NEW New Balance Plate Shoe

[MadMax]

16 hours ago, Tksjewelry said:

Are they expanding their size range? Will they be available in midget?

 

7 hours ago, JimKirk said:

8-15 D, 2E and 4E

@JimKirk, is there a Product Manager at NB you can contact directly who could entertain an arrangement on behalf of the petite footed umpires we know, such as @Tksjewelry and @Umpirechick1? Since the release is still forthcoming, that signifies to me the shoes have not been fabricated yet, or the fabrication run is still open. Any custom sizes, like a women's 5 or 6 or 7, would be bespoke, and likely cost a bit more, but could at least be feasible and executable during the production run overseas. It's when a production run is ended and closed that one-off sizes become unfeasible and summarily denied.

Tiffany might have to put out an APB to her fellow female umpires, but if there ends up being a packaged request, with guaranteed sales of these (8? 10? 12? 16?) one-offs, it may assuade NB's reservations on producing shoe sizes that may or may not be sold (which is why they don't project those oddball sizes in the first place). It would need to be coordinated through a Product Manager and/or CSR.

I know something like this has to exist, and is likely being addressed, because I have a hunch – a fairly tall hunch – that Jordan Baker may need a size 16 or 17.

[Tksjewelry]

@JimKirk, is there a Product Manager at NB you can contact directly who could entertain an arrangement on behalf of the petite footed umpires we know, such as @Tksjewelry and @Umpirechick1? Since the release is still forthcoming, that signifies to me the shoes have not been fabricated yet, or the fabrication run is still open. Any custom sizes, like a women's 5 or 6 or 7, would be bespoke, and likely cost a bit more, but could at least be feasible and executable during the production run overseas. It's when a production run is ended and closed that one-off sizes become unfeasible and summarily denied.

Tiffany might have to put out an APB to her fellow female umpires, but if there ends up being a packaged request, with guaranteed sales of these (8? 10? 12? 16?) one-offs, it may assuade NB's reservations on producing shoe sizes that may or may not be sold (which is why they don't project those oddball sizes in the first place). It would need to be coordinated through a Product Manager and/or CSR.

I know something like this has to exist, and is likely being addressed, because I have a hunch – a fairly tall hunch – that Jordan Baker may need a size 16 or 17.

There actually is a female umpires fb page. It sucks but it's there and there are plenty of members.

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[gnhbua93]

3 hours ago, Tksjewelry said:

There actually is a female umpires fb page. It sucks but it's there and there are plenty of members.

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Link.

[Tksjewelry]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/916803298408709/

Perry Barber replied to my thread on there, ermegerd!

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[Nose2toes]

That's a nice shoe but wouldn't be acceptable in Ohio.for HS games !he to the white N.  Stupid but they micromanage us here

[JimKirk]

12 hours ago, Tksjewelry said:

There actually is a female umpires fb page. It sucks but it's there and there are plenty of members.

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I see that. And see the recent post. Will pass along to NB.

[JimKirk]

14 hours ago, MadMax said:

 

@JimKirk, is there a Product Manager at NB you can contact directly who could entertain an arrangement on behalf of the petite footed umpires we know, such as @Tksjewelry and @Umpirechick1? Since the release is still forthcoming, that signifies to me the shoes have not been fabricated yet, or the fabrication run is still open. Any custom sizes, like a women's 5 or 6 or 7, would be bespoke, and likely cost a bit more, but could at least be feasible and executable during the production run overseas. It's when a production run is ended and closed that one-off sizes become unfeasible and summarily denied.

Tiffany might have to put out an APB to her fellow female umpires, but if there ends up being a packaged request, with guaranteed sales of these (8? 10? 12? 16?) one-offs, it may assuade NB's reservations on producing shoe sizes that may or may not be sold (which is why they don't project those oddball sizes in the first place). It would need to be coordinated through a Product Manager and/or CSR.

I know something like this has to exist, and is likely being addressed, because I have a hunch – a fairly tall hunch – that Jordan Baker may need a size 16 or 17.

