New Balance 550 Vintage Red ECCFA0622

Reviewer James E Schollin

Nice pair of sneaks but the top of the toe box is a little odd shaped. Wonder what that is.

Reviewer Karen Cook

I really liked this shoe. It was comfortable and looked nice, but basically broke down within a year. I wore them out to a casual rehearsal dinner BBQ, and they got muddy, it was the final kick in the butt I needed to throw away broken shoes, despite only being 1 year old

Reviewer juanita morris

Just a great walking shoe for this old man. Easy on and off, a cushioned sole, and plenty wide. As reviewers stated, they tend to pick up rocks off our driveway.

Reviewer JZW

These are great shoes. My wife gets the ghost series, but using the Brooks website, I was able to determine that this is the best series for myself. My wife and I like to walk, after my knee replacement surgery, I need a good shoe to avoid ever having to go through that again. These are great.

Reviewer Wayne Ewen

I have 6 pairs of Dunham shoes; these are my favorite. They are my daily walking shoes, but can easily fill in for going out to dinner or just hanging out. They look good and feel great. I do like the look a lot, with the gray suede and vents; I like this look much better than sneakers with funky neon designs and giant brand logos. These shoes have little arch support, which I prefer with my flat feet, but that might be a negative for some people.

PROs

Attractive and stylish for a sneaker - nice upscale look that can cover a wide range of activities from office casual to exercise.
Very comfortable, I love the fit. They are my best fitting shoes.
Seem to be made of quality materials
Decent amount of sturdiness for usage as a walking shoe or standing for lengths of time.
Sizing is pretty much true-to-size, you can purchase in your size with confidence. Perhaps they are slightly (1/4 size) short in length. Order a 1/2 size larger if you want some extra room or a margin of safety.

CONs

As mentioned, they are pretty flat. If you have a high arch you will probably not like these.
Outer sole is acceptable but a bit on the thin side. They don't feel plush and thick underfoot.
Price is all over the map, you will see them from $52 to $130. You're certainly overpaying if you spend more than $100, they are not really a $100+ shoe, more like a $60-$80 shoe imho

Reviewer trevstonlongworth

I normally only wear 574's from New Balance, but I purchased these because they share the same shoe last and they're similar. I can't say that I like them as well, but they're alright.

I believe the mid-soles are different, and while I think I like the 574 mid-sole better, the 565 doesn't seem bad. One thing I definitely don't like as well is the lack of mesh in the all-suede upper. They probably don't breath as well, but that's not a huge factor for me in a suede shoe. I just like the looks of the mesh/suede combo better then the all-suede shoe.

I saved my final criticism for last, because it applies to both the 565 and 574 models of "Lifestyle and Retro" shoes. These are the ones with model numbers that start with "ml". I don't like them because they appear to be the hipster version of New Balance shoes, with laces that usually match the suede. Like any good hipster shoe, they seem to be more narrow, which is antithetical to the very thing that made the 574, and probably 565, popular shoes in the first place (i.e. spacious.) Even though these are supposedly made on the same shoe last as other models in the line, they definitely don't have the advertised toe depth of the SL-2 shoe last. I've also noticed that many New Balance shoes made on the SL-2 last don't seem to be as wide as they used to be, so that issue probably isn't for the lifestyle and retro shoes alone.

Seems strange that New Balance would ruin a popular line of shoes by changing the very things that made them popular, but that's what they seem to be doing. For customers that want a more narrow 574, it seems like New Balance would just suggest the 363 or one of their models made on narrow shoe lasts. Regardless, I wish they'd leave the SL-2 shoes alone, so that customer who appreciate them can continue to do so. I've worn them for 20 years and the only thing that will stop that is if New Balance changes the shoes so much that they're not the same.

Reviewer Peter Schimpf

Lite weight, accurate size, not worn a lot yet though.

Reviewer C Blanc

Second pair. Very nice shoes

Reviewer Coguk

These are my favorite, wish they were still available.

Reviewer David Wickre

Never had vans before, thought I would give them a try. They are very well made and sturdy. The only reason I gave them 4 stars was the first day I wore them I got a blister on the back of my heel from them. Hopefully I can break them in with no more blisters! I really like the shoes so I hope they work out!