New Balance is known for designing their shoes to with a hexagonal patterning in place throughout. While the 247 may not have this well-known patterning all throughout the design, it does still have the pattern in enough places so that wearers can feel the benefits that it typically offers. In the case of this shoe, the hexagons appear in the forefoot and along the majority of the sides of the outsole. This design improves both traction and durability of the shoe while also aiding to keep the weight of the shoe as low as possible. With that being said, this section of the shoe is fashioned from a thin cut of rubber material.

Well, if a shoe is meant to provide the wearer with adequate comfort, it should have design specs that support that claim. The midsole of the 247 is made from foam material, aptly titled Revlite Foam. This foam adjusts to contours and cushions the ride of the wearer in a way that many have simply not been able to experience before in a shoe. The material in the shoe’s design is meant to provide wearers with the utmost levels of comfort while not adding too many unnecessary ounces to the shoe’s design. For this very reason, New Balance decided to equip the shoe with a thin cut of the material.

The upper of the 247 is where most of the comfort stems from, believe it or not. The shoe features a complete mesh upper with a bootie construction. The bootie construction basically wraps all the way around the wearer’s ankle and provides maximum comfort while the shoe is being worn; it also looks very cool. The shoe has perforations throughout the toe area as well, which provide benefits that will be discussed throughout the review. The back of the shoe makes use a pull-tab which basically makes removal and putting the 247 back on a breeze. The actual ankle portion of the shoe has a synthetic material lining that extends along it’s sides; this basically provides the wearer with the structure that they’d need to not have to worry about movements while in the shoe.

As one can probably tell from looking at the shoe and it’s compounding materials; it’s incredibly lightweight. For starters, Revlite Foam is a material that is known for adding almost no weight to the design of a shoe; that’s what is seen here with the design of the 247. In addition to the Revlite material, the shoe makes use of an almost full-mesh upper. Mesh is, much like the Revlite Foam, known for adding minimal weight to a shoe’s design and allowing for optimal comfort at the same time.

One of the great things about his new and improved looking 247 is that it can compete in the category of fashion. The 247 classic is by l meaning of the word, a lifestyle shoe. It has a look that is extremely similar to that of shoes like various Nike and Adidas lifestyle shoes and the comfort and materials to back that up. As is the nature of a lifestyle shoe, the 247’s look places more emphasis on comfort and this can be seen from simply looking at the shoe. The design is streamlined and would blend relatively well with any type of casual wear that one would like to pair it with.

When it comes to breathability, nothing does the trick better than an upper designed fully from mesh. The upper of the 247 is designed from a mesh material which provides wearers with what they’d need in terms of circulation while also reducing the possibility of sweat building up in the shoe’s design. The mesh in the upper of the shoe is also slightly more perforated in the toe area which greatly reduces the chances of the sweat building up in the toe area of the shoe. The sides of the shoe are designed from a synthetic material but, shouldn’t give the wearer much issue simply because of the fact that the material isn’t incredibly thick. Last but not least, the upper features a sock-liner which has moisture-wicking properties.

As mentioned above, the breathability provided by this shoe ensures that wearers are able to retain a bit of comfort when the 247 is worn. Aside from just the breathability, the rest of the shoe has various elements which are in place for the sole purpose of providing wearers with the comfort that they’d need from a shoe such as the 247. The Revlite foam, for starters, is a foam designed to cushion the entirety of the wearer’s underfoot. The foam’s comfort provision is comparable to that typically associated with Boost and Lunar Foam; it’s designed to compete with the likes of those materials. The shoe’s bootie design is also meant to provide wearers with adequate comfort when the shoe is worn; it works in tandem with the mesh material and makes it relatively simple for the shoe to slide on and off of the wearer’s foot.

Hexagonal patterning is a thing that New Balance implemented into the design of their shoes to ensure that they would be able to stand up to a vast amount of usage without breaking down or wearing unevenly. For this very reason New Balance decided that it would be a great idea to add the material into the design of their shoes. One thing that is somewhat intriguing is that the material that the outsole is designed from hasn’t changed in the slightest; it’s still your typical rubber outsole. The rest of the shoe’s design works wonders for ensuring that it lasts for a relatively long time as well. The Revlite foam doesn’t compress fully nor does the mesh in the upper of the shoe rip easily.