@MadMax That's a valiant idea, but I would think that ship has already sailed.

The issue is on both sides of it. We receive as many requests for a size 16 as we do smaller sizes. We requested smaller sizes as soon as we knew a new model would be made, but as I understand there is a cost-benefit -analysis of making the mold and tooling for an added size that has to be weighed with potential sales of that size.

Worthy of mentioning is that 3n2 plate shoes are being offered down to size 6 in both low and mid (and 3n2 will be coming out with a patent low this year we just found out this week). It appears that 3n2s minimums are less, and they are more nimble in being able to provide more size options than NB.

Here's some interesting info. I just looked over our sales of plate shoes in the past 12 months. Despite selling several thousand pairs a year, we only sold only about 18 pairs of size 8s if that gives you any insights what sales of even smaller sizes of NB would be. Looking at NB size 15, we sold a whopping 8 pairs - and that's combined D, 2E and 4E. Looking at the 3n2 size 6 shoes, we sold only 8 pairs.

Those numbers equate to somewhere in the ballpark of 1-2 sales for around every 40-60 of each of one the more popular sizes in that 10-12 range.

So my sense is that the extreme sizes currently offered the companies that make plate shoes could already a money loser. I wish I had more good options, but we will keep asking.

[JimKirk]

2 hours ago, Nose2toes said:

That's a nice shoe but wouldn't be acceptable in Ohio.for HS games !he to the white N.  Stupid but they micromanage us here

@Nose2toes You will be happy to know there will be an all-black option with no white.

Here are a few photos of the mid-cut opion. Note in the images that the first photo is on the inside part of the foot (lower metatarsal guard) and 2nd photo is on the outside (less metatarsal guard). This is an ingenious idea as long as you guys don't wear your plate shoes on the wrong feet.

 

 

 

[Thunderheads]

3 hours ago, Nose2toes said:

That's a nice shoe but wouldn't be acceptable in Ohio.for HS games !he to the white N.  Stupid but they micromanage us here

wow, that's awful!

our 'uniform guideline' says black shoes also, but here guys in Michigan wear anything they want with not issues, ...which is nice

[Thunderheads]

1 hour ago, JimKirk said:

@Nose2toes You will be happy to know there will be an all-black option with no white.

Here are a few photos of the mid-cut opion. Note in the images that the first photo is on the inside part of the foot (lower metatarsal guard) and 2nd photo is on the outside (less metatarsal guard). This is an ingenious idea as long as you guys don't wear your plate shoes on the wrong feet.

 

 

 

Thanks Jim, great idea on the met-plate!!!

I hope that toe is protected!  Looks exposed compared to the older version

[Tksjewelry]

@MadMax That's a valiant idea, but I would think that ship has already sailed.

The issue is on both sides of it. We receive as many requests for a size 16 as we do smaller sizes. We requested smaller sizes as soon as we knew a new model would be made, but as I understand there is a cost-benefit -analysis of making the mold and tooling for an added size that has to be weighed with potential sales of that size.

Worthy of mentioning is that 3n2 plate shoes are being offered down to size 6 in both low and mid (and 3n2 will be coming out with a patent low this year we just found out this week). It appears that 3n2s minimums are less, and they are more nimble in being able to provide more size options than NB.

Here's some interesting info. I just looked over our sales of plate shoes in the past 12 months. Despite selling several thousand pairs a year, we only sold only about 18 pairs of size 8s if that gives you any insights what sales of even smaller sizes of NB would be. Looking at NB size 15, we sold a whopping 8 pairs - and that's combined D, 2E and 4E. Looking at the 3n2 size 6 shoes, we sold only 8 pairs.

Those numbers equate to somewhere in the ballpark of 1-2 sales for around every 40-60 of each of one the more popular sizes in that 10-12 range.

So my sense is that the extreme sizes currently offered the companies that make plate shoes could already a money loser. I wish I had more good options, but we will keep asking.

