Andrew Reynolds' debut signature shoe with New Balance—the Numeric 933—has been one of the most anticipated skate releases in recent memory. After nearly three years of teasers, leaks, and cryptic hints, the shoe officially launched in the UK today, which is, as of writing this, the 14th May, 2025.

New Balance and Reynolds released the first two colorways, with two more, “Grey Day” and “Olive,” due to drop in the coming months. The 933 are bound to be a staple in the Numeric range, so it's only right we take a good look into them.

The hype surrounding the 933 has been more immense than any other skate shoe in recent history. It's undisputed Reynolds, known as "The Boss," is a skateboarding legend, and his high standards are well known by anyone who's seen his skating and heard him speak. This has fueled anticipation. The shoe draws inspiration from New Balance's 990 series, particularly the 993, blending running shoe aesthetics with skate-specific functionality. It's a super technical shoe.

I've been out and skated the New Balance Numeric 933 around a dozen times, every day since they arrived through the shop door. So, although I can't give you a true reflection of the shoe's full lifecycle, I can offer some insight into my first impressions and whether I believe you should spend the high price point of £120 on them. Heres my honest New Balance 933 Review

When you pick up Andrew Reynolds shoe for the first time, you'll be surprised they are pretty light, considering they are a chunky cupsole shoe with a lot of material. They fit true to size, but as someone with wide feet, I could’ve used a bit more width—though they broke in fine.

The second thing you'll notice is that when you slip your foot into the #933, there is a whole lot of cushioning around the ankle and your heel is quite high off the floor. You get that little added height through the cupsole and the #933's 'controlled reaction device'.

Due to a lot of materials around the heel side of the shoe, as well as the runners toe cap (The bit of rubber comes up the front of the outsole), the shoe immediately has a feeling of being a big shoe, even if you skate cupsole shoes regularly. It's chunkiness can be compared to a DC Lynx, New Balance 808 or Nike SB Dunk, way bigger than the New Balance Numeric Tiago 1010.

The padding around the collar and tongue makes a big difference — it really locks your foot in without feeling making your feet feel like they're suffocating. It also helps them slip on and off without the need to lace them back up if you're lazy like me.

The FuelCell midsole has great impact protection, which was put to the test when I skated a 7-stair for half an hour. Although the padding and midsole are thick, the shoe remains fairly responsive. The cupsole does a great job at providing you with solid support and durability. but don't expect the board feel of a vulc or skinnier cupsole.

New Balance did a great job in retaining solid board feel whilst making such a chunky shoe. I was concerned when I first put them on I'd feel too far seperated from the board due to the additional height in the heel area. However, I was impressed with how they reacted to flip tricks and how I could feel the angles of my board.

However, when you skate a thick cupsole with a lot of material between you and the board, your boardfeel will always be on the lower side in comparison to vulcanised models such as the New Balance Numeric 306. This is especially true with this one, Reynolds made this for comfort and curbs, not ledge and tech, these are CHUNKY chunky, not a little chunky.

I did find that the flick wasn't very responsive on day 1, but after the outersoles rubber lost a little grip in the kickflip area, I got used to how the shoe flicked after the first couple skates.

The #933 was definitely built with comfort and protection as it's key selling points, and the boardfeel does suffer as a consequence.

As I've mentioned a lot, the protection the #933 offers really stands out. The cupsole, and the 'controlled reaction device'  take the edge off heavy impacts — After skating a fair sized stair set for a while and a few long sessions, my feet have felt noticeably better than when I wear my usual choice of skate shoe, the Tiago 1010.

That FuelCell midsole has just the right amount of give; it cushions without feeling too squishy. The ankle and heel padding do their job too — no heel bruises, no board landing on the top of your foot and stinging. The coolest feature for me was the metal plate in the middle of the shoe's sole, built to block primo's from hurting your foot. I love that.

The upper holds up well, and there’s enough structure to feel supported without it feeling too stiff. It’s clear this shoe was built with taking hits in mind — a solid choice when you’re skating something that might bite back, but maybe one to avoid if you take on technical manual tricks.

In my experience, yes they do! I wear a UK 9 and have a UK 9. However, I have a wide foot, so it's standard procedure for me to leave pairs of socks in new shoes to stretch the little toe area out a little to make them wider. They have a very similar toe box to a Tiago 1010, a Nike SB Dunk or a Adidas Tyshawn.

They are far from a narrow shoe, and in my experience fit perfectly in length. However, if you are concerned about being between sizes, go a half size up. The padding around the tongue and heel should be sufficient to be able to go up half a size with no problems on the shoe feeling loose while skating or everyday wear.

Well, from skating the hell out of my pair over the past fortnight, I can see next to no signs of wear except scuffs on the 'N' logo. But, to give a true reflection of it's resilience, we'll need to wait and see. What I can say is the high-quality stitching and suede make this shoe likely to be added to the list of impressively durable New Balance models.

Andrew Reynolds pointed out in an interview about the shoe that it was as made with longevity in mind, due to him being aware the shoe was at a high price point and he wanted kids to be able to skate it. Triple stitching in a few spots seems to delay blowouts, and overall, it’s a shoe that can take a beating, but like anything, it’ll eventually show wear—just not as fast as some others.

Well, in my honest opinion... yes! Here's why:

• As well as being a historic release, as Andrew Reynolds first pro, corperate and technical skate shoe - The New Balance Numeric 933 offers a good mix of board feel and impact protection, making it a reliable as an all-around skate shoe for someone looking for a protective, durable shoe that looks good. 

• It is built to last way longer than your average skate shoe, with clever triple stitching and resilient suede, making that £120 price point not feel so impactful to a younger skater or someone on a budget.

• It’s comfortable right out of the box, with a surprisingly low break-in time for a shoe of its size. The cupsole construction gives a bit a whole lot more support than most shoes, which is great for bigger drops or longer sessions.

• The materials are deluxe and the fit is snug but not too tight, so you get control without feeling cramped. 

If you don't mind sacrificing a little board feel for protection and comfort, Andrew Reynolds' New Balance Numeric #933 is worth a shot.