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Last week, New Balance Tokyo Design Studio and Snow Peak saw the third concept release from their series of modular footwear collaborations named, “Niobium.”
Following a three-in-one hiking boot and sandal/mule for Concepts 1 and 2, respectively, the Niobium Concept 3 is a winter boot intended to work in conjunction with traditional Japanese snow shoes. What comes in the box is an insulated and water-repellant Primaloft inner bootie that can be worn on its own or inside the second piece, which features a waterproof shell and a sole unit borrowed from the New Balance 580 sneaker.
The third potential configuration requires you to provide the third piece, a “Kanjiki” traditional snowshoe made of bamboo and rope that can be attached to prevent its wearer from sinking into deep snow.
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With the launch of their latest model, New Balance’s experimental footwear division and the Japanese outdoor brand have in essence tackled the last remaining element for their footwear to navigate. The Niobium Concept 1, which can be stripped down to a mule and a slipper, is equipped for hiking or the rain. The Niobium Concept 2, a sandal with a removable heel strap creating another mule, is also suited for the trails, but more so for warmer weather and navigating through bodies of water along the way.
“Every time a partner that we work with would come into the office and would look at our upcoming stuff, everyone gravitated towards the [Niobium Concept 3] because of how different it was,” Jordan Johnson, a product manager at New Balance, told Footwear News on a call the day of the shoe’s launch. “It’s funny, and I won’t name any names, but there’s actually certain partners who were on board with working with us because they loved the Concept 1 and Concept 2 so much. These are like the shoe designers’ shoes because they get nerdy about the intricacies of the modular concepts.”
Snow Peak and New Balance first collaborated with each other in 2019, but the Niobium Concept series began a year later with the debut silhouette utilizing two inner booties that can be swapped for wear as an ankle boot or mule. Both booties zip into the larger shoe through the heel, and after debuting with a monochrome olive green look, several more colorways followed bearing both parties’ names.
Concept 2 came in 2022 with a simpler modular system consisting of a heel strap fastening via velcro. While not as complex as its predecessor, it still brought a sense of novelty and wonder with a Fidlock magnet buckle system for its straps above foot. Snow Peak was only a partner for the sandal’s debut release, as subsequent colorways were in-line releases from New Balance Tokyo Design Studio.
None of the models or color variants have been instant sellouts like some of New Balance’s more hyped collaborations, although the Niobium series has still drawn a cult following. Pricing may be partially responsible, as both the Concept 1 and Concept 3 launched with retail prices of $300. And at $200, the Concept 2 may have been more affordable but was still relatively expensive for a sandal. To this day, Johnson says he still gets DMs from people asking to bring back the Concept 1.
Snow Peak, which trades in outdoor apparel and gear that appeals to outdoorsy folk and design enthusiasts alike, is also on the more expensive side of the sector. Although there’s certainly some degree of crossover, the audience Snow Break brings is different than that of the collaborator that typically resonates most with sneakerheads.
The Niobium Concept 3 can be filed under, “deceptively simple.” Unlike the Concept 1, there’s no true fastener for the inner bootie. It slips in and out of the shell unfettered, however, when they’re worn together they’re kept secure through the shell’s heel “cat tongue” texture gripping onto the inner bootie’s suede. The shell also features a traditional toggle at its collar, but it’s not needed for security and is instead more tailored to keeping out snow. A cinch also runs across midfoot but is not adjustable.
As much fun as it is to tinker with the Concept 1, the latest shoe’s modularity was made intentionally less involved because of the likelihood that the person handling it is wearing gloves. The outer shell’s white upper is also quite plain, allowing the more technologically advanced sole unit to stand out, as well as the inner bootie’s graphic featuring excerpts from the famous Kenji Miyazawa poem, “Ame Ni Mo Makezu.”
New Balance’s 580 was originally released as a Japanese-exclusive trail shoe more than 25 years ago, and despite it long since becoming a lifestyle staple, its chunky profile and Rollbar technology still lend itself well to a boot. A brand-new Vibram XS Trek Evo outsole was also created for the Niobium Concept 3 and features a texture specifically designed for gripping ice and other slippery surfaces. The protrusion on the heel is also new, as it’s where a Kanjiki snow shoe can be anchored.
Three years of development went into the Niobium Concept 3 before it was ready for a release, and Johnson says it was likely having to make two separate shoes because of the pieces involved. Just making a boot to begin with had its own difficulties because New Balance’s factories are more accustomed to sneakers, and Johnson says there was a lot of back and forth to get the proportions right for the early samples. A lot more work was involved than your typical sneaker collaboration, but the learnings could have further reaching effects throughout New Balance.
Most sizes of the Niobium Concept 3 are sold out on New Balance’s website now, although pairs are still readily available through Snow Peak and third-party retailers. And even if the boot doesn’t sell out across the board, past experience shows there will still be those who come to regret not scooping up a pair years later.
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.
