The 8 Best New Balance Shoes, Tested by Real Guys

Pros

• Wide toe box lets your fit splay naturally
• Strong suede panels protect your feet
• Heel and arch support for long lasting comfort

The New Balance 574 secured the top spot on our list because it is neck-and-neck with the 990 in comfort and styling versatility, while retailing for about half the price. It has been one of the Boston based shoemaker’s bestselling models for over three decades. Suburban dads (aka me) love it because it’s comfortable, durable, and its vintage style looks great with a lot of casual to business casual looks.

Weston Kay, owner of leather goods company Rose Anvil and host of the YouTube Channel by the same name, loves the 574 because of the toe box shape above any other factor. He explained that, “It’s closer in width to a pair of barefoot shoes than it is to a pair of regular shoes.” At the same time, it is stylish and nice to look at, which Kay admits, most ‘barefoot’ shoes are not.

When combined with the ENCAP midsole, which essentially cups the heel to keep your foot stable, the wide shape makes for one of the most comfortable sneakers we’ve ever tested. I’ve even run three miles in a pair once in a pinch, and found them extremely comfortable, if a little bulky. That’s no surprise, considering that it was a cutting edge marathon shoe when it was introduced in 1990.

As for the rest of the construction, Kay says that the mesh and foam are on par with most of the higher priced sneakers he has cut apart, but the suede is very impressive. Based on the grain and thickness, he found that New Balance uses the same type of genuine suede found in high quality boots.

Read more: 2024 Men’s Health Sneaker Awards

Both the Style and Fitness teams here at Men’s Health have been fans of the FuelCell line for years now. The well-cushioned runner earned a spot in our 2023 Sneaker Awards and made the cut for best running shoes of 2024. Its angled shape and bouncy consistency of the outsole provides some of the best return on energy of any sneaker we’ve tested. That means it absorbs the shock of each step, and it returns that force back to you with a little bounce in your stride.

These retro shoe (born in 1982) is a classic that made New Balance a heavy hitter in the sneaker game. It is now upgraded with a streamlined silhouette and better performance that showed up in our testing. You’re more likely to find the 990 on the feet of menswear editors than stereotypical dads these days.

After walking for miles in this, the propulsive foam and midsole cushioning never let us down, keeping a spring in our step all day long. With a thicker, multilayered sole and upper, this was noticeably the heaviest New Balance sneaker that we tested. But it is so well balanced and supportive that the weight works with your stride, rather than dragging it down.

Here we have one of the absolute best running shoes available. Whether you want to run 15 miles or a quick 2-mile jaunt, the Fresh Foam X 880 hits the spot. It’s balanced in all the right ways: moderate cushioning with just enough road feel, heel and arch support with plenty of flexibility, and a little bounce in the midsole with strong grip on the outsole. The stability lines through the midfoot help keep your feet aligned—that’s great for guys whose feet tend to roll inward (overpronate) when running.

Whats more, it’s also one of the best wide-toe box running shoes we’ve ever tested. It is a true all purpose running and training sneaker that can work for a lot of guys.

I walked a few miles in the 1906R, and found that this re-released sneaker still meets the standards of conventional walking shoes. The heel cushioning was comfortable and a hard plastic midsole cradled each step, providing strong arch support and supported the forward rocking motion of each stride.

The 1960R is bulkier than a lot of other walking shoes I tested, but that extra weight kept my feet stable, and the thick sole stack is especially comfortable for standing all day in. If you need a pair of sneakers to get you through hours at the office, or long weekends chasing around the kids, this is the New Balance to go with. It is also an excellent gym shoe, and can handle middle-distance running just fine.

Of all the archival running shoe designs that New Balance has resurrected, the 997 is probably the most stylish. Rounded details and a smoothly tapered silhouette, remind me of an Italian sports car. Our style editors and writers have rocked this sneaker with everything from shorts and a tank top, to a collared shirt and blazer. It has that vintage vibe that adds cool points to any outfit.

Comfort was actually the biggest standout feature of this ‘90s running shoe during our testing. As great as it looks—and it looks great with everything—it was incredibly cozy. The insole and midsole cup the heel and brace the arch of the foot, providing some of the best support of any New Balance we tested. Despite being made from mostly the same materials as the 574 and 990, it felt lighter on our feet than both of them.

The 237 is a clean, low profile shoe with endless styling potential. It doesn’t have all the fancy running and support features that other models on this list have, but it does have a more streamlined look that plays well with a variety of casual fits. It has a simple mesh upper that’s covered with suede patches around the heel, toe box, and tongue. Our style editors like it because it blends into an outfit like a pair of white tennis shoes.

As simple as it looks, this sneaker still provides the level of comfort we’ve come to expect from New Balance. Our testers put it through the paces during long days at the office, trips to the gym, weekends on the go, and plenty of nights out. This is the type of sneaker you leave by the front door and throw on without even thinking about it.