New Balance is living in the future, which is funny, considering the retro energy that’s so heavily associated with most of its classic dad shoes.

The chromed out NB ABZORB 5030, though? Well, that's a dad shoe straight from the future, and it has the avant-garde excellence to back it up.

Sleek but not slim, the ABZORB 5030 wears a padded chrome upper with paneled debossing throughout, giving the shoe its stainless steel appearance.

Underneath, the durable rubber split outsole incorporates New Balance's SBS Pods, which give the futuristic sneaker some serious grip and shock absorption for all-day comfort. That is to say, the ABZORB 5030 is more than just its (really) good looks.

It also has the technical functions to back it up. A true beauty and brains moment, if you will.

Now, even though it's technically a dad shoe, the ABZORB 5030 is still quite young. First released in the summer of 2025, New Balance's ABZORB 5030 is only a year old. But in that short time frame, the ABZORB 5030 has made quite a name for itself. 

From urbane black colorways to reflective white stunners, the ABZORB 5030 looks best in futuristic yet simple colorways. Even the metallic-esque ABZORB 5030 looks like it's part sneaker, part spacecraft. 

Where other New Balance dad shoes experiment with a variety of colorways, the ABZORB 5030 is at its best when it's doing monochromatic neutrals that look like they just landed on earth.

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