This is why the women of Baseball and softball need to be organized and visible as a buying group. If we could get pre-orders of 25 or 30 in each size every few years and be willing to pay a little more, one of these companies might be more willing to make that concession. Heck, it could be great marketing too in this ever increasing pc world, especially for a major sports company that has a larger cross section market like NB or Nike where a commercial for running shoes could increase sale of yoga shoes or cleats. Also, women have a tendency to be more emotional buyers, be brand loyal, and have control over daily household spending, all of which these companies already know but they might be looking for a new angle for a marketing campaign.

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[JoHart10]

I am conflicted by this shoe:

Positives: Instep Protection, Color and material  does not appear to be to difficult to keep clean

Questions: Will the height of the guard press shin guards upward affecting sizing and function of shin guards? Where will the shinguard "sit"? 

I will be interested to hear how these questions are answered. I will not be on the early bird purchasing list for these as I was able to secure new 4 pairs of zigs for a total of $200 last year, from a small shop that was just ridding themselves of inventory. 

[BT_Blue]

Have been chit chatting with a guy in Georgia that was one of the guys testing out these shoes. He said they are very comfortable, clean nicely, and protect well. I plan to be a guinea pig when the lows come out early next year. Which will relegate my Zigs to low level and/or muddy (not that we have ANY of those here in the Pacific Northwest) games next year.

[MadMax]

As of today, I'm now committed to be on the early bird purchase of these new 2017 (N470?) plate shoes, as my N460's revealed that the strap holding the metatarsal guard, down by the toes, is separating and coming apart. They (have become) are heavy, clunky, the mid-cut is driving me nuts because I just know they're wearing out my treasured Force3 Ultimate shinguards, and I've absolutely shredded the inner heel/ankle liner and the footbeds. I just took the beaten-up footbeds out and replaced them with silicone ones I got from Amazon on the inexpensive, just to give me some springiness again and to last until (January? February? ... March?) whenever these new ones come out.

This can't happen soon enough... I actually consider trying to snag one of the last Reebok plate shoes on the open market, but then my spine starts to twitch and I resign myself to legging it out with these Frankenstein boots N460's.

[BT_Blue]

Well... The mids are due in November. The lows in January some time. But I plan to join you with the 470s. Also... How crappy will it be if they all it something else and we have been referring to it as the 470 for at least a year?

[LRZ]

On 10/7/2016 at 3:42 AM, Nose2toes said:

That's a nice shoe but wouldn't be acceptable in Ohio.for HS games !he to the white N.  Stupid but they micromanage us here

Years ago, I had a similar issue in soccer. Nothing that a little liquid black shoe polish couldn't resolve, and much cheaper than buying new shoes.

[WES2006AG]

I haven't noticed any MLB guys wearing these. Seems odd, you would think they would be testing them during the playoffs.

[BT_Blue]

11 minutes ago, WES2006AG said:

I haven't noticed any MLB guys wearing these. Seems odd, you would think they would be testing them during the playoffs.

Good call. Was thinking the same thing. I could swear I remember the MLB guys wearing the 460s a year or two before they came out as a test run. Wonder if they had "Joe Schmoe" umpire test them this time to see how rhey hold up with the general public?

[gnhbua93]

Interesting Guccione was testing a pair of 450.

[Chris Hickman]

Not sure if anyone here is going to the Black and Blue Umpire Camp next week but I will bring a pair of my sample NB low tops to view.  I like them alot.....

[BT_Blue]

6 hours ago, gnhbua93 said:

Interesting Guccione was testing a pair of 450.

I noticed this too 

[BT_Blue]

1 hour ago, Chris Hickman said:

Not sure if anyone here is going to the Black and Blue Umpire Camp next week but I will bring a pair of my sample NB low tops to view.  I like them alot.....

@Chris Hickman, can you shoot me a photo of the lows. They are supposedly calling these NB406v3 (the mids are 460v2). I would love to see them.

[Umpirechick1]

I do wish they started at size 7.  Currently, 3N2 is the only brand that has a plate shoe in something smaller than 8.  

[kylejt]

I'd love to see a picture of the low tops, so I can make a decision on if I should wait for them, or pull the trigger on the mids.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Hickman]