New Balance 996 x Aime Leon Dore Review: The Understated Collab Worth Buying at a Discount

The New Balance 996 x ALD — the collaboration between New Balance and Aime Leon Dore — has been sitting below retail since shortly after its December 2023 release. I picked mine up on Black Friday at League Outfitters for $142.99, about 32% off the $210 retail price, and I’m still not entirely sure they weren’t factory seconds. More on that in a minute.

What I can tell you is that after about 20 wears across two months of office days, weekend errands, and a few late nights out, the New Balance 996 x ALD is comfortably in my regular rotation. Not because of the hype. Because it’s actually a solid shoe.

New Balance 996 x ALD: Quick Verdict

The New Balance 996 x ALD is a beautifully restrained collab that wears better than it photographs. The construction is premium, the cushioning is legitimately comfortable for all-day wear, and the colorway — black leather, tan suede, off-white mesh — is versatile enough to actually get worn. If you can find them at a discount, it’s an easy yes.

Pros:

• Excellent ENCAP cushioning for all-day comfort
• Premium materials — leather and suede hold up well in daily wear
• Subtle ALD branding that doesn’t scream “collab”
• Breathable open mesh tongue
• Versatile colorway that works across multiple dress codes

Cons:

• Some heel slippage with thinner socks
• Glue marks on the midsole — possibly factory seconds, so inspect yours before buying
• No meaningful resale value if that matters to you

Best for: Everyday rotation, office-to-casual transitions, anyone who wants ALD quality without paying full collab retail. A strong pick in the New Balance sneaker deals category.

Design and Materials

The 996 x ALD doesn’t try too hard. That’s the best thing about it.

The colorway is black tumbled leather overlays with tan suede at the heel and an off-white open mesh tongue. It’s a combination that sounds understated on paper and looks understated in person — in the best possible way. The leather overlays have a slight texture that picks up light differently than smooth leather would. The tan suede heel panel is the kind of detail that makes the shoe feel cohesive rather than busy.

The open mesh tongue is genuinely breathable. It’s got a look that reminds me of what Off-White was doing with the Air Jordan 1 — that raw, deconstructed feel — but executed much more quietly here. You notice it up close. From a distance it just looks like a well-made shoe.

ALD branding is kept to a minimum: a woven badge on the tongue and a co-branded sock liner. No oversized logos, no flashy collab hits. Exactly the right call for a shoe at this price point. The New Balance 996 x ALD was originally released through New Balance and the Aime Leon Dore store in December 2023 at $210.

The shoe comes with two lace sets — white and off-white. I swapped mine out for the ALD laces from my NB 997 x ALD. The off-white laces are the right call if you want to keep the tonal look going.

The ENCAP midsole runs underfoot and the rubber outsole has solid grip. I wore these through a rainy day and on slick bar floors without any issues. One note: there were faint glue stains on my midsole — not obvious unless you’re looking, but they were there. I suspect my pair may have been factory seconds that ended up in the discount pool. I flagged it to League Outfitters and got an additional discount knocked off. If you’re buying from a sale bin, inspect the midsole edges before you commit.

Comfort and Fit

The ENCAP midsole is the real story here. It’s one of New Balance’s best cushioning setups — a polyurethane rim surrounding an EVA core — and on the 996 it feels noticeably plush without being squishy. I wore these on a full day of city walking and had zero complaints.

Arch support is solid. The fit through the midfoot is snug enough to feel secure without pinching. The heel collar is padded well, though I did experience some mild slippage with thinner dress socks. Thicker socks fixed it completely — not a dealbreaker, just worth knowing going in.

The mesh tongue adds real breathability. These aren’t going to suffocate your feet even in warmer weather. Over two months and roughly 20 wears — office, errands, late nights out — I haven’t found a situation where they let me down. The leather upper has shown minimal wear or scuffing from bar bumps and street use.

Sizing Advice

I usually wear a 9 in New Balance 574s. For the New Balance 996 x ALD I went up to a 9.5 and that was the right call.

The 996 runs slightly narrow through the toe box compared to the 574. Going half a size up gave me the right amount of room without making the shoe feel sloppy. The heel slippage I mentioned is less about length and more about collar depth — thicker socks resolve it cleanly.

