The (in our view, warranted) hysteria around the New Balance 990v7 has come with a tagline: “Dad’s Back.” Undoubtedly, the 990x series has been the defining product family for the Boston brand, serving both the stylish and the comfort-focused, and particularly aligning well with a consumer landscape that valued both of those aspects. Yet it’s no longer your dad’s company; the current New Balance catalog speaks to far more than everyday utility, something the New Balance TL900 has made unavoidable.

Fit with a cup-sole and plush uppers, the TL900 is the brand’s latest foray into “gorpcore” aesthetics, providing a hiking-worthy sneaker that’s only doubled down on those same aesthetics in its initial color options. Following a synthetic all-olive, here the silhouette takes its first step into suede, fitted in off-white on the sides before shaggy viridescent tones handle the heel cup and the eye-stay panel.…