Boston is home to the country's most prestigious institutes. Harvard University. The Boston Athenaeum. I could go on. Concepts borrows some of that prestige to give New Balance's latest 2002R Protection Pack a proper and early welcome.

New Balance's 2002R Protection Pack arrives as a four-pack of ultimate college campus dad shoes, rendered in four tasteful colors: burnt orange, pearly off-white, classic navy blue and grey, and olive green.

The Protection Pack's got an upgrade since we've seen last seen them, including ripstop nylon to replace the traditional mesh underlays and easygoing toggle laces. Just a few practical changes for durability purposes.

Lucky for Protection Pack fans, the 2002R's suede uppers still preserve those jagged edges, giving the shoes that lived-in look as seen in previous collections.

Christmas is coming early at Concepts. The newest New Balance 2002R "Protection Pack" will be available exclusively at Concepts' website and New York and Boston locations on September 21, ahead of the pack's global release.

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Since its 2021 debut, New Balance's "Protection Pack" continue to be a successful hit amongst sneakerheads.

New Balance's "Protection Pack" got its name from New Balance footwear designer Yue Wu, who observed how New Balance shoes keep their form after years of use. Since striking gold after reviving the 2002R from the archives and updating it, other models have also enjoyed the "Protection Pack" treatment, including the 1906. But the 2002R reigns supreme.

First teased over the summer, the current New Balance 2002R "Protection Pack" feels like a throwback drop, nodding to Wu's earlier "Refined Future" shoes that eventually turned into the "Protection Pack."

While I won't be stepping foot on a distinguished college campus anytime soon, the model will certainly get some wears on the New York streets.