Andrew “The Boss” Reynolds has been a fixture in skate culture since the early ’90s. Around the age of 14 or 15, Reynolds was recruited by Tony Hawk to join the Birdhouse skate team after garnering attention at amateur skate competitions in his home state of Florida. He got his first signature skate shoe with Emerica in 1998, was named Thrasher’s Skater of the Year in 2008, and was featured in almost every Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game. It’s safe to say that Reynolds is one of the most influential skaters of all time.
Now in his 40s, Reynolds is still going strong. Last December, New Balance Numeric announced the addition of Reynolds to their roster. Reynolds signed with New Balance after doing some hands-on research on different skate shoes, cutting them in half to see their inner workings. Reynolds was impressed by the Tiago Lemos 1010, whose heel cushioning gave Reynolds the impact protection he was searching for.
Reynolds is now dropping his first shoe with New Balance, the 480BOS. The 480 was first launched as a basketball shoe in 1983 and was actually the New Balance shoe that Michael Jordan wore in that famous LIFE Magazine photoshoot. New Balance Numeric recently launched a skate-friendly remixed version of the 480, featuring a modern FuelCell midsole for primed propulsion, an Ndurance rubber outsole for increased grip, and a molded Abzorb insole for enhanced comfort and impact protection.
The Reynolds 480 features a premium brown suede upper with darker brown brushed nubuck overlays. Black leather accents and a cream N logo round out the upper, while underfoot we find a black midsole and charcoal grey outsole. As a final touch, “Reynolds” signature appears on the tongue tag in gold.
“During one of my first meetings with New Balance Numeric, the team showed me the 480 and asked, ‘Would you skate this?’,” says Andrew Reynolds. “I was blown away because it’s exactly what I had been wanting–a vintage cupsole shoe with a modernized foam midsole.”
The Andrew Reynolds x New Balance 480 will be available starting September 15th at skate shops worldwide, followed by a release on the New Balance website on September 18th. Expect to see Reynolds get his own signature shoe with NB# in the future, but for now, check out his 480s below.
Andrew Reynolds x New Balance 480
Color: Chocolate/Tan
Style Code: NM480BOS
Release Date: September 15, 2023 (Skate Shops)
Release Date: September 18, 2023 (Online)
Price: $100 USD
Campaign photos shot in Chicago:
