John Kim 
CNCPTS was responsible for the lone New Balance inclusion in the Sneaker News Top 30 2011. By the looks of the upcoming New Balance SEAL 999 collaboration, it appears that the New England-based boutique will be a repeat offender. Concepts brings back the 999 as the center of the SEAL Capsule, inspired by the high-performance OTB Abyss II Boot and designing it with the active and able-bodied individuals in mind; the sneaker is built by a variety of tough-as-nails materials like with stain-resistant micro-fiber suede, ballistic mesh, ultra-breathable nylon panels, and a gussetted tongue, and features a plethora of Sea/Air/Land details like the morse code encryption on the tongue, the rubberized N-logo on the medial sidewall, and a distinct topographic interior lining. Alongside the New Balance 999 is the Arc’teryx Squamish jacket modeled similarly to the shoes. The Concepts x New Balance SEAL 999 will release this Saturday, August 4th, exclusively at CNCPTS (in-store only but look for some other premium NB spots to get pairs later on), and will retail at $150 (the jacket is priced at $200). A first detailed look at the complete capsule is right ahead, so flip through the official gallery and let us know if this is 2012’s front-running New Balance release.
