100% US made shoe

[BigUmpire]

To all.

Excerpt from article on USA today

The "Berry Amendment," is a federal law that that requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made goods when possible.

Recruits today in the Army, Air Force and Navy can use a one-time $80 allowance to buy foreign-made shoes as an exception to the "Berry Amendment," a federal law that that requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made goods when possible. The Marine Corps only offers a general clothing allowance that does not specifically apply to shoes.

 

The Berry Amendment has not applied to running shoes in the past because there were no entirely American-made shoes on the market.

But the 950v2 can fit that bill.

 

New details about the shoemaker's 950v2 sneaker emerged after a visit from lawmakers on Aug. 19 to a New Balance factory in Lawrence, Mass.

The prospect of an all-American-made shoe has lawmakers interested, and New Balance is not the only company eyeing a potential military contract. The question is whether prototypes can pass muster with the Defense Department.

 

"We wanted to make a shoe with the highest technical performance, but also light, and it's going to be durable enough to withstand any conditions or terrain," New Balance spokeswoman Caitlin Campbell said.

 

The sneaker's aesthetic design is derived from the company's ultra-marathon shoe, the Leadville 1210 but made entirely from U.S.-sourced materials. The original shoe was made with the 100-mile Leadville Trail Marathon in mind.

 

 

"The shoe is made from different materials, and it has a different color wave, black and silver, sort of an understated, conservative look," Campbell said.

 

I propose that we umpires lobby our associations to make this the standard “field shoe†for our guys and gals.

 

I certainly intend to buy all of our < 2 year guys this shoe.

 

Comments please.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/01/new-balance-sneaker-prototype-boot-camp/14940075/

 

 

[BaltimoreUmpire]

I prefer all leather, those look like mesh which gets dirt in it faster. I'll stick with my 3n2's, I love them, they are light and easy to clean up. If they made what you posted in all leather I'd buy them.

[JaxRolo]

I prefer all leather, those look like mesh which gets dirt in it faster. I'll stick with my 3n2's, I love them, they are light and easy to clean up. If they made what you posted in all leather I'd buy them.

:no:

[BaltimoreUmpire]

I prefer all leather, those look like mesh which gets dirt in it faster. I'll stick with my 3n2's, I love them, they are light and easy to clean up. If they made what you posted in all leather I'd buy them.

Whats wrong with 3n2's?

[JaxRolo]

Rec Ball shoes

[BaltimoreUmpire]

Rec Ball shoes

How so? They are very comfortable and light. I fail to see any reason they would be a rec ball only shoe.

[JaxRolo]

I'm only partially kidding.

Just don't use the plate shoes.

[BaltimoreUmpire]

I'm only partially kidding.

Just don't use the plate shoes.

Ah yes I heard about them, I use the base shoes. I have Reebok Magistrates(not zigs) for plate shoes,

[MadMax]

I'm entirely in agreement, @BigUmpire, with your sentiment.

 

However, I have two comments that may come off as being argumentative. Let me say ahead of time, that is not the case...

 

First, the most practical alteration the US Armed Services did to the uniform codes in the past 15 or so years was introduce the latitude to obtain and use whatever footwear best fits and accommodates the wearer's physical preferences and traits, within uniform guidelines. As I've said on here, different shoe companies have different lasts they use and they're known for. New Balance, for example, has been well-known for employing several lasts and offering a wide range of shoe widths. Nike has a particular, focused set of lasts. Redwing, Timberland, etc... They all have different lasts that fit and support a percentage of foot types (high-arch, flat-foot, etc.). If we translate this to our umpire ranks, there are all different foot shapes and types. I myself, cannot wear Adidas or Reebok shoes without severe back problems. Its gotta be Nike or New Balance for me. I only bring this up because it is likely that there will be umpires who cannot physically wear that shoe.

 

Second, the emphasis should not be placed on one shoe. We, as a collective consumer force, must exert more influence upon A) the manufacturers and B) the lawmakers to facilitate, encourage and get the products (in this case, shoes) made here. As much ballyhoo is made about companies taking jobs overseas and/or setting up huge Asian factories (or "sweatshops", as the loonies love to use in print), there is barely a stutter about the reasons why... Yes, a company wants to maximize profits, but at the same time, when they have to fight an avalanche of zoning laws, labor laws, insurance laws, regulations, EPA mandates, taxes, fees, etc. I don't blame them for pursuing the path of least resistance.

 

So, a supplementary course would be, to by all means encourage and champion New Balance's (in this case) efforts to produce _that_ shoe here, but to also take the next step and inquire with them – in this incredibly high-priority, high-immediacy digital and social media world – what would it take for them to expand those efforts. What's the holdup? What's standing in the way? Find that out, and encourage our networks to perform social and consumer action to make that change happen. 

