New Balance has, once again, reached into its archive and pulled out an absolute gem. This time, the geniuses in Boston have pulled something out of the ‘80s, retooled it, and casually put it back on shelves looking better than ever.

Somewhere between lightweight retro runner and trail shoe sits the New Balance Gator Run. Slimline yet rugged. Suave yet technical. It’s a thing to behold, and it just got even better with a hairy suede finish.

Around a month ago, we were reintroduced to the New Balance Gator Run in two patent croc-print colorways, establishing the intriguing dichotomy of this shoe. Is it a lifestyle shoe? The patent croc outfit suggests so. Is it a trail shoe? The rope laces and jagged outsole suggest so.

But therein lies the beauty of the silhouette. It’s a bit of both, and a bit of neither. It makes us question how to categorize it, but there are no questions about its style validity. 

Now, the Gator Run is hitting shelves with a more rugged aesthetic. The New Balance Gator Run Timberwolf features an upper in hairy suede, the neutral color feels much more reminiscent of outdoor styles.

Contrasting with the tan upper are red rope laces that further the case for this shoe being a hiking style. 

And beyond the colorway, a Fresh Foam midsole combining with a spiky, grippy outsole nods to the fact that although this shoe fits comfortably into a style-conscious daily rotation, it’s built for trails, too.

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