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More New Balance NB Minimus Zero Leaked Photos?

Building on the intentionally leaked (by New Balance PR), ultra-close-up photos of the upcoming 2012 New Balance NB Minimus (Trail) we saw a few weeks back comes new photos of the entire Minimus Zero Trail and Road shoes from a BirthdayShoes reader from…

Building on the intentionally leaked (by New Balance PR), ultra-close-up photos of the upcoming 2012 New Balance NB Minimus (Trail) we saw a few weeks back comes new photos of the entire Minimus Zero Trail and Road shoes from a BirthdayShoes reader from China. Said reader alerted me to a Chinese website that appears to have photos of the upcoming New Balance NB Minimus Zero (Zero-Drop) Trail and Road running shoes.

2012 New Balance NB Minimus Zero Trail (my guess) teaser, close-up shots just leaked.  This is the first zero-dropped New Balance for their minimalist footwear/barefoot shoes line and a departure from their original 2010 installation, which featured a 4mm

2012 New Balance NB Minimus Zero Trail (my guess) teaser, close-up shots just leaked. This is the first zero-dropped New Balance for their minimalist footwear/barefoot shoes line and a departure from their original 2010 installation, which featured a 4mm heel-to-toe drop.

Above in the collage are official images of the NB Minimus Zero Trail — at least, that’s our guess that it’s the Minimus Zero Trail. Now, take a look at these images from China and see if they don’t match up:


Pretty major reduction in the “Vibram” part of the NB Minimus Zero Trail as opposed to what we got with the first NB Minimus Trail. This likely reduces the weight a great deal while also improving the sole flexibility.

And of course, they look zeroed out from heel to toe. Anything else stand out in these photos to you?

Now, take a look at these New Balance NB Minimus Zero Road (so we’re guessing!) photos:

Two photos of what we're guessing is the upcoming NB Minimus Zero Road running shoe for 2012 from New Balance.

Two photos of what we’re guessing is the upcoming NB Minimus Zero Road running shoe for 2012 from New Balance.

These Minimus Zeroes look considerably more “minimalist” compared to the first iteration of the NB Minimus Road.

All in all, some pretty loud and proud color schemes. Who knows if these are official (though the firey orange/red with white Vibram soles seem official enough given the prior photo leaks).

What do you think?

Update! Video!

Check out around the 1:15 mark for the NB Minimus Zero Trail:

By Justin

Justin Owings is a deadlifting dad of three, working from Atlanta. When he's not chasing his three kids around, you'll find him trying to understand systems, risk, and human behavior.

25 replies on “More New Balance NB Minimus Zero Leaked Photos?”

They don’t match up, at least not with the trail shoes. On the view on the upper right of the “sneak peek”, count the dark grey nubs – a row of 3, then a row of 6. On the wider view from China, a row of 3, then a row of 5.

Is it an important difference? I don’t know.

I also find it odd that there would be three Vibram logos on the sole – bottom, instep, and toe.

Could it be? It’s crazy how fast these shoes develop and progress. I’m wearing my Minimus MT10 right now… a library, though yesterday I wore them on the trails. My point being, even the “old skool” MT10 are great for nearly anything I do on a daily basis. I can’t wait to see how these new Minimus Zero stack up.

Could it be? It’s crazy how fast these shoes develop and progress. I’m wearing my Minimus MT10 right now… a library, though yesterday I wore them on the trails. My point being, even the “old skool” MT10 are great for nearly anything I do on a daily basis. I can’t wait to see how these new Minimus Zero stack up… if these are, indeed, teaser pics of the Minimus Zero.

Kent, the current minimus trail has Vibram tagged on all four of the sections. Two of them are yellow and two are just black with the rubber. So it makes sense that every little section will have Vibram on it. I guess Vibram wants you to be sure what is them and whats not.

Trail-runners could be the perfect shoes for traveling: light, durable, comfortable, good for most, if not all, activities you may end up doing on a vacation, beautiful form, good for any weather.

Except for one problem – the color.

Why do shoe companies insist on painting trail-runners with “sporty” colors?! So much fail.

I want to give them my money for their shoes, but they won’t give me a simple color like black or brown that I can wear with jeans and feel comfortable with going into a mid-range restaurant in Europe and not feel like a total douchebag.

Hmm, Kent’s right, but who knows? Maybe they did slight modifications? Added more of the vibram sole?

Also, the trail colors look more like street colors, and they look so nice, I wouldn’t want to get them dirty o-o

I’m still stoked for these new shoes though!

@ Kent, Look at the first pics that you said does not have the grey on the third pod. Look at the vertical edge of black on it and now look at that same pod on the new pics. Same vertical wall of black before it turns grey.

