It's a trail sneaker. It's a mule. It's a sandal. It's New Balance's HIESV1 shoe, or simply the Fresh Foam Hierro sandal.

The brand's lace-free model can't be categorized because, at some point, it checks all the above boxes. Remove the backstrap, and you've got a nice dad-ish slip-on. Keep the back strap, and it's basically an outdoorsy sandal. And at the heart of it all, it's a laceless trail sneaker, equipped with New Balance's signature chunky soles and Vibram grip.

To be quite honest, the New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro sandal has been here before. Yes, it shares some likeness with some of the brand's other sneaker-sandal efforts, like those other Fresh Foam shoes. But no, it has literally been here before, just under a different name.

The HIESV1 looks to be an in-line version of the Tokyo Design Studio's Niobium Concept sandals, which were released a few years back. Junya Watanabe later released a mule version.

It has all the same details, including the mesh and suede uppers, buckled-down straps, and a general rugged feel. The Vibram soles, too, of course.

All that's missing on the newest release is the TDS branding, which could mean that this is part of a wider non-collaborative effort. It's definitely a win for the NB dad sandal disciples.

Right now, the Fresh Foam Hierro Sandal shoes are available on New Balance Japan's website for around $118. The brand offers them in two classic colorways, black and the New Balance Grey (even better, it's the popular "Raincloud" scheme).

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