Our verdict
Pros
- Fashionably sporty
- Well-cushioned
- New Balance LBC LIFESTYLE
- New Balance 997 Sport Components
- new balance recount pack
- Superb grip
- New Balance MRT580 Burgundy Suede Mesh
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Not suitable for wide feet
- Not suitable for wide feet
- Not suitable for wide feet
Comparison
The most similar trainers compared
+ + new balance spring 2010 preview | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audience score | 90 Good! | 87 Good! | 91 Great! | 88 Good! | |
Price | £110 | £170 | £110 | £110 | |
Style | RetroSporty | ClassicRetroSportyChunky | ClassicDadRetroSporty | RetroSporty | |
Breathability | Breathable | Breathable | Breathable | Breathable | |
Weight lab | 10.6 New Balance Night Sky Met Sea Salt | 14 New Balance NB 999 Marathon Running Shoes Sneakers MRL999BB | 10.9 New Balance 1037 | 14 New Balance NB 999 Marathon Running Shoes Sneakers MRL999BB | |
Size | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size | |
Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | |
Material | MeshSuede | LeatherMeshSuede | Mesh | MeshSuede | |
Season | SpringFall | Summer | SpringFall | SpringFall | |
Inspired from | Running | Running | Running | Running | |
The Stone Island x New Balance RC Elite | Medium | Narrow | Medium | Medium | |
zapatillas de running New Balance ritmo bajo talla 43.5 blancas | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Leather/suede quality | Real suede | Real leather | Real suede | Real suede | |
Toebox durability | Decent | Decent | Bad | Good | |
Heel padding durability | Bad | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
Outsole durability | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
new balance 327 green orange gum relSostenible date info | 35.0 mm | 34.8 mm | 37.3 mm | 33.5 mm | |
Stiffness | Moderate | Stiff | Flexible | Stiff | |
Tongue padding | Very thin | Average | Average | Average | |
Drop lab | 10.0 mm | 10.3 mm | 11.9 mm | 10.8 mm | |
Forefoot | 25.0 mm | 24.5 mm | 25.4 mm | 22.7 mm | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heel tab | None | None | Finger loop | None | |
Torsional rigidity | Moderate | Stiff | Moderate | Stiff | |
Heel counter stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Flexible | Stiff | |
Reflective ningsstrumpors | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | |
Closure | Laces | Laces | Laces | Laces | |
Top | Low top | Low top | Low top | Low top | |
Ranking | #59 Bottom 47% | #96 Bottom 15% | #46 Top 41% | #95 Bottom 15% | |
Popularity | #8 Top 8% | #71 Bottom 37% | #3 Top 3% | #84 Bottom 25% |
Who should buy
New Balance Tennis Rally Performance Weißes Polohemd:
- New Balance 997.5 Vinyl Pack Marathon Running Shoes Sneakers ML997HBB vintage trainers with a modern twist
- new balance 580 west nyc alpine guide
- New Balance FuelCell Propel v2 kengissä
- Those hunting for a breathable summer shoe that’s easy on the wallet
- Frequent drivers and car enthusiasts in need of a shoe that facilitates smooth movement between pedals
Who should NOT buy
The 327 is a snug fit and certainly isn’t roomy enough for those with broad feet. We recommend looking into the NB 574 new balance Sneaker bassa nero blu reale grigio chiaro arancione.
Cushioning
Heel stack
Using our calliper, we measured the 327’s stack to be 35 mm thick at the heel.
This is higher than average and means that we have plenty of foam underfoot to enjoy well-cushioned landings in this shoe.

327 | 35.0 mm |
Average | 30.2 mm |
Forefoot stack
Moving up to the forefoot, we found the 327’s stack to be 25 mm thick according to our calliper measurements. This is quite chunky compared to the average and rivals the heel stack of some trainers. As a result, we felt extremely protected and comfortable as we walked around in the 327 which keeps our feet high above any hazards below.
new balance 574 yellow white Adidas Gazelle instead.

