“Lightning” Strikes The New Balance WRPD Runner

The newly minted silhouette hits on a familiar palette.

Matt Varga March 28, 2024

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Each successive look for the New Balance WRPD Runner allows us to hone in more and more on how New Balance views one of their newest silhouettes. Combined with its bulky, futuristic design, colorways like the latest “Lightning” edition carve a path as bold statement footwear.

Save for the “White/Navy” release from February, the suede overlays that mark the pair at hand have become the default formulation for the WRPD Runner. It puts forth a classic, premium feel for the shoe as a whole, a nice contrast tone given the experimental design choices elsewhere. Along similar vivid lines, the yellow suede that dominates the upper certainly strikes that chord, but the underlying black mesh creates a reliable Pittsburgh style combo that’s yielded results for decades now. Rounding out the design, white strikes the sockliner, heel tag and profile “N” branding, while a smattering of greys holds down the twisting midsole & outsole construction.

The New Balance WRPD Runner “Lightning” is expected to hit shelves and NewBalance.com in April, carrying a $150 retail price. You can find detailed official images just ahead to prep for their official release.

In other NB news, the New Balance 993 “Chive” adds to a two-pack of MADE in USA drops next month.

WHERE TO BUY

Mens New Balance WRPD Runner

SKU: UWRPDFSC

RETAIL PRICE: $150

RELEASE DATE: 2026

US 2026

Retailer	Release type	Status
New Balance US	Standard	Check Site

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Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.