance also admitted that the pair would “Costs more than any running shoe you’ve probably ever owned” because of its price tag of $130, which is a price that is totally unheard for a pair of running shoe back in those days.
The shoe was positioned as a luxury item. Because of that, many people wanted it, but couldn’t afford it. To make matters “worst”, not many were produced back in 1985. This led to the shoe gaining a huge cult following around the world, especially in Japan, where the shoe retailed at around USD350, and after a few years you could see deadstock pairs being auctioned off at USD1000 per pair (back in those days it was considered an insane price to pay for a pair of shoe) even when they were not wearable due to sole crumbles.
Due to the high demand for the shoe in Japan, it was reissued as the New Balance 1300JP in 1995. Since then, there has been a reissue in 2000, 2005, 2010, and now in 2015.
Fast forward to this day, we ask the question “is the 1300JP still the Very Best Running Shoe ever made?” Of course not. That is something Nike and adidas would gladly answer as they fight over the coveted title of “Best Ever Running Shoe”. “Then why should I pay RM1099 for this pair of running shoe that isn’t THE BEST?” you ask. Besides the fact that it was produced in very limited quantities and that it is only reissued once every 5 years, one of the main reason why this shoe was such a big hit back in 1985 all the way till today, and why people would gladly pay USD1000 at auctions for a pair of unwearable shoe, is because of what the shoe stands for. It is a shoe that was made without any worry of how much it would cost, without worry of whether people could afford it, or whether it would fly off the shelves once it was launched.
At that time, New Balance made the 1300JP with the purest of intentions, and that is to make THE BEST shoe ever. Period.
What you are paying for is the heritage. The meticulous effort New Balance put in to making a shoe of pure craftsmanship, and the painstaking measures New Balance has taken in maintaining that heritage of craftsmanship in each reissue. Especially this particular 2015 reissue as it is said to be the closest to the OG pair from 1985.
Check out picture below to see the difference of each reissue compared to the OG pair. *Picture by New Balance*
Well, at the end of the day, if you’re not emotionally moved by what the shoe stands for and what we wrote isn’t convincing enough to make you want to take your wallet out and cash out RM1099 for a pair of shoe, then we will use facts and figures to convince you. Just go on eBay, type in “New Balance 1300JP2” and see how much it is being resold for. An average price of USD500 = RM1900. Almost a 100% increase in value. Now who says sneakers aren’t good investments?