Well, if a shoe's upper is designed entirely from mesh, it can be assumed that it won’t provide the wearer with incredibly high levels of protection. At least not in that area. The thing to keep in mind though is that the 247 probably not the best shoe to purchase if what you seek is protection in the first place. The 247 is a lifestyle shoe; it’s not meant for strenuous activity whatsoever. Shoes with minimal designs such as that of the 247 are meant for casual wear or racing activities and thus, have not been given designs that allow them to fully protect wearers during those activities.

Something to pay attention to when viewing a shoe with a minimal design such as that of the 247 is that it’s bound to be incredibly responsive; there are very few chances for the material to not move along with the movements of the wearer’s feet. The design of the upper is entirely made of a mesh material, basically making it impossible for the shoe to not provide wearers with adequate room to move their feet around while in the shoe. The same thing goes for the entirety of the shoe’s sole unit; it’s designed to move rather easily along with the movements of the wearer’s feet. Revlite conforms and to the curves of the underfoot quite easily and is meant to provide wearers with adequate comfort while their shoes are being worn.

This continues to be mentioned, but for good reason. The Revlite foam in the 247’s midsole is meant to provide the wearer with adequate support for the duration of the shoe’s wear time. The way that Revlite foam works are that it conforms and cushions each step that one takes while they’re inside of the shoe. It becomes a rather simple task to understand how and why the shoe is able to provide wearers with adequate comfort and stability while the shoe is in use. In addition to the shoe’s inherent ability to cushion and comfort a wearer's steps, the shoe is designed with adequate amounts of the material in the heel region. This basically implies that the shoe will be able to provide the wearer with what they need in order to feel comfortable and supported while in the shoe.

Again, these workout shoes aren’t really meant for strenuous excursions and don’t really have a specified terrain type. If they were to be used for a type of exercise, it would make sense for them to be used at the gym or other developed terrains. The upper and sole unit just wouldn’t be able to last for very long if they were used on terrains that aren’t gentle enough to watch for the shoe’s all mesh upper or thin sole region.

Lifestyle tends to be a bit more expensive than other types of shoes. This is because they generally have a bit more technology and are meant to provide the utmost comfort to the foot of the wearer when in use. With that being said, another region where these shoes tend to stand out is in the area of price. These shoes, when released, were incredibly affordable; now that a bit of time has gone by, their even more so. The price point of these shoes allows them to provide adequate value to any individual who decides to purchase this model. Think about it, how often does one find a shoe that provides comfort or style such as that of the 247 at such a low price.

Well, hexagonal patterning in a New Balance shoe typically lets wearers know that the shoe that they’re purchasing is one that will provide adequate grip when used on a variety of surfaces. Even though the shoe isn’t meant to be worn for strenuous, high-intensity activities, it’s outsole does provide wearers with the grip that they’d need in order to perform said activities. The outsole features this patterning along much of the forefoot and instep of the shoe; this, in tandem with the material allows the 247 to provide adequate grip on developed surfaces.

Various parts of the 247 are designed to provide wearers with a decent range of motion. For instance, anytime that one sees a shoe with a mesh upper, they can just assume that the shoe will provide them with a natural feel (especially if said shoe is designed entirely of the material). The breaks in the design that the outsole patterning introduces also allows the shoe to move as naturally as possible when in use.

There aren’t very many stability providing elements incorporated into the design of the 247. The upper, while being made of mesh, does have synthetic lining along both the sides and heel of the shoe. This gives the shoe a bit of structure and allows it to provide adequate comfort to the wearer’s foot. The Revlite foam is cushioned but doesn’t make it so that the wearer feels as if they are walking around in a cloud; it’s firm enough and thin enough to prevent rollover.

The drop on the 247 hasn’t been specified by New Balance but, it can be said to be relatively small. The shoe has a thin sole unit. The movements that one experiences while in the shoe allow for relative ease of motion and natural splay when walking.

• Revlite foam
• Engineered mesh
• Hexagonal pattering
• Sock liner

In total, the design of the 247 isn’t one that one would like to miss out on. The shoe has the look and feels that would make it a relatively simple choice to wear it for long periods of time. Not to mention the price of the shoe; it's incredibly inexpensive. So, if you’re looking for something new and are on a budget, it probably bests that you take a look at New Balance 247 classic.