Popping noise while wearing new New Balance sneakers

October 12, 2022 1:42 PM

I recently bought a pair of New Balance 574s and I really like them. They fit well and are comfortable. However, one of the shoes makes an annoying popping type noise with every step I take with that foot.

The noise seems to happen when I pull my foot up rather than when I step down. It isn't a squeak. It's like a pop or a noise you might hear bending and releasing plastic. I have never experienced this before with a shoe. I tried to re-create the noise when not wearing the shoe, by bending it, but can't. I only hear it when I'm wearing the shoe.

My question is - is there anything I can do to fix this? and if not, will it go away over time? Thanks in advance.

posted by walkinginsunshine to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (4 answers total)

Look closely at the sole. My new-ish New Balances seem to have a knack of picking-up any little sticky bit of debris. I, too, have been puzzled by a pop/click in the shoes as I walk, but only on lift. Turns out, it’s the sound of whatever small bit of sticky crap the shoe picked-up, releasing from the floor. Every time I looked, it was always some small bit that was easily missed unless you were searching.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:21 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I recently bought a pair of 574s and had the exact same experience. I'm not sure what it was, but after walking about 50 miles in them it finally seems to have resolved itself.
posted by goHermGO at 2:25 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

I don't know what the soles look like specifically on those sneakers, but I've had a similar sounds when the sole has some sort of divot that can make a suction seal against the surface you're walking on. If it happens only on smoother floors, that's likely to be the cause. Roughing up the area around the divot should prevent it from sealing as well. But if you're getting the sound on rougher surfaces like concrete as well, that's probably not it.
posted by duien at 4:33 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have a pair of 574s that makes that noise. It has not gone away.
posted by Frank Grimes at 10:05 AM on October 13, 2022 [1 favorite]