How Do New Balance Shoes Fit Compared To Adidas

New Balance continues gaining momentum among the sneaker community as one of the top sneaker brands. With silhouettes such as the 550, the 2002R, the 237 and the 327 gaining massive mainstream popularity, weA’re welcoming the rise of New Balance with open arms.

New Balance is renowned for focusing on creating comfortable shoes for athletes as well as providing expert fitting for those with wide feet. New Balance offers an incredible amount of options when it comes to shoe sizes catering for a wide range of sports and casual wear.

This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about New Balance sizing. We will be comparing how New Balance shoes fit compared to Adidas and Nike as we answer all your sizing questions. You can put your worries to rest and finally come to grips with exactly how New Balance trainers fit! 

How Do New Balance Shoes Fit?

Compared with other sportswear brands, New Balance puts wide footers into consideration as certain sizes have varying widths while having the same length. This makes it easy to know if a shoe is narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide.

New Balance shoe sizing is usually different to most other sneaker brands. In most cases pairs are not true to size and you’ll need to get a half size up.

New Balance shoe widths are labelled into six categories: (2A) for extra narrow, (B) for narrow, (D) for standard sizes, (2E) for wide, (4E) for extra wide, and (6E) for double extra wide. Each width has a 0.3 to 0.4 increase from narrow to extra wide. These options give you the perfect size; essential for athletic shoes such as basketball shoes and running shoes. 

Lengthwise, New Balance trainers tend to run a half size up from most other pairs. But if you’re unsure, we always recommend consulting a sizing chart. (Found below)

Kids’ shoes from New Balance also have Standard, Wide, and Extra Wide width options.

How do New Balance Shoes Fit Compared With Adidas?

New Balance shoes generally run a few millimetres bigger than Adidas sneakers, so we recommend going up a half size to get the right fit. A size 9 Adidas shoe typically matches a size 9.5 UK New Balance pair. However, New Balance offers a wider width, something that some Adidas pairs lack because they tend to run narrower.

With New Balance’s width options, you can select according to your preferred fit, depending if you have wider feet or narrow feet. If you know your Adidas shoe size well, but are looking to try a fresh pair of New Balance, you can definitely go a half size up.

In a situation where you go up a whole size you’ll likely find they’ll feel a little loose. if you have done this, we recommend throwing on some thicker socks and you’ll be good to go (as well as feeling that added comfort.)

New Balance Shoes Size Chart (Men and Women’s)

Check out New Balance’s Official Size Chart to avoid any assumptions on sizing. This gives you an insight into the US, EU, and UK shoe sizing including the length calculated in centimetres. The guide also highlights the width option and its corresponding New Balance Running shoe sizes in US sizing.

Men’s New Balance Footwear Size Guide

Women’s New Balance Footwear Size Guide

The variety of width options gives you an idea of choosing which size and width will work best for your feet and help you get that perfect pair. When in doubt, consult this guide to find the most accurate fit.

How Do New Balance fit compared with Nike?

New Balance trainers also run slightly bigger than Nike sneakers. When you compare shoe size charts from both brands you can see that New Balance sizes are about 1 centimetre longer than Nike. A UK New Balance Men’s size 9 is equivalent to a UK men’s size 8.5 on Nike.

New Balance Running shoes also have a wider base than Nike’s current running shoe offerings. NB features a wider base for stability, as opposed to Nike’s carbon fiber running shoes which are usually shaped for runners with narrower feet. Take this New Balance FuelCell RC Elite V2 for example, this carbon fiber running shoe features a wider base for a stable run.

When choosing athletic trainers from New Balance, select your size from the sizing guide above and adjust according to your preferred width. Nike’s carbon fiber plate shoes such as the VaporFly and AlphaFly have narrow entries; making it harder for wide footers to achieve the best fit possible.

Final Thoughts on New Balance Shoe Sizing

New Balance’s sizing is one of the best among popular brands because of the option to change the width. Any pair of sneakers should have this offering as we all have different foot structures. While the standard sizing runs just a little bit larger than other brands, New Balance shoes normally feel less restrictive. 

To be safe, in most situations, go a half size up.

Where to Buy New Balance?

For the biggest range of New Balance kicks, we recommend browsing the New Balance site direct. HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

Are New Balance True to size?

New Balance shoes usually run true to size but they do feel like a bit bigger because of the width. New Balance lets you choose the width of your choice to get the perfect fit. A pair of running shoes from New Balance feature a wider base for increased stability compared to other running trainers.

How are New Balances supposed to fit?

New Balance shoes do not fit true to size when comparing to Nike and adidas, you will need to go a half size up. They also run wider compared to other brands. You can opt for the narrow width option if you want a more secure fit and don’t want any wiggle room.

Do New Balances run small or big?

New Balance shoes run bigger by a few mm bigger when you compare them to Nike and adidas pairs. To avoid your toes hitting the end of the shoe, we recommend going a half size bigger than Adidas or Nike.

Is New Balance size the same as Adidas?

No New Balance shoes are slightly larger than adidas by a few millimetres. Both brands run big but New Balance has the edge and runs slightly larger than Adidas trainers. Go a half size up!

How do New Balance shoes fit compared to vans?

Vans skate shoes run true to size and feel snug, New Balance runs a bit longer and wider. We recomend going up a a half size.

What is my exact shoe size?

To find your exact shoe size, you can calculate it by putting your foot on a paper and trace the outline of your foot using a pen. Then you can grab a ruler and measure both the length and width. Or you can also go to the nearest sporting goods store and try on some creps to know which size fits you best.

How do New Balance 327 fit?

The New Balance 327 runs slightly larger than most Nike or adidas pairs and compared to usual NB shoes, it has a narrower midfoot area. You can go for a half size up if you don’t want to feel a bit snug.

How do New Balance 237 fit?

The New Balance 237 runs slightly larger than most Nike or adidas pairs but has a wider structure; you can go for a half size up from these two brands or true to size if comaring to New Balance. These will fit you perfectly without needing to break them in. The mesh and suede materials will eventually conform to your foot shape and provide you with even more comfort.

How do New Balance 997H fit?

New Balance 997H run true to size when comparing to other New Balance pairs, but you’ll need to go a half size up if comparing to Nike or adidas. You may also wan to opt for a slightly wider width as the midfoot and toe areas run a bit narrow. You can go for your true size and get the Medium (D) or Wide (2E) to make sure it doesn’t feel too restrictive.