These look better than the originals and can’t wait to use em. Hopefully a lot more minimal and a little more room in the toe box.

Kent: The number of nodules could very well be related to size of the shoe. (Also, while I think these are accurate photos, the other difference is that the white bits in the back on the official photo are configured slightly differently as well since there is a bridge from the 3 nodule row to the 6 row).

And to Anonymous about the garish colors, I could not agree more. Please, shoe manufacturers, at least give me the option for a solid black or brown ONCE in a while.

AM I WRONG???

that new sole design gonna catch up many small rocks (between these oversized gaps)when you’ll take it out for an outdoor rocky/stoney/chunky trail…..

or am i missing some major element that
will just prove me wrong?
>>looks smooth but is it practical?

@Anon

“Why do shoe companies insist on painting trail-runners with “sporty” colors?! So much fail.”

From a marketing stand point, it’s genius. They make these ridiculous eye-catching designs and colors and we buy them anyway, since the alternative is a crap marshmallow sole shoe. BUT when we wear them out, the garish colors make random strangers stop us and ask us what those crazy shoes are. Makes sense. You become their walking billboard.

Just for your info, they will be released up to size 14US, I asked NB as soon as I knew about them. No chance again John.

@sharpy

That was the first thing I noticed as well. That is one of the things I love about my current Trails, I don’t end up with half the forest in my shoe at the end of the run. Seems like that could be a problem with these new ones.

I’m not sure about all the photos matching, I think the actual new shoes have different sole patterns. A couple of months ago I was shopping in a local running store and inquired if they had the MT101 in stock. They did not, but just happened that the New Balance rep was in the store with a couple of bags of new shoes. He offered to go to his car and bring in the bag of the 2012 Minimus, or Zero, line. Extremely light weight, all zero drop (I think), new colors and upper materials. Apparenty the reps are eager to show off the new line, even to commoners such as I. I had purchased the Minimus MT10 a month or so earlier, but I will be getting the new model as soon as they are available.

Foam exposed to elements (rocky roads, rocky trails, roots, etc.) tends to break down quickly, making these obselete much more quickly.

Just ask my bikilas. (I did a mod where I painted the foam with shoe goo to keep the damage to a minimum)

I was excited about a zero-drop minimus, but because of the exposed-foam-on-a-trail-shoe thing, that excitement has subsided. Good thing I just got my Vivobarefoot Neos.

ABOUT THAT ZERO-DROP-THINGY:

there’s no need for a “zeroed” (100% horizontal)sole: when we run with-bf shoes
it’s never really a pure flat steps
we take. our feet are at SOME angle all the time even when we land, unless
you stop running and FORCE your feet
to lay flat on the ground.
we have (even on static mode) some
bouncey quality to our feet and body.
specialy those of us who are active.
feel it. try it and see for yourself.
so yes, lab reports can say zero drop
is almost bare-foot perfect, sounds good
but there’s not really a need for that.
the mt-10 is perfect-NB don’t mess it up. the kso’s are a breeze too.

let’s wrap it up: about 2-4mm of drop is optimal.
by the way… just my vision for the next generation of b-f shoes:
the shoes will wrap around your feet like a sleeve and it’ll have a wide
opening from the side.
yes// i’m an artist.
if some-one wants my graphic example for that just write me a message here saying something like:
sharpy show us what you mean and i’ll be glad to draw it and share with anyone.

I am not crazy about them. I like the look of the original minimus trail MT10, which I have, way better than all the ones that have come out after, such as the MT20 and now this one.

I have to say that I really like the direction that NB has gone with the development of these shoes. No one else in the industry and made this much change in less that a year, from the original model of the product. I have been greatly perplexed that no one else has bothered to use similar methodology to evolve their offerings. The concerns I see posted above have some validity, but I for one love the loud colors, and can’t stand the constant offerings for men that are most often black, grey, and brown.

I am hopeful for the Zero Road. I have the Minimus trail right now and like them, though you can feel every rock, more so than my Vibram TrekSport’s.

I purchased the Minimus road but sold them after a week of disappointment.

I also agree, while I like some crazy color options, what happened to good old black or white.

I can’t remember for certain, but I think the 2012 Minimus Trail that the NB sales rep showed me a couple of months ago did not have any EVA foam on the sole, just bigger Vibram “dots”. But there may have been some foam. The most innovative model, or a least concept, was an upper of what looked like perforated mylar film. Not sure which model it was.

sharpy show us what you mean by your prototype shoe please!

and why do you say a “zero drop” is not essential?

Thanks

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