New Balance 479

by Alexis
(Billings, Montana)

I was surprised to find this pair of New Balance 479 Running Shoes which I initially thought of as a new model but it seems they have been in the market as early as 2008. I discovered the convenience of the gillie lacing system by way of these shoes and I never realized that it made a lot of difference. It made a lot of sense in a way that shoes are easy to slip on and off yet when I use them in any kind of terrain, they don't slip-off easily either.

These New Balance 479 running shoes is what I've been looking for all along since it doesn't limit my trail running by choosing when and where to go. Now I still step on almost anything without worry that I'll lose my grip or balance. It's equipped with a combination foam and rubber outsole with spiked features that enhances its traction ability. Now New Balance 470 running shoes support its structure with a fully padded insole that does not compress the foot at all.

The gillie lacing system has a flexible lace-up front that eases compression but provides the midsole hold and actually giving the shoes perfect fit. The shoes may seem bulky and heavy but on the contrary they are surprisingly lightweight because all these are made of super breathable lightweight mesh and foam. There's none of the molded plastics or gel system or even metals that really don't add up to anything but weight to your feet. Everything is made from mesh, foam and compressible rubber and it equates to responsiveness when stepping on any kind of terrain. The spikes give the added assurance from slipping even if you’re gliding down a smooth surface.

I can understand the spikes and foam and how they contribute to the goodness of these shoes but I was curious about the gillie lacing system. So I made a little research and found out that this system originated from the Scottish Highland fashion and in fact “gillie” is a Scottish Gaelic word for boy. Scottish highlands are known for its grassy but steep and rocky terrain. In fact slopes tend to rise steeply before you can reach a lofty and grassy hill crest. The boy here refers to the young lads who act as assistants to the gamekeeper in charge of protecting the land and its cattle from natural predators like foxes and otters.

The Scottish highlanders devised a system of lacing up their footgear in away that it can provide them with sure foot grips during chase-time and it's a system that doesn't make provisions for tongues. In fact, you can find a lot of military apparel supported by this kind of lacing system.

If you will notice the New Balance 479, the supposed tongue folds out and the gillie lacing system is ornately placed on top of it. This design initially turned me off while looking at them on catalogs. However, I got the chance to get hold of them physically in one of the running shoe stores I frequent and was surprised by its lightweight. I tried them out and from then on I've had this type of shoe ever since.

The New Balance 479 is relatively an old model yet still popular in the market. I no longer wonder because I myself am shopping around for another pair and I've just placed my order for the latest color palette, the gray and orange version of New Balance 479, although a little bit more expensive than the black.

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