327 | 25.0 mm |
Average | 19.2 mm |
Drop
The difference in our stack measurements leaves us with a heel drop of 10 mm, which is only slightly shorter than average. This feels pretty balanced and should feel fine for most people as many of us are used to wearing shoes with elevated heels.
On the other hand, for those whose preference lies with feeling more parallel to the ground, we recommend checking out Altra New balance Abbigliamento ragazzi Pullover.
327 | 10.0 mm |
Average | 11.1 mm |
Midsole softness
Pressing our durometer against the 327’s EVA midsole yields a reading of 26.6 HA.
This is certainly on the firmer side when it comes to midsoles, but the shoe’s high stack allows us to really sink into the foam upon landing. This increases our sense of perceived cushioning, making the shoe feel softer in reality than the durometer leads us to believe.
327 | 26.6 HA |
Average | 29.1 HA |
The Stone Island x New Balance RC Elite | Insole thickness
The 327’s insole is slimmer than average at only 4.4 m thick. However, we still found the interior of the shoe to be padded enough to complement the shoe’s midsole cushioning.

327 | 4.4 mm |
Average | 5.1 mm |
Size and fit
Size
New Balance Shorts London Edition Graphic Impact 5 is true to size (778 votes).
Erfahrt aber in unseren Sneaker News gerne noch mehr über New Balance
Because of its streamlined silhouette, the New Balance Shorts London Edition Graphic Impact 5 appears to have a snug fit. But on foot, we felt a regular amount of internal space. So let's have a look at the shoe's gel replica to confirm that.
Applying our calliper to the mould's broadest part, it returned a typical width of 92.1 mm. That confirms the shoe's D medium fit.

327 | 92.1 mm |
Average | 92.3 mm |
zapatillas de trekking New Balance
The 327's toebox shape may not be as rounded as that of other NB shoes but it is rather moderately tapered. The calliper recorded a normal width of 69.0 mm near the big toe.

327 | 69.0 mm |
Average | 68.8 mm |
Toebox height
The toebox height is actually pretty generous in this NB silhouette. We got an above-average reading of 30.4 mm here.

327 | 30.4 mm |
Average | 27.8 mm |
Stability
The Stone Island x New Balance RC Elite | Lateral stability test
Coming from a brand known for shoes with excellent arch support, it’s no surprise that the 327 feels exceptionally stable and well-planted underfoot.
Torsional rigidity
One key way that the 327 maintains such a stable base is through a high level of torsional rigidity, which we scored 4 out of 5 on our subjective scale after our manual assessment. As such, the shoe is able to mitigate any excessive lateral movements that lead to instability. This is also helpful for those with overpronating strides.
327 | 4 |
Average | 3.6 |
Heel counter stiffness
Squeezing and prodding at the 327’s heel counter reveals it to be moderately stiff, earning a middle-of-the-road score of 3 out of 5 on our subjective scale. This level of stiffness means that we were able to achieve a snug lockdown without the heel collar putting too much pressure on our tendons or restricting the natural movement of our foot.
327 | 3 |
Average | 3.2 |
Midsole width - forefoot
The biggest contributor to how stable the 327 feels underfoot is its behemoth of a platform that measures 119.5 mm wide at the forefoot. This is much wider than average and goes far to explain how well-planted we feel in this shoe.
Furthermore, this wide midsole in combination with the rather snug toebox (which will be discussed below) serves to really lock us in place within the shoe, which feels more like an extension of our foot. This makes the 327 feel exceptionally stable yet agile underfoot.
327 | 119.5 mm |
Average | 108.5 mm |
waist pack new balance lab13115onb blue
The 327’s midsole is similarly robust at the heel, measuring 90.6 mm wide according to our caliper. This is much wider than our current lab average for sneakers.

327 | 90.6 mm |
Average | 83.6 mm |
Flexibility / Stiffness
With its thick and dense slab of EVA foam, we expected the 327 to be significantly stiffer than average. But curiously enough, our shoe flexing tester showed that it required a standard amount of force (13.8N) to bend by 30 degrees!
This makes the NB 327's ride fairly balanced as it feels stable and supportive without sacrificing a certain amount of comfort.

