Our verdict

A symbol of ingenuity, we found that the New Balance 574 has undergone countless spin-offs that can make a sneaker collection on their own. The shoe provided us with excellent support and comfort for day-long use. Not to mention its adaptable style that can go with almost any of our outfits. We are convinced, NB 574 is another street-savvy NB kick that will remain classic and in style for years to come.

Paperboy x New Balance 992 "Fried Egg" Pros

  • New Balance 991 Pastel
  • Budget-friendly
  • Suitable for all-day wear
  • Real suede
  • Highly durable
  • Stable and supportive
  • Great for wide feet
  • Easy to style
  • Numerous color options

Paperboy x New Balance 992 "Fried Egg" Cons

  • Lacks breathability
  • New Balance Fresh Foam Arishi V4 GS Laufschuhe Cordura Khaki
  • take a look at the Bryant Giles x New Balance 2002R

Audience verdict

90
Good!
  • New Balance 500 V1 Classic Schuhe

Who should buy

In our opinion, it's hard to go wrong with the New Balance 574 if you are after the following:

  • New balance женская серая спортивная кофта
  • a very comfortable pair that can get you through the day
  • a highly versatile kick that's available in numerous color combinations

New Balance 574 review

Who should NOT buy

The NB 574 comes with a thick wedge EVA midsole that feels rigid and inflexible. Thus, this kick might feel unforgiving for those who prefer soft and flexible sneakers. As an alternative, you may want to consider the 997H or the more expensive 2002R.

The 574 may also be a disappointment if you are looking for a summer kick. We recommend going for a more breathable option like the PUMA RS-X.

New Balance 574 lab test

Cushioning

Heel stack

Aside from platform sneakers, the New Balance 574 makes for one of the tallest stacks in our catalog.

New Balance 574 Heel stack

Using a caliper, we measured the shoe's heel height at an impressive 38.2 mm. This is taller than other popular kicks like the Reebok Classic Leather (35.7 mm) or the Adidas Superstar (26.8 mm).

Test results
574 38.2 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

In the forefoot, the 574 also proved to be taller than average. We measured the stack height here at 25.2 mm.

The funny thing is that this NB shoe is thicker in the forefoot than some sneakers are in the heel (like the Adidas Samba at 19.3 mm).

New Balance 574 Forefoot stack
Test results
574 25.2 mm
Average 19.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

Given the stack difference, we get a 13.0 mm drop in the 574. That's neither good nor bad as it is totally up to the wearer's preference. Some people like to feel their heels elevated while others prefer a more grounded, parallel-to-the-ground experience.

New Balance 574 Drop
New Balance 574

The NB 574 is going to feel slightly elevated in the heel but pretty balanced for most people.

adidas samba drop 20885431 720
Adidas Samba
Test results
574 13.0 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

Paperboy x New Balance 992 "Fried Egg".

We've got bad news for the fans of plush sneakers - this New Balance offering feels quite firm underfoot.

Using a durometer, we measured the primary foam of the 574 at 44.0 HA.

New Balance 574 Midsole softness

This is among the firmest we've seen in our lab so far. For comparison, the PUMA RS-X New Balance 327 low-top sneakers Grigio!

Test results
574 44.0 HA
Average 29.0 HA
New Balance Speed Fuel Koszulka Z Krótkim Rękawkiem.
Compared to 75 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

New Balance x Bodega 1

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

You probably noticed that the midsole of the 574 consists of two layers of foam. Thus, we also measured the softness of the top layer (the one closer to the foot).

This foam turned out to be slightly softer than the lower layer. At 29.5 HA, it is actually 49% softer! Although still firm, this top foam at least helps to make landings more pleasurable.

New Balance 574 New Balance x Bodega 1
Test results
574 29.5 HA
Average 34.0 HA
New Balance Speed Fuel Koszulka Z Krótkim Rękawkiem.

Insole thickness

Completing the shoe's cushioning ensemble is a fairly padded insole. Being 4.7 mm thick, it is within the normal range for sneakers.

New Balance 574 Insole thickness
Test results
574 4.7 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

New Balance 580 x 686 Fall Winter 2011 true to size (262 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 110 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Paperboy x New Balance 992 "Fried Egg" | zapatillas de trekking New Balance mujer talla 40

A classic NB sneaker with a classic NB fit, the 574 offers a super comfortabe and accommodating experience as well as alternative widths to treat all foot shapes.

Having made a replica of the shoe's interiors, we were able to measure its dimensions precisely and compare them to other lifestyle sneakers.

In the widest part, between the big toe and the pinkie, our caliper returned a standard reading of 90.9 mm. And while that's just an average width, the difference lies in the tip of the shoe's toebox.