[BigUmpire]

I prefer all leather, those look like mesh which gets dirt in it faster. I'll stick with my 3n2's, I love them, they are light and easy to clean up. If they made what you posted in all leather I'd buy them.

you are missing the intent here.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tksjewelry]

To all.

Excerpt from article on USA today

The "Berry Amendment," is a federal law that that requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made goods when possible.

Recruits today in the Army, Air Force and Navy can use a one-time $80 allowance to buy foreign-made shoes as an exception to the "Berry Amendment," a federal law that that requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made goods when possible. The Marine Corps only offers a general clothing allowance that does not specifically apply to shoes.

The Berry Amendment has not applied to running shoes in the past because there were no entirely American-made shoes on the market.

But the 950v2 can fit that bill.

New details about the shoemaker's 950v2 sneaker emerged after a visit from lawmakers on Aug. 19 to a New Balance factory in Lawrence, Mass.

The prospect of an all-American-made shoe has lawmakers interested, and New Balance is not the only company eyeing a potential military contract. The question is whether prototypes can pass muster with the Defense Department.

"We wanted to make a shoe with the highest technical performance, but also light, and it's going to be durable enough to withstand any conditions or terrain," New Balance spokeswoman Caitlin Campbell said.

The sneaker's aesthetic design is derived from the company's ultra-marathon shoe, the Leadville 1210 but made entirely from U.S.-sourced materials. The original shoe was made with the 100-mile Leadville Trail Marathon in mind.

"The shoe is made from different materials, and it has a different color wave, black and silver, sort of an understated, conservative look," Campbell said.

I propose that we umpires lobby our associations to make this the standard “field shoe†for our guys and gals.

I certainly intend to buy all of our < 2 year guys this shoe.

Comments please.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/01/new-balance-sneaker-prototype-boot-camp/14940075/

*High Five* I'm in.

[blue23ll]

If I am not mistaken, New Balance USED to be the only USA manufactured shoe, but somewhere along the line that changed. 

[amb1995]

If I am not mistaken, New Balance USED to be the only USA manufactured shoe, but somewhere along the line that changed.

Now my 19 year old shoes freak expertise will come In handy! New Balance makes a select few models in the US still and any custom shoe they make is also in the United States.

[JaxRolo]

 

To all.

Excerpt from article on USA today

The "Berry Amendment," is a federal law that that requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made goods when possible.

Recruits today in the Army, Air Force and Navy can use a one-time $80 allowance to buy foreign-made shoes as an exception to the "Berry Amendment," a federal law that that requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made goods when possible. The Marine Corps only offers a general clothing allowance that does not specifically apply to shoes.

 

The Berry Amendment has not applied to running shoes in the past because there were no entirely American-made shoes on the market.

But the 950v2 can fit that bill.

 

New details about the shoemaker's 950v2 sneaker emerged after a visit from lawmakers on Aug. 19 to a New Balance factory in Lawrence, Mass.

The prospect of an all-American-made shoe has lawmakers interested, and New Balance is not the only company eyeing a potential military contract. The question is whether prototypes can pass muster with the Defense Department.

 

"We wanted to make a shoe with the highest technical performance, but also light, and it's going to be durable enough to withstand any conditions or terrain," New Balance spokeswoman Caitlin Campbell said.

 

The sneaker's aesthetic design is derived from the company's ultra-marathon shoe, the Leadville 1210 but made entirely from U.S.-sourced materials. The original shoe was made with the 100-mile Leadville Trail Marathon in mind.

 

 

"The shoe is made from different materials, and it has a different color wave, black and silver, sort of an understated, conservative look," Campbell said.

 

I propose that we umpires lobby our associations to make this the standard “field shoe†for our guys and gals.

 

I certainly intend to buy all of our < 2 year guys this shoe.

 

Comments please.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/01/new-balance-sneaker-prototype-boot-camp/14940075/

 

 

 

 

I like the look

[th3]

Definition of LAST

:  a form (as of metal or plastic) which is shaped like the human foot and over which a shoe is shaped or repaired

 

Illustration of LAST

 

Origin of LAST

Middle English, from Old English lǣste, from lÄst footprint; akin to Old High German leist shoemaker's last, Latin lirafurrow — more at learn

First Known Use: before 12th century

[BigUmpire]

Definition of LAST

:  a form (as of metal or plastic) which is shaped like the human foot and over which a shoe is shaped or repaired

 

Illustration of LAST

 

Origin of LAST

Middle English, from Old English lǣste, from lÄst footprint; akin to Old High German leist shoemaker's last, Latin lirafurrow — more at learn

First Known Use: before 12th century

?????????????

[th3]

Did you know what max was referring to? I did not

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KenBAZ]

Max was right on point by saying the last a shoe is built on goes a long way to determining how well it will work for you. Fit and functon as well as fashion. Some women's last are still just scaled down men's lasts that don't account for the difference in men's and women's feet. As they say; if the shoe fits, wear it.