The New Balance 480 Gum Sole Trainer is The Only 80s B-Ball Trainer You Need

The New Balance 480 trainer is an original basketball court trainer from the early 1980s and now arrives in an updated gum sole version.

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It's sometimes easy to pigeon hole a footwear label like New Balance just as a running trainer brand which although to some extend is true, it also isn't. A far cry from the tear-ups, the terraces & the Tacchini track tops of the 1980s, basketball wasn't really a sport you associated with the UK's homegrown Casual subculture. The thing is though the connection is actually a lot bigger than what you might think. If your average "top boy" was playing a sport in the 1980s it was more than likely down at the local football cages and although basketball courts had started popping up on inner city estates, it was still strictly football. B-Boy culture did change that with its NYC inspired graffiti tags, break beats, full tracksuits & PUMA Suedes (a basketball trainer). As B-Boy culture & the UK's homegrown Casual scene kind of merged into one the US influence was clearly still there. The Casuals weren't exactly wearing Air Force 1's but they were other other clear B-Boy influences which had come straight from the basketball courts of the Bronx. Basketball trainers were absolutely massive in the 1980s which was no surprise really that New Balance wanted in on the action. The New Balance 480 trainer was the Boston born brands' first intro the world of B-Ball and now arrives at 80s Casual Classics in an updated gum sole version. Above: The New Balance 480 gum sole trainer in white/blue now available from 80s Casual Classics. Following on from their success on the tracks with the likes of the 420 & the 620, the early 1980s also saw New Balance branching out onto the high speed courts of the NBA. The 480 trainer was NB's very first B-ball shoe. Originally made in Maine, the 480 first came on the scene in 1983. Worn by the likes of the seven time NBA All Star, James Worthy, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers at the time, the 480 featured a chunky EVA sole with perforations to the toe box for added breathability. Built for traction on the super speedy courts of the NBA, the 480 was originally available in Hi & Lo versions. The 480 would also lay the foundations for other classic NB basketball silhouettes from the 1980s such as the 550 from 1989 which was also recently revived courtesy of Teddy Santis & Aim_ Leon Dore. Above: The New Balance 480 gum sole trainer in white/dark grey now available from 80s Casual Classics. Following on from the success of the 480's younger sibling the 550, the New Balance 480 trainer was revived from the NB archives back in 2021. The classic basketball trainer now arrives at 80s Casual Classics for the latest season in an updated gum sole version. The classic low top B-ball trainer features crisp white leather uppers with a mesh toe box & suede overlays. Other highlights include the Boston brands signature 'N' logo to the sidewalls, a retro inspired gum sole and pops of colour to the tongue. Shop the very latest New Balance trainer arrivals now at 80s Casual Classics via the links above.