Louisiana Retailer Rukus is Going Duck Hunting on Latest New Balance Numeric Collab

Louisiana is hunting country. The land of guns, camo, and duck calls serves as the setting for the TV show Duck Dynasty, and as far as we can tell, that’s what it’s really like down there. For Baton Rouge and Lafayette-based skate shop and sneaker boutique Rukus, the local hunting culture influenced its latest collab, but with a retro video game twist.

The Rukus x New Balance Numeric 480 Mallard Duck is a shoutout to the classic Nintendo game Duck Hunt and the real-life hunting culture that influenced it. Starting with brown suede on the tongue, side panels, and heel tab, yellow leather is added on the toebox, with yellow mesh peeking out from the side panels. The feathery flow continues with green suede on the heel counter and more green accents on the “N” side logo and tongue. They might not be camo, but if you’re a ‘90s kid, this is what duck hunting really looks like.

The Bayou isn’t known as a sneaker mecca, but with Rukus, Sneaker Politics, and Humidity holding it down, Louisiana is a sleeper sneaker destination. Through the years, Rukus has added local iconography to every collab, including a Dunk SB Crawfish from 2014 and a Voodoo 440 in the brand’s first New Balance Numeric collab last year.

Rukus teased the New Balance Numeric 480 Mallard Duck in Vegas over the weekend but hasn’t announced details on the release quite yet. However, this one will likely be a shop exclusive. To keep up with all the latest New Balance collab news and be the first to find out exactly when this pair drops, make sure to tap in with the Sole Retriever mobile app.

Zach Harris

Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com