How do New Balance shoes fit compared to Nike and adidas?
So you’re in the market for a fresh pair of New Balance, but you’re unsure how they fit compared to the big brands like Nike and Adidas? Look no further, you’ve landed in the right place.
We’ll take you through in detail, how New Balance fit compared to the big brands below, but generally the answer to that question is that New Balance styles tend to run slightly smaller, so you may need to drop at least a half size.
New Balance Sizing Guide
The only concern anyone should have before buying the New Balance shoes is the shoe sizing. Everything else is already well-known – standard quality, superb comfort, excellent looks, and so on.
Well, we all know how millimeters of difference can decide whether a shoe will be comfortable on your foot or be a gift to your friends and relatives. And you can’t use your thumb when buying online!
Here is a little bit of help from my experience when comparing significant sports footwear brands and the difference in size.
Image Credit: 43einhalb
How do New Balance fit compare to Nike?
Generally when comparing the average New Balance trainer to an average Nike shoe, New Balance shoes tend to fit a bit bigger than those from Nike. In other words, if you wear, for example, size 10 Nike, you will opt to buy size 9 New Balance.
Besides, there are differences between international standard sizes – US, UK, and EU, so it would be best to use centimeters as a standard of comparison. I’ve provided conversion charts for New Balance shoes below for just the purpose.
How do New Balance fit compare to Adidas?
Much like Nike, New Balance shoes are a bit bigger than Adidas when buying the same size. From experience of owning a lot of both, New Balance shoes are half a measure lower, that is, what’s 10 for Adidas, it would be 9.5 for New Balance, and so on.
Additionally, I feel like New Balance offers much more in the width department than Adidas. The one thing I had the most problems with when buying Adidas was the width. Although I love their sneakers, it was tough finding the right fit.
On the other hand, New Balance has lots of footwear in 4E (my width size) so they’re a great option for those looking for a broader range of widths.
What is the Difference Between the Width of Nike and New Balance Shoes?
Much like with Adidas, I’ve had many problems finding my perfect size due to width differences. Nike doesn’t have many shoes in my foot width, and while the length is good, they still feel uncomfortable.
On the other hand, New Balance offers shoes in 6 different widths – extra-narrow, narrow, standard, wide, extra-wide, and extra-extra-wide. And, most important of all, many models come in various widths, so there is something for everyone!
New Balance size conversion chart — Men’s shoes
EUR US UK CM
35 3 2.5 21
35.5 3.5 3 21.5
36 4 3.5 22
37 4.5 4 22.5
37.5 5 4.5 23
38 5.5 5 23.5
38.5 6 5.5 24
39.5 6.5 6 24.5
40 7 6.5 25
40.5 7.5 7 25.5
41.5 8 7.5 26
42 8.5 8 26.5
42.5 9 8.5 27
43 9.5 9 27.5
44 10 9.5 28
44.5 10.5 10 28.5
45 11 10.5 29
46 11.5 11 29.5
46.5 12 11.5 30
47 12.5 12 30.5
47.5 13 12.5 31
49 14 13.5 32
50 15 14.5 33
New Balance size conversion chart — Women’s shoes
EUR US UK CM
33 3 1 20
33.5 3.5 1.5 20.5
34 4 2 21
34.5 4.5 2.5 21.5
35 5 3 22
36 5.5 3.5 22.5
36.5 6 4 23
37 6.5 4.5 23.5
37.5 7 5 24
38 7.5 5.5 24.5
39 8 6 25
40 8.5 6.5 25.5
40.5 9 7 26
41 9.5 7.5 26.5
41.5 10 8 27
42.5 10.5 8.5 27.5
43 11 9 28
43.5 11.5 9.5 28.5
44 12 10 29
Best Places to buy New Balance?
Some great places to pick up New Balance are Footlocker, Size? or END Clothing. All three of these retailers have a steady rotation of New Release and sale pickups. However nothing tends to beat the size ranges and options than shopping New Balance direct.
Five of the top selling silhouettes:
New Balance 327
Where to buy New Balance 327? Shop HERE
New Balance 574
Where to buy New Balance 574? Shop HERE
New Balance 997H
Where to buy New Balance 997H? Shop HERE
New Balance 550
Where to buy New Balance 550? Shop HERE
New Balance 992
Where to buy New Balance 992? Shop HERE
Summary
In general when comparing New Balance to other styles you should consider dropping at least a half a size lower as New Balance tend to run slightly larger than the norm.
The great thing with New Balance is that once you nail your New Balance shoe size, you can purchase them carefree knowing that size is pretty much universal across the board.
If you don’t already own a pair of shoes from New Balance, you can use the chart I provided above to help find your size. Also, check out the FAQs below for more answers to some common questions:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Balance sizing the same as Nike?
New Balance shoes tend to run slightly bigger than Nike shoes, and therefore you will have to buy them a size smaller. For example a size 10 Nike is roughly the same as size 9 New Balance.
Are New Balance and Adidas the same size?
No. New Balance shoes are bigger than Adidas. When buying New Balance shoes, make sure to buy half a size lower (size 10 Adidas is size 9.5 New Balance).
Do New Balance shoes run small or big?
New Balance shoes offer a vast spectrum of sizes and widths. Unlike most athletic footwear brands that mainly produce narrow-fitting footgear, New Balance provides six different widths. They tend to run slightly bigger than most common brands, so in general we recommend dropping a half shoe size to achieve the right level of comfort.
Do different shoe brands fit differently?
Yes. There is no exact size chart that each brand follows so average sneaker size measurement can vary, resulting in different brands fitting differently. Also within brands different styles can run smaller than the norm, so always do some research to ensure you get the correct size shoe. Especially if shopping online.
Does Nike own New Balance?
No, New Balance is an independent company established decades before Nike.
Should I size up or down in New Balance?
New Balance offer a variety of length/width combinations, and there is a high chance of finding a perfect fit. But compared to most of the big brands we recommend, in general, sizing down a half size to avoid landing yourself with the wrong size.
Are New Balance a narrow or wide fit ?
New Balance trainers are a great choice for those with either Wide Feet or Narrow Feet. Coming with a range of shoe widths to cater for wider-than-average feet or narrower feet. New Balance offfers six width sizes from extra narrow to extra-extra wide. With over 35% of New Balance shoes come in all six sizes. Head to New Balance for more details.