Recommendation: Go true to size if you’re between sizes in most New Balance models. If the 574 is your NB reference point, size up half. If you already know you size up in New Balance, do the same here.

Styling and Everyday Wear

These are more versatile than most ALD collabs have any right to be.

The black-and-tan colorway sits in a middle zone that makes it easy to dress up or down. I’ve worn them with straight-leg chinos cuffed at the ankle, slightly baggy sweatpants, and wide-leg corduroy trousers. All three work. The shoe doesn’t fight the outfit — it completes it.

For work settings they read as elevated but not try-hard. If your office allows clean sneakers, these qualify. They bridge streetwear and elevated casual without committing fully to either — which is exactly why they work as an everyday sneaker in a way that flashier collabs don’t.

The subtle branding helps a lot. Nobody’s going to clock these as an ALD collab unless they’re specifically looking. That’s a feature, not a bug.

Price and Value

Retail was $210. That’s standard ALD collab pricing — premium but defensible for the materials and construction. That said, the shoe sat on shelves for over a month after its December 2023 release, which is unusual for an ALD drop. Demand just wasn’t there at full price.

I paid $142.99 on Black Friday. At that number, this is an easy purchase. As of now, the New Balance 996 x ALD is still available at retail and at Concepts for around $147. There’s no meaningful secondary market — nobody’s paying over retail. That’s actually a selling point: you can buy these because you want to wear them, not because you’re speculating on resale.

Would I buy these at full retail? Yes. At $147 or less, it’s a no-brainer. One of the stronger values in the retro sneaker deals space right now.

Alternatives

If the 996 x ALD is sold out or out of budget, here are a few worth considering in the same space:

The New Balance 997 x ALD is the closest sibling — similar ALD treatment, similar materials, slightly different silhouette. If you already have the 996, the 997 offers a different profile without too much overlap. I own both and they coexist well in rotation.

The New Balance 574 sits at the budget end of the same family. Released the same year as the 996 (1988), originally designed as the more accessible alternative. Fewer materials, lighter construction, but a reliable everyday shoe at a much lower price point. If the 996 x ALD feels like a stretch, the 574 is where to start.

The New Balance 990v3 is for anyone who wants to step up cushioning and construction further. More substantial, more dad shoe energy, but in the same universe of elevated New Balance.

Final Verdict

The New Balance 996 x ALD is exactly what a good collab should be: it improves the base shoe without making it unwearable in real life. The materials are premium, the cushioning is excellent, and the restrained branding means you’ll actually reach for these.

I’ve worn these roughly 20 times across two months and they’ve held up across every context I’ve thrown at them — office, errands, nights out, rainy days. The glue marks on my pair are the only real footnote. If yours are clean, that concern disappears entirely.

At anything under $160, this is a must-buy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Comfort | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Design | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Value | Overall: Must Buy

FAQ

Is the New Balance 996 x ALD worth full retail at $210?

Yes — the materials and construction hold up against that price point. That said, the shoe has been available below retail since shortly after its December 2023 release, so there’s a good chance you can find it for less.

Does the NB 996 x ALD run true to size?

Mostly, but if the 574 is your NB reference point, go half a size up. The 996 runs slightly narrower through the toe box. If you already size up in New Balance generally, do the same here.

What’s the difference between the NB 996 and the NB 574?

Both were released in 1988. The 574 was designed as the more affordable, accessible alternative to the 996 — simpler construction, lighter materials, lower retail price. The 996 sits higher in New Balance’s lineup as the third model in the 900 series, with more substantial cushioning and premium materials throughout.

How does the NB 996 x ALD hold up with daily wear?

Very well. The leather upper resists scuffs and holds its shape. The ENCAP midsole doesn’t break down quickly. After 20+ wears including rain and crowded bars, my pair shows minimal signs of wear.

Is there any resale value on the New Balance 996 x ALD?

No meaningful resale premium. These are selling at or below retail on the secondary market, which makes them ideal for buyers who actually want to wear them. No FOMO, no markup — just a quality shoe at a fair price.