New Balance has become one of my favorite brands over the past 5 or 6 years. The quality of their Made in the USA and Made in England stuff is really what got me going on them, and of course, picking up the 574 for between 20 and 30 bucks on occasion, always fits well into my top ramen-eating lifestyle. My friend @Chedda_BLC recently helped me get my hands on the New Balance 577 HAL Pack, Highs and Lows, Day and Night, Night and Day…

Whatever you want to call it, it’s impressive quality and it’s helping the 577 quickly become one of my favorite silhouettes. Even more so considering it wasn’t made in the traditional high quality US or UK factories. These were actually made in Vietnam, which, if you’ve seen them in person, should speak volumes for some of the other footwear manufacturers producing shoes there. I don’t want to bash any other companies but if New Balance can get this kind of quality from Vietnam manufacturers, there are some companies taking way too many shortcuts.

I decided to mess around with some lighting in my new $6 photo studio. Let me know what you think.