Skateboarding Legend Andrew Reynolds Gets His Own New Balance 480 Sneaker

The New Balance 480 is the first basketball sneaker ever made by the Boston-based brand, and it’s about to serve double duty for a legendary skater.

Andrew Reynolds is getting his own colorway for the archival model, his first dedicated shoe since signing last year with the New Balance Numeric skateboarding division last year. New Balance isn’t stopping at adding his name and choice in colors, though, as it’s also retooled the 480 to prime it for skateboarding.

A full-length FuelCell midsole comes to the 480 for propulsion, while an Ndurance outsole helps with board grip. A molded Abzorb insole is also added to the model, which originally launched in 1983, to enhance comfort and reduce the impact of landing.

Brushed nubuck and suede take on shades of brown while covering the majority of the upper, and a black leather is used more sparingly in accenting panels. A black midsole then sits atop a grey outsole, while the black tongue tag hosts a gold script “Reynolds” mark.

New Balance revived the 480 shortly after finding success with the return of the 550, another archival basketball sneaker from the ’80s. It hasn’t created much noise, and the fact that has a cheaper price tag may cause some to believe the 480 is a knock-off of sorts, even though it’s actually the older of the two sneakers. Reorienting it as a skate shoe could prove successful, as skaters do have a history of adopting basketball shoes for their own purposes, and enlisting someone with as much endurance in the sport as Reynolds certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Andrew Reynold’s New Balance Numeric 480 will release Sept. 18 through the brand’s website and select skate shops for $100.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.