NB 460 "infomercial"

[Umpire in Chief]

Check out this video:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150627002436204

[midmoump]

Great video! Thanks, Warren!

Nothing makes grown men giggle like playing with an air cannon.

With 120 psi they were firing missiles at that shoe!

Pete

[justwin]

wow. very impressive. and if they are 10% lighter all the better. i just hope they made the stitching on the outside sides stronger. good friend of mine has gone through two pairs of new balance plate shoes in 4 years because they have torn on the sides and he does around 80-90 plate games a year. its a thought for me in the future but my old asham plate shoes are still holding strong

[Chris Hickman]

Act now and receive a second pair absolutely free!!! Just pay separate processing and handling.

Call in the next 60 seconds and receive a free Shamwow to wipe off your brow between innings absolutely free!!!!

[UmpTTS43]

Act now and receive a second pair absolutely free!!! Just pay separate processing and handling.

Call in the next 60 seconds and receive a free Shamwow to wipe off your brow between innings absolutely free!!!!

Dang. I already bought a pair of the 450's on clearance. I could have used that ShamWow.

[yawetag]

i just hope they made the stitching on the outside sides stronger.

Are you referring to the stitching that holds the plate on, above the toes? If so, mine's beginning to tear as well. My cobbler says it can't be fixed, so I'm just waiting for it to break enough to warrant new shoes. Sadly, I thought these would last more than 3 years.

[yawetag]

wow. very impressive. and if they are 10% lighter all the better.

I heard 20% lighter.

[Thunderheads]

While this is a fun video, and informative as well, I wish they would have fired at the TOE area instead of the met-plate on a shot?

That, IMHO, would have been a better 'test' .......

Cool, nonetheless......

[johnnyg08]

I was thinking that same thing. It's far more likely to take a shot on the toe vs the plate.

[Thunderheads]

I was thinking that same thing. It's far more likely to take a shot on the toe vs the plate.

Well, ..I'm glad to see someone concur, ..for a minute, I thought I was missing something or maybe out of line ....thanks johnnyg! ;)

[Umpire in Chief]

They said they've listened to the umpire community, I wonder which one U-E?????

They also mentioned they made them more comfortable, I wonder how.

But I do wonder if they addressed something really simple that the 450's were terrible on -- the shoelaces.

I do like the look of the new NB plate shoes.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I do a ton of D-I and JC scrimmages in the fall and winter. I also do off-season games at a high school with the No. 1 pitching prospect in the country, who brings it up at 97 m.p.h.

In the last six months, I have now had three severe 90-plus toe shots to my right shoe, while wearing the Reeboks, and I have officially retired them from higher-level games in favor of my trusty, old New Balance 450s. (I'm glad I didn't sell them or give them away.)

The Reeboks are borderline horrible when it comes to toe protection against high-velocity (90-plus) shots. This latest blow was a 92 m.p.h. (according to the kid with the radar gun) uncaught wild pitch to a lefty that hit directly on the big toe area and rolled to the third baseman about ten feet in front of the bag. It felt like my toes were on fire. It was drastically more uncomfortable than it should have been. I couldn't believe I was wearing a major league shoe. After the last such experience, I took the NBs out of the closet and put them in the car, and as of Tuesday, I started using them as my primary shoes.

If I go for another new pair, it'll be the new New Balance and not a new pair of Reeboks. The Reeboks get the nod on traction and sheer comfort, but the little nubs on the sole that give you that exceptional traction wear down to nothing in a little over a year, and that comfort advantage is rapidly neutralized by one good toe shot.

[Thunderheads]

I do a ton of D-I and JC scrimmages in the fall and winter. I also do off-season games at a high school with the No. 1 pitching prospect in the country, who brings it up at 97 m.p.h.

In the last six months, I have now had three severe 90-plus toe shots to my right shoe, while wearing the Reeboks, and I have officially retired them from higher-level games in favor of my trusty, old New Balance 450s. (I'm glad I didn't sell them or give them away.)

The Reeboks are borderline horrible when it comes to toe protection against high-velocity (90-plus) shots. This latest blow was a 92 m.p.h. (according to the kid with the radar gun) uncaught wild pitch to a lefty that hit directly on the big toe area and rolled to the third baseman about ten feet in front of the bag. It felt like my toes were on fire. It was drastically more uncomfortable than it should have been. I couldn't believe I was wearing a major league shoe. After the last such experience, I took the NBs out of the closet and put them in the car, and as of Tuesday, I started using them as my primary shoes.

