NEW BALANCE QUALITY = RUBBISH! VIVOBAREFOOT EVO = TOP NOTCH!

FOLLOW UP POST TO THE NEW BALANCE MINIMUS MT20BC2. I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH SUCH AN ESTABLISHED COMPANY LIKE THEM. EXCLUDING THAT SINGLE PAIR OF SNEAKERS THAT YOUR PARENTS BOUGHT YOU AS A KID THAT YOU USED FOR EVERYTHING & WOULD WEAR OUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE FASTEST PAIR I'VE EVER WORN OUT. COMPOUND THAT WITH THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T WEAR THESE DAILY NOR USED THEM MUCH FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITES, IT TOOK JUST ABOUT A YEAR TO START TEARING. PATHETIC.YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICS THESE ARE IN GOOD CONDITION STILL.

AS MENTIONED IN MY INITIAL POST, I LOVED THE APPEARANCE OF THESE SHOES. THEY ARE SOME OF THE BEST LOOKING MINIMALIST/BAREFOOT LINE OUT THERE IN A SEA OF FOOT-SHAPED SHOES (VIRBAM FIVE FINGERS), CLOWN SHOES (ALTRA) AND ODD LOOKING BITS (VIVOBAREFOOT). SO MUCH SO, THAT I RELEGATED THESE NBs TO CASUAL WEAR AND USED MY VFF AND VIVO FOR ACTUAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES.

IF IT ONLY TOOK A YEAR TO DAMAGE THESE KICKS FROM CASUAL WEAR, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ACTUALLY USED THEM FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE: RUNNING. MORE SPECIFICALLY: TRAIL RUNNING.  

LET'S SEE.....UP TO DATE AFTER 1YR & 2 MOS, THERE ARE LARGE HOLES ON BOTH LATERAL FOREFOOTS, SMALLER HOLES ON BOTH MEDIAL FOREFOOT, HALF THE TONGUE ON THE RIGHT SHOE IS FALLING OFF AND THE TIP OF THE RIGHT OUTSOLE HAS STARTED TO COME UNDONE. ALL THIS FROM CASUAL WEAR.

MY VIVOBAREFOOT (PREVIOUSLY CALLED TERRA PLANA) EVO II, UP TO DATE AFTER 3 YRS & 4 MOS, HAS A VERY TINY HOLE ON THE LATERAL LEFT SHOE. DIDN'T TAKE ANY UP CLOSE PIC OF IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO SMALL TO SHOW UP. THESE SHOES HAVE BEEN USED FOR ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.....SPRINTING, RUNNING, TRAIL RUNNING, HIKING, SPARRING, ALL SORTS OF LUNGING WORK, INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING, SKATEBOARDING, AS WATER SHOES PLAYING IN THE CREEK, DOG WALKING AND CASUAL WEAR. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ROCK CLIMBING & HIKING WHICH I'VE ONLY USED THESE FOR A COUPLE OF TIMES, IF I HAVE A PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO DO THAT IS CARDIO BASED, MOST LIKELY THESE WILL BE USED. IN FACT, COME TO THINK OF IT, THE SMALL HOLE ON THE LATERAL LEFT IS PROBABLY FROM OLLIEING ON THE SKATEBOARD. NOT THAT IT'S A BIG DEAL, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST PIC BELOW, THE PRINTING ON THE INSOLES STILL SHOW WELL ON THE VIVOS BUT THE NBS ARE MORE THAN HALF GONE.

SO I CONTACTED NEW BALANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE THRU EMAIL EXPLAINING THE SITUATION AND INCLUDED THESE PICS OF THEIR SHOES. THEY TELL ME TO CONTACT THE STORE I PURCHASED IT FROM TO SEE IF THEY WILL TAKE IT BACK. UHHHH....OK.

"BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERT" - AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY.

THEY ALSO GAVE ME AN 800# TO CALL REGARDING RETURNS SINCE THEY CLAIM THAT RETURNS CANNOT BE PROCESSED THRU EMAIL.

"BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERT" -  LIMITED RESOURCES AND/OR MANAGEMENT.