New Balance 574 zapatillas de trekking New Balance mujer talla 40
Test results
574 90.9 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
85.4 mm
zapatillas de trekking New Balance mujer talla 40
96.8 mm

Toebox width - big toe

The 574 offers plenty of wiggle room with its rounded (almost square) toebox shape. At 74.1 mm near the big toe, it is so wide that it exceed the average by more than 5 mm!

New Balance 574 Toebox width - big toe
Test results
574 74.1 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
63.9 mm
Toebox width - big toe
74.1 mm

Toebox height

On the downside, some people may find the shoe's vertical space restricting. That's because its toebox height is only 25.4 mm.

New Balance 574 Toebox height
Test results
574 25.4 mm
Average 27.7 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
20.7 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

New Balance was founded by an arch support specialist for a good reason. Stability or support is never an issue in sneakers from this brand.

As you can see in the video, our heel remains firmly planted on the ground as we attempt to shift the foot side-to-side. Let's have a look at the factors contributing to this in the sections below.

Torsional rigidity

First and foremost, there is a lot of stiffness in the shoe's platform. Twisting it sideways in our manual test, we could feel a great deal of resistance from the firm sole.

This led us to give this NB shoe a solid 4 out of 5 for torsional rigidity.

Stiffer shoes like this have a much smaller chance of letting your ankle roll over to the side. An extreme opposite case would be the Adidas 4DFWD 2.

Test results
574 4
Average 3.6
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

The NB 574 takes really good care of your ankles. With double overlays and a plastic ENCAP at the bottom of the heel, we felt very securely held at the rearfoot.

Between 1 and 5, we rated the 574's heel counter stiffness as 3. It is not the stiffest but structured enough for sure.

Test results
574 3
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width - forefoot

A stable platform wouldn't be complete without a nice and wide base. And the 574 scores high here too!

At the widest part of the forefoot, our caliper measured 114.3 mm, which is a whole centimeter wider than other classic sneakers like the Reebok Classic Leather (103.3 mm).

New Balance 574 Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
574 114.3 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
95.1 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
121.0 mm

Paperboy x New Balance 992 "Fried Egg" | NEW BALANCE M1300AT BLACK 26cm

This NB shoe also proves to be fairly wide in the heel. We got 80.2 mm in the widest part of the sole, which is also on the wide side of the sneaker spectrum.

New Balance 574 Midsole width in the heel
Test results
574 80.2 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
67.7 mm
NEW BALANCE M1300AT BLACK 26cm
103.1 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

The New Balance 580 x 686 Fall Winter 2011 not the kind of sneaker that bends to your will so easily. The shoe feels notably stiffer than minimalist sneakers like the Adidas Gazelle.

To figure out exactly how much stiffer the 574 is, we used a shoe flexing tester to measure the amount of force it takes to bend the shoe by 30 degrees. With an above-average reading of 15.6N, this NB turned out to be a bit more rigid than a typical casual sneaker, but not by much. It still offered a fairly comfortable ride for longer walks.

New Balance 574 Flexibility / Stiffness
Test results
574 15.6N
Average 14.0N
Compared to 33 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
4.6N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
27.6N

Weight

From the look of it, it is only reasonable to think that the New Balance 580 x 686 Fall Winter 2011 a chunky boy. And yet, and yet...

The sneaker surprises us once again, this time on a scale. We measured the shoe in a men's US size 9 and found that it weighs 13.9 oz (393g) which is within the average of low-top sneakers.

It exudes a bulky vibe on foot but never drags it down.

New Balance 574 Weight
Test results
574 13.86 oz (393g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

sneakers New Balance naranjas talla 24.5.

Trying out the 574 in warm temperatures, we couldn't wait to get it off, to be honest. Back in the lab, our experience was confirmed in a breathability test where we pumped smoke through the shoe's upper to see how much of it passed through.

As you can see from the video, ZERO smoke is passing through the shoe's seemingly mesh toebox. Only a little is able to escape through the gaps between the tongue and the shoe quarters.

zapatillas de running New Balance competición trail neutro azules.

Oh, and never mind the "mesh" panels. These boys are so densely woven that they don't even let the light shine through!

Lookig at the toebox through our microscope...

New Balance 574 microscope

... there are no see-through perforations in sight.

New Balance 574 microscope mesh

Test results
574 3
Average 3
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Leather/Suede quality

When we take a closer look at the quality of materials on the NB 574, it actually becomes easier to forgive the lack of breathability. For a $90 shoe, we were impressed!