If I go for another new pair, it'll be the new New Balance and not a new pair of Reeboks. The Reeboks get the nod on traction and sheer comfort, but the little nubs on the sole that give you that exceptional traction wear down to nothing in a little over a year, and that comfort advantage is rapidly neutralized by one good toe shot.

* insert concerned face here ( ____ ) *

[grayhawk]

That's interesting Kevin. I have a pair of Spot Bilt plate shows right now, and the traction on them is terrible. On hard packed dirt, my feet slide out and my hips end up very sore. I was considering the Reeboks because of the traction advantage, but was holding out to try on the NB 460s. Purchase Officials has a retail location inside a store called Party Hounz and I tried on the Reeboks yesterday. They didn't have the new NB's yet, but I'll go back and try them before making a purchase. How is the traction on the 450s? They don't look like they would work very well on hard packed dirt.

[Kevin Finnerty]

If you don't get a high-velocity toe shot, the Reeboks have the sole design that you want for the kind of traction needs that you describe. The NB has a sole design that is more like a work shoe than a turf shoe.

The Reeboks

The New Balance

[kylejt]

Here's my theory on getting the big toe smashed. Look at the Reeboks and the New 460s. See that "snout", or vertical edge over the toe? If a ball catches that edge, it'll drive the shoe backwards. The trouble is your foot won't move, and your shoe will, compressing your big toe into the toe box. Yowsers! Direct toe shots will do the same, but this big ridge, IMO is still a problem.

The old 450, like the old +POS and patent leather Davis, has a smooth transition from toe to upward. That would seem to be a better design.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I must add that I would not hesitate to wear the Reeboks for games that feature lower-velocity pitching, like the average high school and adult league action. But when they're out there bringing it, I'm wearing NB 450s.

[catsbackr]

I do a ton of D-I and JC scrimmages in the fall and winter. I also do off-season games at a high school with the No. 1 pitching prospect in the country, who brings it up at 97 m.p.h.

In the last six months, I have now had three severe 90-plus toe shots to my right shoe, while wearing the Reeboks, and I have officially retired them from higher-level games in favor of my trusty, old New Balance 450s. (I'm glad I didn't sell them or give them away.)

The Reeboks are borderline horrible when it comes to toe protection against high-velocity (90-plus) shots. This latest blow was a 92 m.p.h. (according to the kid with the radar gun) uncaught wild pitch to a lefty that hit directly on the big toe area and rolled to the third baseman about ten feet in front of the bag. It felt like my toes were on fire. It was drastically more uncomfortable than it should have been. I couldn't believe I was wearing a major league shoe. After the last such experience, I took the NBs out of the closet and put them in the car, and as of Tuesday, I started using them as my primary shoes.

If I go for another new pair, it'll be the new New Balance and not a new pair of Reeboks. The Reeboks get the nod on traction and sheer comfort, but the little nubs on the sole that give you that exceptional traction wear down to nothing in a little over a year, and that comfort advantage is rapidly neutralized by one good toe shot.

I do pretty much the same levels of ball you do and have had zero problems with toe shots with the Reeboks.

[Kevin Finnerty]

It means that you're lucky and not that the protection of the Reeboks is adequate at high-velocity impacts to the toe box.

I have given both shoes extensive use, and having taken similar shots with the steel-toed NBs, I can attest to their superior protection in that area.

[kylejt]

I do pretty much the same levels of ball you do and have had zero problems with toe shots with the Reeboks.

"I'll never get hit there"

"Wow, this game is moving fast."

"Just one more out"

JINX!!

[Kevin Finnerty]

I do pretty much the same levels of ball you do and have had zero problems with toe shots with the Reeboks.

"I'll never get hit there"

"Wow, this game is moving fast."

"Just one more out"

JINX!!

Another jinx-inducing statement is the one that's similar to Cat's, "I [insert anything at all] and I've never had a problem before."

Good risk management demands that you switch to a different way of doing things before you get something like, let's say, a reddish purple colored big toe.

[cuban]

I just got the new NB base shoes. The all black ones. Well almost all black. There are two little white MLB logos, one on the back back heal and one on the tongue. I don't like the logos. What is the best way to black them out?

[Kevin Finnerty]

If it's embroidered, use liquid shoe polish or liquid fabric dye, but not a Sharpie, which will make it purple. If it's leather or leather-like material, use black nail polish, which is very similar to model airplane paint, but it comes with a little brush inside the bottle's cap. I used it to black out the N and the white logo on the heel. It looks like it was done at the factory.

I use the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails black stuff like those Goth chicks use to piss off their parents:

And to give my NB 450s that glowing shine, I use White Rain Extra Hold:

[cuban]

Thanks, Kev.

[Kevin Finnerty]

You're quite welcome!