New Balance CW442SP Low Profile athletic shoe Review

When I saw the New Balance 442, I liked the general look. These are not near as clubby as most athletic shoes. The sole is thin, and the upper part is low slung at the ankle and slim from heel to toe. The pink and gray combination also caught my eye. These shoes do look girly.

I asked the shoe store girl what kind of sports these were intended for. She said that she didn't know. I asked because these look kind of like track or bike shoes. When I got home I checked and they are designed for light duty exercies. They say "running," which I don't consider light. Call me lazy, but I don't see any reason to run unless you must get somewhere real fast.

I wear these more as fashion shoes. I do some light exercise in the shoes, but mainly I just wear them with jeans and t-shirts.

With the thin soles, these really do not have much cushion. They are billed as comfortable, and they are for walking around. I would not want to hit the trails or run in these.

There's a light arch support in the shoes. I can feel them. I don't know that it's a good thing to feel the innards of a shoe. It's not a problem. But I do notice.

The main thing I like about these shoes are that they do make my feet look smaller. I got size 8 feet and then 9 after kids. My feet are slim but long. If I put on bulky athletic shoes, then it looks like I have huge feet. It's obvious that my feet are just long when wearing these though they do not look crazy long.

Though I like the look of these shoes, my boys call them my bowling shoes. I do not think that is a compliment. I guess they do look a little like bowling shoes.