ABZORB THE COMPETITION: NEW BALANCE’S 2010 AND 2000 ARE YOUR FEET’S NEW BEST FRIENDS

There’s a quiet confidence that comes with a New Balance release. No loud slogans, no forced statements. Just some of the best sneakers your feet could ever ask for - form, function, and that familiar sense of purpose that comes from knowing you are in perfectly cushioned hands, or in this case, feet. The ABZORB 2010 and 2000 might share the same sole technology, but their personalities couldn’t be more different.

Before both pairs came along, ABZORB cushioning was already part of New Balance’s story. It was the brand’s top-of-the-line foam through the late 90s and early 2000s, known for its plush yet responsive feel underfoot. Later, ABZORB SBS technology refined that legacy even further, using an engineered non-cellular elastomer designed to provide optimal shock absorption and resist compression over time. It became one of those quiet innovations that runners never forgot, and it returns here with purpose.

The ABZORB 2010 feels like a conversation with an old friend. The kind who still wears their 990s on weekends and knows the subtle differences between suede shades. Its shape recalls the structured calm of early 2000s runners, with nubuck and synthetic overlays that feel purposeful rather than decorative. You get a mix of breathable mesh, layered leather, and sharp, defined lines that echo popular models from New Balance lore. It’s the kind of shoe that rewards attention and comfort with its ABZORB midsole, meant for those who care about lineage and detail, no trendy flat-soled footwear here.

The ABZORB 2000 carries a different energy. It stretches the same performance DNA into something progressive and less predictable. The full-length ABZORB sole unit gives it an almost sculptural quality, like the upper was built around motion itself. Textures collide: glossy synthetics meet open mesh, printed overlays meet molded forms. It looks forward, less about nostalgia and more about experimental evolution..

Where the 2010 leans toward refinement, the 2000 explores movement. Both carry the New Balance identity, just expressed through different design paths.

So, which one is for you? Well, with New Balance’s renowned comfort level and timeless style, both the ABZORB 2010 and 2000 are in our regular rotation, and up there with some of the best new sneaker models released this year.

The New Balance ABZORB 2010 and 2000 are available online and at selected New Balance store and lifestyle retailers.