I bought this new balance “288” because it is a shoe I like and I think it will look good on me (which is why I bought it anyway). I am not a fan of the “288” or “288h” shoe models. They don’t give you the fit you want, and I think they look weird. I have been wearing them for a long while and they are not comfortable.
That said, I have had great luck with new balance shoes with a good fit and great comfort. I have had my 288s for several months now and they have worn out about one of them. I have a few pairs of 288s left when I go on holiday but I don’t know when I will be able to get a pair.
New Balance has recently released three separate new shoes. The latest is the 288h, a ’96-style shoe with a leather upper that has rubber inserts in the heel. This is a great shoe for those who want a more aggressive look, but with some comfort and durability. The 288h is also the lightest 288 shoe model by a small margin. It’s got a rubber insert at the instep to help your feet breathe.
The 288h is a great shoe, but it doesn’t have a lot of cushion. New Balance offers a leather version of the 288h that has a more pronounced flex, but that’s just a little bit too much. I don’t know if I’d pick a pair of 288h if they didn’t have a leather upper, but I would if they had more cushion.
In my opinion, a shoe like 288h has more cushion than a shoe like 288. It provides more support than say, the new balance 828c. So the 288h is a better shoe, but a little smaller.
I have a pair of the new balance 286c and I love them. They are a little more cushy than the 288h and they are a little more supportive than a pair of the 288h. They also have some unique features. For instance, they have a unique heel-cap. This is because the shoe has a flat back portion which extends over the base of the foot and wraps around the heel. The leather around the ball of the foot has a bit of leather to it.
The leather on the ball of the foot itself has a tiny bit of padding. The leather on the heel has a bit of leather on it.
For reference, the 288h has a heel-cap that is made of rubber. The 288h has a rubber heel-cap.
The leather on the heel of the 288h is really, really nice. It’s quite soft. And the rubber heel-cap is so soft, that it doesn’t rub off. (It’s actually more like a sticker than rubber).
It’s also worth pointing out that the 288h is quite a bit lighter than the 288. So for a pair of shoes that are so light, you can get away with more padding. Also, the leather on the ball of the foot is more cushioned than the leather on the heel.