442 v2 is New Balance‘s offering in the synthetic leather boot category. Does it do a better job than Nike’s Tiempo or Puma’s King Ultimate? And does the 442 v2 has its own merit? Decide for yourself as you study more about the boots here in this 442 v2 review.
What You’ll Find On This Page:
- 442 v2 Elite Review
- Takedown 442 v2 Pro
- Cheap 442 v2 Team
- Evolution of the New Balance Furon Football Boots
5 Things To Know About the 442 v2
- 442 v2 was first launched in 2022 as a K-leather boot
- Currently priced at £170.00
- With its transition to synthetic leather in 2025, it now directly competes with the Nike Tiempo Legend 10 and Puma King Ultimate
- Adopts the latest New Balance tier system, where the top model is labelled Elite, followed by the takedown levels of Pro and Team (replaces the tiers Pro, Dispatch and Destroy, respectively)
- Given the changes in the tier system, take note of the difference between 442 v2 Pro takedown and the previous 442 v2 Pro flagship model
442 v2 Elite Review
| ELITE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 442 v2 Elite | Water-based PU microfibre upper Nylon outsole with conical stud layout  |  >> Get 442 v8 Elite from New Balance | |
Let’s get this one out of the way right off the bat. For traditionalists, this one is not for you. There is still a hint of that synthetic tension that leather purists will definitely notice. And yes, the change can be disappointing to some who liked the value-for-money offered by the now-replaced K-leather 442 v2 Pro. This is most especially felt with the price increase of the 442 v2 Elite.
With that said, I dare say that this is the best synthetic leather, even better than the Nike’s Flytouch Plus and Puma’s K-BETTER! It breaks down easily and is so soft and pliable. It even has that embossed grooves to mimick the stitching on natural leather. Touch on the ball is balanced-still a hint of sharpness but the internal foam backing does provide that dampened sensation normally associated with leather uppers.
On-feet, 442 v2 feels pleasant because of that uber pliability and, surprisingly, lightweight feel (comparable to the Nike Mercurials weight). I have to say though that it does cater more to wider sizes given the volume and shape, not to mention the lack of adjustability because of the one-piece upper construction with the HYPOKNIT tongue. But narrow foot players can easily addressall these and have the upper wrap around the foot nicely by doing a runner’s loop and using a pair of grip socks. I advise to go true-to-size, and just go for the WIDE option if you really have the widest of feet.
A few downsides to point out. One is this won’t be a great option if you are after lockdown and responsiveness. Second is that the heel padding is concentrated more on the top of the heel, meaning for the rest you’ll have to contend sitting directly against the internal heel counter.
Considerations Regarding The Testing of NB 442 v2
All things considered, you’d have to judge 442 v2 as a synthetic leather boot to see its worth. And at its current price, it easily beats out Nike and Puma in this category. But for value-for-money, Puma’s King Pro takedown might present a challenge to the 442.
By the way, for more about our boot testing principles, click here.
Takedown 442 v2 Pro
| PRO ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 442 v2 Pro | Stitched synthetic upper Plastic outsole |  >> Get 442 v2 Pro from New Balance | |
One immediately noticeable difference is the change of the Pro to a standard tongue, u-throat construction. And that might appeal more than the one-piece upper of the Elite, especially if you don’t mind the denser feel of the upper at this takedown level. Heel liner has also been changed to a suede-like material.
Cheap 442 v2 Team
| TEAM ⭐⭐⭐ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 442 v2 Team | Stitched synthetic upper TPU outsole |  >> Get 442 v2 Team from New Balance | |
The cheapest 442 v2 is the Team takedown. It shares some of that upper build of the Pro but changes the heel liner to mesh. The TPU outsole also has a weightier feel, and the studs are changed to a rounded-corner, squarish type of stud layout.
Brief History of the New Balance 442
442 (2018)
442 entered in 2018 to compete on that value-for-money leather boot space. The stud layout used in the 442 v2 Team takedown was taken straight from the version 1 of this silo. The upper had that leather forefoot-synthetic midfoot divide and capped of the build with a fold-over tongue
442 v2 (2022)
Reason why the first 442 v2 was missed was that it improved the first-gen by engulfing the upper entirely with K-leather, boosting its proposition as a value-for-money football boot. Its nylon soleplate with conicals informed the tooling of the 442 v2 Elite.