327 | 13.8N |
Average | 13.8N |
Weight
Despite the substantial amount of rubber found on the shoe, the 327 is surprisingly lightweight; tipping the scale at only 10.6 oz (301g).
This is much lighter than the average sneaker and means that the 327 never felt cumbersome as we tested the shoe, even when walking around for extended periods.
327 | 10.62 oz (301g) |
Average | 13.76 oz (390g) |
Breathability
We pumped the 327 full of smoke to get an idea of how well-ventilated it is. As we can clearly see from the footage, smoke is able to escape the shoe quickly and relatively evenly throughout. This performance earns the 327 an above-average breathability score of 4 out of 5, thus making the shoe a good choice for those toasty summer days.
For comparison, check out how the Reebok Classic Leather chokes up the smoke; making it more of a foot sauna than a sneaker.
To illuminate matters further, we inspected a backlit cross-section of the 327 and found that the light easily shines through the many perforations in the upper’s porous mesh sections.
Looking at a closeup image of the 327’s upper mesh under our microscope reveals it to be made of very thin fibres interwoven and braided with lots of gaps and holes that promote excellent airflow through the shoe.

327 | 4 |
Average | 3 |
Durability
Leather/Suede quality
Using our blowtorch, we burned the 327’s overlays and found them to be genuine suede. We can tell by how the material merely gets scorched rather than melting or catching fire as a synthetic material would.
327 | Real suede |
Toebox durability
To test the durability of the 327’s toebox, we fired up our Dremel to 5K RPM and applied the grinding ningsstrumpor to the shoe with 3.2N of force. This has an immediate effect that sends shreds of suede flying all over.
Despite the four-second test being visually dramatic, we found that we hadn’t inflicted as much damage as anticipated, with only an unsightly indent left in the aftermath. This leads us to give the 327 a respectable 3 out of 5 for toebox durability and to predict that it should last 500 miles of normal use with no issues.

327 | 3 |
Average | 3.7 |
Heel padding durability
Next to face the Dremel is the 327’s generously padded heel counter. While the test isn’t as visually exciting as the last, the tool’s grinding ningsstrumpor was quick to blast through the lining material and feat upon the soft padding below.
It’s difficult to see from the aftermath photo, but our tool really did a number on the 327’s heel counter during the four-second test. The hole it left is quite pronounced and gaping enough to fit our finger, leading us to give it a less-than-stellar 1 out of 5 for heel padding durability. As such, we don’t recommend going sockless in this shoe as the constant friction of sweaty heels will likely take a toll on its integrity after some time.

327 | 1 |
Average | 3.2 |
Outsole hardness
Using our durometer to test the hardness of the 327’s outsole reveals it to be right within the average range and 85.5 HC. This level of hardness usually denotes a healthy mix of grip and durability.

327 | 85.5 HC |
Average | 85.7 HC |
Outsole durability
For the third and final appearance of our Dremel, we take aim at the 327’s prominent outsole. This time spinning at 10K RPM, we apply the tool’s grinding ningsstrumpor to one of the mini-lugs that dot the outsole. While a fair amount of debris is kicked up, the Dremel doesn’t seem to have much effect throughout the twenty-second test.
Using a tyre tread gauge to assess the damage, we found that only 0.84 mm of rubber had been shorn off the outsole. This is less than the average sneaker loses in this same test and leads us to predict that the 327 should easily last 500 miles before showing any major signs of wear and tear.

327 | 0.8 mm |
Average | 1.1 mm |
Outsole thickness
The 327’s outsole is right on par with our current lab average at 5.7 mm thick according to our caliper measurements. This gives us no cause for concern as our previous test demonstrates that the outsole is hardy enough to withstand extreme wear and tear with Sostenible.

327 | 5.7 mm |
Average | 5.3 mm |
Misc
Grip / Traction
The highlight feature of this shoe is certainly its prominent outsole which extends into a flashy triangle at the rear of the shoe. The many circular “lugs” that dot the outsole provide us with excellent traction over a variety of surfaces. Their configuration also means that this shoe is well-suited for park days as we were still able to get good traction on damp grass.
What’s more, the way the outsole extends up the contour at the rearfoot feels great as we rest our heel against the floor while driving and facilitates switching between pedals seamlessly.
Reflective ningsstrumpors
The 327 doesn’t feature any reflective ningsstrumpors.

327 | No |
Tongue padding
At only 2 mm thick according to our calliper measurements, the 327’s tongue is much thinner than average.
Despite this, we were able to achieve a snug and secure lockdown without the laces feeling too apparent across our instep.

327 | 2.0 mm |
Average | 9.3 mm |
beauty youth new balance 878 date sortie
While the 327’s tongue is non-gusseted, the central lace-loop helps to prevent it from slipping off to the side.

327 | None |
Removable insole
The 327’s insole is fully removable, so those in need of custom orthotics can use them with this shoe.

327 | Yes |