The New Balance 1906 is a 2009 running shoe that New Balance brought back in 2022 as the 1906R. Today the name covers a family of shoes built on the same sole: the 1906R sneaker, GORE-TEX versions for wet weather and the 1906L, a penny loafer that New Balance made from the 1906 in 2024.
If you are trying to work out which 1906 is which, the short version is that the sole stays the same and the upper changes. This guide covers where the original came from, what changed with the 1906R, and how the GORE-TEX pair and the 1906L loafer differ, using New Balance's own announcements and the pairs we have in the shop.
The original 1906, 2009
New Balance released the first 1906 in 2009 as a high-performance running shoe. Its name comes from 1906, the year the company was founded. New Balance Japan describes it as a flagship model of its time, and it carried the same sole as the 2002, which came out after it.
New Balance treats the 1906 as one of the shoes that defined 2000s running design, a period when running shoes put their technology on display with layered mesh, synthetic overlays and visible cushioning in the sole.
The 1906R, 2022
In the summer of 2022, New Balance brought the shoe back as the 1906R, following the same path as the 2002R, which returned in 2020. New Balance updated the sole with full-length N-ERGY and ABZORB and presented the shoe as a tribute to the look of 2000s running technology in a modern, everyday style.
New Balance's later loafer announcement lists the features it treats as the core of the 1906 design: the open-holed mesh upper, the curving synthetic overlays and the 860v2 sole unit with segmented ABZORB SBS pods at the heel. Every shoe in the family keeps that sole, so the pods at the heel are the easiest way to recognize a 1906 from the side.
The GORE-TEX version
New Balance has also made the 1906 in GORE-TEX versions for wet weather. The pair we have is style U190631U in Black / Alkaline Green. It came new with its GORE-TEX hang tag attached and its original box.
It is almost all black, with open-holed mesh, curved overlays and a glossy heel cage. In place of standard laces it has a bungee quick-lace with toggles, so it slips on and stays put without retying. For walking through Portland's wet months, this is the version of the 1906 that makes the most practical sense.
The 1906L loafer, 2024
On August 1, 2024, New Balance announced that it was turning the 1906 into a penny loafer. The company said the idea came from the growing popularity of loafers and from people wanting one shoe that works across sport and more formal clothes. New Balance product manager Lani Perry and senior footwear designer Charlotte Lee worked on it together.
Lee explained that the 2002R had already been made into a mule for a few projects, and the loafer felt like the next step. She built it by merging the 1906R pattern into a loafer shape, working mostly from samples, starting with a taped last. Because the loafer uses the existing 1906 sole, it did not need a new blueprint. In her words, "There was no need for a new blueprint for this model."
The finished shoe keeps the open-holed mesh upper, the curving synthetic overlays and the 860v2 sole with ABZORB SBS heel pods, and replaces the laces with a penny strap. New Balance showed it on the runway at Paris Fashion Week before its global release on September 19, 2024. In Japan it carries the name 1906L.
The 1906L we have is black and grey, with a small silver N on the toe. It suits someone who wears sneakers most days but wants something that reads a little dressier with trousers.
Which 1906 suits you
Choose the 1906R if you want the classic 2000s running look with regular laces. Choose a GORE-TEX version if you walk a lot in rain and want quick laces you never have to retie. Choose the 1906L if you want the 1906's sole and cushioning in a shoe that works with tailoring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the New Balance 1906?
It is a running shoe New Balance first released in 2009 and named for the year the company was founded. New Balance brought it back in 2022 as the 1906R, and it is now a family of lifestyle shoes on the same sole.
What is the difference between the 1906 and the 1906R?
The 1906 is the 2009 original. The 1906R is New Balance's 2022 remake, with an updated high-spec sole using N-ERGY and ABZORB.
When did the New Balance 1906 loafer come out?
New Balance announced it on August 1, 2024, and released it globally on September 19, 2024. It is called the 1906L.
Is there a waterproof New Balance 1906?
Yes, New Balance makes GORE-TEX versions of the 1906. Ours, style U190631U, came with its GORE-TEX hang tag attached.
Does the 1906L use the same sole as the sneaker?
Yes. New Balance says the loafer uses the existing 1906 sole, the 860v2 sole unit with ABZORB SBS pods at the heel.
New Balance 1906L Loafer, Black / Grey and New Balance 1906X GORE-TEX, Black / Alkaline Green
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