I CALLED THE NUMBER, WAS ON HOLD FOR QUITE AWHILE, EXPLAINED THE SITUATION, THEY PULLED UP MY EMAIL & SAW THE PICS. THE FIRST THING THE REP TOLD ME WAS THAT JUDGING BY THE TEARS ON THE SHOES, I NEEDED TO GET A LARGER SIZE. UMMMM.....OK, I WON'T EVEN GO INTO THAT. SERIOUSLY. AFTER I TOLD HER HOW MANY SNEAKERS I OWNED, THAT'S WHAT SHE SAYS???? I MEAN, WHAT SHOULD I HAVE SAID? "YES, I LOVE TO WEAR SHOES THAT ARE TOO SMALL & UNCOMFORTABLE FOR MY FEET"?

"BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERT" - UNTRAINED CUSTOMER REP OR SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY "INSULTING THE CUSTOMER".

THE REP THEN OFFERS ME $10 OFF A NEW PAIR OF ANY OF THEIR SHOES PLUS FREE SHIPPING. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? MY INITIAL CONTACT HAD TO DO WITH WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY WARRANTY OR COVERAGE OVER THEIR PRODUCTS. MAYBE I HAVE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT? I DON'T KNOW. BUT YOU WANT TO REMEDY THE QUALITY CONCERN SITUATION BY HAVING ME PURCHASE SOME MORE PRODUCTS FROM YOU WHEN YOU HAVEN'T EVEN ADDRESSED THE CONCERN?

"BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERT" -AVOIDING THE ISSUE AND/OR INSULTING THE CUSTOMER. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES ON THE NET TO GET FREE SHIPPING & BETTER DISCOUNTS THEN $10.

I TOLD THE REP I CALLED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE PRODUCT MIGHT HAVE SOME MANUFACTURING/QUALITY COVERAGE. I TOLD HER HOW NIKE USUALLY COVERS DAMAGES ON THEIR PRODUCTS WITHIN 2 YRS OF PURCHASE. HER ANSWER: "I'M SORRY, WE'RE NOT NIKE." HUGE MISTAKE OF AN ANSWER. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU LEARN IN BUSINESS IS THAT YOU DON'T MENTION YOUR COMPETITOR'S NAME. THE REP SHOULD HAVE ANSWERED "I'M SORRY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT WARRANTY OR THAT KIND OF COVERAGE OVER OUR PRODUCTS" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. HER ANSWER WAS BASICALLY A SUBTLE ADMISSION TO A COMPETITOR'S BETTER SERVICE POLICY AND INDIRECTLY, SUPERIORITY.

"BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERT" -AGAIN, NOT WANTING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

IN THE END, THERE WAS NO CUSTOMER SERVICE. JUST WASTED TIME.

#190 Y-3 SPRINT BLACK/WHITE

THIS IS THE CLOSEST DESIGN TO ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SPRINT RELEASES FROM THE VERY EARLY SEASON. THE EXCEPTION IS THAT THE CLEAR CENTER STRIPE HAD BLUE UNDERNEATH IT INSTEAD OF BLACK LIKE THIS ONE HAS. ALL LEATHER VERSIONS SUCH AS THIS ONE ARE ALWAYS THE NICEST AND CLASSIEST. 

#189 NIKE SB X AIR JORDAN 1 CRAIG STECYK

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY OVERHAULED THE MIDSOLE OR CUSHIONING OF THE AJ1'S BUT THESE ARE MUCH MORE COMFY THAN THE PREVIOUS AJ1 BLACK/GOLD THAT I HAD, WHICH WAS SO UNBEARABLE THAT I HAD TO PLACE THEM ON THE SELLING BLOCK. MAYBE THEY EMPLOYED SB CUSHIONING? CAUSE IT SURE FEELS LIKE MY SB. DESPITE WHAT THE BOX SAYS THAT THESE ARE BLACK/SILVER, THEY ARE IN FACT METALLIC GREEN. SOLES ARE BLUISH TRANSLUCENT AGAINST A CARBON FIBER PRINT BACKGROUND. A VERY NICE PIECE.

#188 SALOMON SPEEDCROSS 3

THESE BABYS ARE BAD!!!!!!! GOOD BAD! LOOK AT THE TEETH ON THE OUTER SOLE! THEY REALLY DIG INTO THE DIRT FOR THESE TRAIL RUNNERS. SPACED APART ENOUGH NOT TO TRAP DIRT/MUD IN BETWEEN THAT'S HARD TO REMOVE. SOLES ALSO HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF FLEX TO THEM. THE SHOES OVERALL ARE VERY LIGHTWEIGHT.