Equipped with a butane torch and a leather scratch awl, we tested the genuineness of materials in various parts of the upper. Our main point of interest was of course the suede. And it turned out to be real! Unlike the synthetic heel panel and the "N" logo, the suede didn't catch fire and stood up to the awl too.

Test results
574 Real suede

Toebox durability

The 574 did its wearers a huge favor by adding a very wide suede overlay on the toebox. It does a fantastic job of protecting the mesh layer underneath.

We can easily prove it in our durability test that involves a Dremel. Holding the tool against the suede at a consistent speed (10K RPM) and force (3.2N), we only got a small dimple!

Such amazing wear resistance earned the 574 a high score for toebox durability. On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most durable, we gave it a 4.

New Balance 574 Toebox durability result

Test results
574 4
Average 3.7
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
1
Toebox durability
5

Eigenschaften New balance Impact Run Printed Kurzarm T-Shirt

Inside, the 574 is lined with a plush and comfy fabric lining. That one should be easy to tear, right? Right?

Well, apparently, our Dremel struggled with that! After 4 seconds of drilling the fabric, the damage was really minor compared to what we usually see in sneakers.

On a 1-5 scale, we rated the heel padding durability with a high score of 4.

New Balance 574 Eigenschaften New balance Impact Run Printed Kurzarm T-Shirt test

Great news for those of us who often develop holes in this part of a shoe!

Test results
574 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
1
Eigenschaften New balance Impact Run Printed Kurzarm T-Shirt
5

Outsole hardness

A rugged, massive outsole is 574's signature. But is it just as sturdy as it looks? Hell, yeah!

To begin with, we measured the hardness of that rubber at 83.1 HC. This is not much harder than the average of sneakers but it's a good start.

New Balance 574 Outsole hardness
Test results
574 83.1 HC
Average 85.7 HC
New Balance Speed Fuel Koszulka Z Krótkim Rękawkiem.
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

The shoe's outsole revealed its true nature in our demanding Dremel test. And it's a BEAST!

Drilling through the rubber for a good 22 seconds at a high speed of 10K RPM, it just couldn't be bothered!

According to our tread gauge, the depth of the dent is a mere 0.5 mm! For reference, most sneakers end up with 1 to 1.5 mm of damage (like the Adidas Gazelle below).

New Balance 574 Outsole durability test
New Balance 574
Adidas Gazelle Outsole durability
Adidas Gazelle
Test results
574 0.5 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 92 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

But New Balance didn't stop there. The brand decided that a few millimeters of rubber was not convincing enough and packed as much as 8.2 mm into the 574!

This is one of the thickest rubber outsoles we've ever seen on a sneaker! It is also pretty aggressively lugged and is ready to outlast many other sneakers on the market. Especially, in its price range!

New Balance 574 Outsole thickness
Test results
574 8.2 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

As long as you don't try to conquer ice and slush in the NB 574, it should provide just enough grip for most occasions.

New Balance 574 Lug depth

Its lugs may seem aggressive but they are definitely not deep or sharp enough for slippery conditions.

Reflective elements

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New Balance 574 Reflective elements
Test results
574 No

Tongue padding

Measuring the tongue padding, our caliper returned 4.6 mm.

New Balance 574 Tongue padding

Even though it is about the same as average, we felt a little bit of lace pressure through it, especially when cinched tightly.

New Balance 574 flex

Test results
574 4.6 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
New Balance M990 BS3 NB3 ¥31
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Ténis New Balance 373 azul claro rosa cinzento infantil

The tongue doesn't have any gussets (attachments) on the sides. Unfortunately, this resulted in slight shifting of the tongue sideways in our case.

New Balance 574 Ténis New Balance 373 azul claro rosa cinzento infantil
Test results
574 None

Heel tab

No heel tab at the back but we didn't find it a necessity in the 574.

New Balance 574 Heel tab
Test results
574 None

Removable insole

Because New Balance started out as an insole company, they know how to make these inserts right. We enjoyed the 574's stock insole but if you need your own orthotic, it can be swapped easily.

New Balance 574 Removable insole
Test results
574 Yes

Style

In 1988, New Balance released the 574 as an advanced running shoe with a notable design. This iteration was a hybrid that blended the best details of New Balance's well-known running kicks, namely the New Balance 575 and 576 models.

New Balance Fuelcell Supercomp Xialing.

New Balance 574 laces

Ever since then, the 574 has undoubtedly become one of the brand's most iconic pairs in sneaker history. And even though it can be lost in the shadow of much more hyped releases like NB 550, the 9060, and the 2002R, Zrównoważony New balance Classic 373v2 Trampki.

Especially for its unbelievably affordable price tag!