Our verdict

A symbol of ingenuity, we found that the COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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.

new balance 327 black grey gradient colors men Pros

  • Classic NB silhouette
  • Budget-friendly
  • Suitable for all-day wear
  • Real suede
  • Highly durable
  • jjjjound x new balance 992 urban grey
  • Great for wide feet
  • NEW BALANCE ML574 TT2 GRAY
  • Numerous color options

new balance 327 black grey gradient colors men Cons

  • Lacks breathability
  • Footwear NEW BALANCE Fresh their Roav WROAVCH White
  • new balance zapatilla nino yv500 da granate

Audience verdict

90
Good!
  • new balance womens wmns 327 white moonbeam munsell white moonbeam

Who should buy

In our opinion, it's hard to go wrong with the COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK if you are after the following:

  • New Balance 993 Burgundy
  • a very comfortable pair that can get you through the day
  • a highly versatile kick that's available in numerous color combinations

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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 Ténis New Balance Tempo v1 Performance preto cinzento mulher 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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK lab test

new balance 327 black grey gradient colors men | Cushioning

Heel stack

Aside from platform sneakers, the COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK makes for one of the tallest stacks in our catalog.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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 new balance m577lnt made in england (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 fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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 Trainers NEW BALANCE WL574CJ2 Grey).

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Forefoot stack
Test results
574 25.2 mm
Average 19.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Drop
COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK

new balance 574 natural indigo.

Adidas Samba Drop
Adidas Samba
Test results
574 13.0 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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.

The 574 sneaker is a perfect example of a thick sole that does not equate to a cushioned sole.

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 their of the 574 at 44.0 HA.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Midsole softness

This is among the firmest we've seen in our lab so far. For comparison, the PUMA RS-X New Balance 300 GRAYSILVER Sneakers Shoes CRT300GC!

Test results
574 44.0 HA
Average 29.0 HA
New Balance Chaussures 574V2 Summer Theory.
Compared to 75 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

Secondary their softness

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 their. Thus, we also measured the softness of the top layer (the one closer to the foot).

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

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Secondary their softness
Test results
574 29.5 HA
Average 34.0 HA
New Balance Chaussures 574V2 Summer Theory.

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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Insole thickness
Test results
574 4.7 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK is 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 fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Toebox width - widest part
Test results
574 90.9 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
85.4 mm
Toebox width - widest part
96.8 mm

Tecnologias New balance Sabatilles De Running Amples Júnior 570v2

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!

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Tecnologias New balance Sabatilles De Running Amples Júnior 570v2
Test results
574 74.1 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
63.9 mm
Tecnologias New balance Sabatilles De Running Amples Júnior 570v2
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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Toebox height
Test results
574 25.4 mm
Average 27.7 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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.

New balance wl574 wl574-evb.

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 brand new with original box New Balance ML574AA2.

Test results
574 4
Average 3.6
Compared to 92 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
1
Torsional rigidity
5

new balance men 57 40 m5740wt1 brown workwear henna nbm

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 fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
1
new balance men 57 40 m5740wt1 brown workwear henna nbm
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 new balance m577lnt made in england (103.3 mm).

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
574 114.3 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
95.1 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
121.0 mm

New Balance M990 low-top sneakers

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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Midsole width in the heel
Test results
574 80.2 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
67.7 mm
New Balance M990 low-top sneakers
103.1 mm

New Balance 375 7

The COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK is 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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK New Balance 375 7
Test results
574 15.6N
Average 14.0N
Compared to 33 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
4.6N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
27.6N

Weight

From the look of it, it is only reasonable to think that the COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK is 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.

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COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Weight
Test results
574 13.86 oz (393g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

Donning the COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK on a hot summer day is a bad-bad idea.

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.

New Balance AU.

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

Camisola New Balance Accelerate Tank V2 alças rosa salmão mulher...

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK microscope

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

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK microscope mesh

Test results
574 3
Average 3
Compared to 92 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Toebox durability result

Test results
574 4
Average 3.7
Compared to 92 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
1
Toebox durability
5

VILLA x New Balance 247 'The Collective'

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.

new balance 327 black grey gradient colors men.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK VILLA x New Balance 247 'The Collective' test

New Balance Kids Gerippte Sneakers Schwarz!

Test results
574 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
1
VILLA x New Balance 247 'The Collective'
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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Outsole hardness
Test results
574 83.1 HC
Average 85.7 HC
New Balance Chaussures 574V2 Summer Theory.
Compared to 92 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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).

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Outsole durability test
COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK
Adidas Gazelle Outsole durability
Adidas Gazelle
Test results
574 0.5 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 92 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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!

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Outsole thickness
Test results
574 8.2 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Lug depth

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

Reflective elements

New Balance Accelerate Split 3 Korte Broek.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Reflective elements
Test results
574 No

Tongue padding

Measuring the tongue padding, our caliper returned 4.6 mm.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK flex

Test results
574 4.6 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
new balance fuelcell shift tr nb white green women
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Tongue: gusset type

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

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK Tongue: gusset type
Test results
574 None

Heel tab

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

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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 580 'Bleached Sunrise'.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME × NEW BALANCE 57 40 GORE-TEX BLACK 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, New Balance Kinder 997H Black Red.

Especially for its unbelievably affordable price tag!