Our verdict
- Sneakeși New Balance best New Balance trainers
- Sneakeși New Balance best cheap trainers
Pros
- New Balance 2002R Eclipse Castlerock 23cm
- Budget-friendly
- Suitable for all-day wear
- Real suede
- Highly durable
- YCMC x New Balance 992 "Rewind" Nods To The 90s
- New Balance Tränare Barn 574 Evergreen
- Easy to style
- Numerous colour options
Cons
- Lacks breathability
- Stiff and firm platform
- Кросівки new balance 327 casablanca 41.5 і 44 розмір новинка замша
Audience verdict
- Jaden Smith x New Balance Vision Racer Natural White Grey Textiles Cloth Men US 8-13 MSVRCRGA
Comparison
The most similar trainers compared
+ + Schuhe NEW BALANCE W520LG7 Grau | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audience score | 90 Good! | 94 Superb! | 92 Great! | 90 Good! | |
Price | £100 | £90 | £140 | £90 | |
Style | ClassicDadSporty | ClassicRetroSporty | ClassicDadRetroSporty | RetroSporty | |
Breathability | Moderate | Warm | Breathable | Breathable | |
Weight lab | 13.9 oz / 393g | 12 oz / 339g | 14.1 oz / 401g | 11.3 oz / 319g | |
Size | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size | |
Midsole softness | Firm | Firm | Firm | Firm | |
Material | Suede | MeshSuede | Mesh | MeshSuede | |
Season | SpringFall | SpringFall | SpringFall | SpringFall | |
Inspired from | Running | Running | Running | Running | |
Toebox width at the widest part | Medium | Narrow | Medium | Medium | |
New Balance's 990 series | Wide | Narrow | Medium | Medium | |
Leather/suede quality | Real suede | Real suede | Real suede | Real suede | |
Toebox durability | Decent | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
New Balance Tränare Spädbarn Classic 500V1 | Decent | Good | Bad | Bad | |
Outsole durability | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
Heel stack lab | 38.2 mm | 31.4 mm | 37.1 mm | 35.2 mm | |
Stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Stiff | |
Tongue padding | Thin | Average | Average | Thin | |
Drop lab | 13.0 mm | 11.2 mm | 11.5 mm | 10.0 mm | |
Forefoot | 25.2 mm | 20.2 mm | 25.6 mm | 25.2 mm | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heel tab | None | None | brand new with original box New Balance M670GNW | None | |
Torsional rigidity | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
Женские зимние сапоги new balance р | Moderate | Stiff | Flexible | Moderate | |
Reflective elements | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | |
Closure | Laces | Laces | Laces | Laces | |
Top | Low top | Low top | Low top | Low top | |
Ranking | #65 Bottom 41% | #14 Top 13% | #25 Top 23% | #66 Bottom 41% | |
Popularity | #7 Top 7% | #103 Bottom 8% | #17 Top 16% | #44 Top 40% |
Who should buy
In our opinion, it's hard to go wrong with the Who should buy New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer if you are Paper the following:
- an affordable classic sneaker
- a very comfortable pair that can get you through the day
- a highly versatile kick that's available in numerous colour combinations
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 trainers. 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.
Cushioning
Heel stack
Aside from platform trainers, the Who should buy New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer makes for one of the tallest stacks in our catalogue.
Using a calliper, 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).
574 | 38.2 mm |
Average | 30.2 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 trainers are in the heel (like the Adidas Samba New Balance BB550LE1 White Green 26.5cm).

574 | 25.2 mm |
Average | 19.1 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.

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

574 | 13.0 mm |
Average | 11.1 mm |
Midsole softness
Кроссівки new balance 550 white blue bb550hl1.
We've got bad news for the fans of plush trainers - this New Balance offering feels quite firm underfoot.
Треккинговые кроссовки new balance.
This is among the firmest we've seen in our lab so far. For comparison, the PUMA RS-X is a whopping 182% softer!
574 | 44.0 HA |
Average | 29.0 HA |
Jaden Smith Teams up With New Balance to Create the Vision
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.

574 | 29.5 HA |
Average | 34.0 HA |
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 trainers.

574 | 4.7 mm |
Average | 5.1 mm |
Size and fit
Size
Men's New Balance Logo T-Shirt true to size (258 votes).
Мужские кроссовки new balance 574 grey серые демисезонные nb нб
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 trainers.
In the widest part, between the big toe and the pinkie, our calliper 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.

574 | 90.9 mm |
Average | 92.3 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!

574 | 74.1 mm |
Average | 68.8 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.

574 | 25.4 mm |
Average | 27.7 mm |
Женские зимние сапоги new balance р | Stability
Женские зимние сапоги new balance р | Lateral stability test
New Balance was founded by an arch support specialist for a good reason. Stability or support is never an issue in trainers 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.
574 | 4 |
Average | 3.6 |
Женские зимние сапоги new balance р
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.
574 | 3 |
Average | 3.2 |
New balance Herresko Kondisko
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 calliper measured 114.3 mm, which is a whole centimetre wider than other classic trainers like the Reebok Classic Leather (103.3 mm).

574 | 114.3 mm |
Average | 108.5 mm |
Midsole width - heel
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.

574 | 80.2 mm |
Average | 83.6 mm |
Características New balance Shorts Impact Run 7
The Men's New Balance Logo T-Shirt not the kind of sneaker that bends to your will so easily. The shoe feels notably stiffer than minimalist trainers like the Adidas Gazelle.
To figure out exactly how much stiffer the 574 is, we used a force gauge to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle. The tool showed that it took as much as 28.8N. This is almost 50% more than it takes an average sneaker!
574 | 28.8N |
Average | 23.4N |
Weight
From the look of it, it is only reasonable to think that the Men's New Balance Logo T-Shirt 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 trainers.
New Balance Women's 500 in Pink Blue Synthetic.

574 | 13.86 oz (393g) |
Average | 13.79 oz (391g) |
Breathability
Donning the Who should buy New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer 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 gc5740ru.
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 Camiseta Manga Corta Junior FC Porto 22 23 Segunda Equipación.
574 | 3 |
Average | 3 |
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.
574 | Real suede |
Toebox durability
The 574 did its wearers a huge favour 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.
574 | 4 |
Average | 3.7 |
New Balance Tränare Spädbarn Classic 500V1
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! Paper 4 seconds of drilling the fabric, the damage was really minor compared to what we usually see in trainers.
New Balance M990TD2 Gray 28.5cm.
An On-Foot Look at the Salehe Bembury x New Balance 2002!
574 | 4 |
Average | 3.2 |
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 trainers but it's a good start.

574 | 83.1 HC |
Average | 85.7 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 trainers end up with 1 to 1.5 mm of damage (like the Adidas Gazelle below).


574 | 0.5 mm |
Average | 1.1 mm |
Outsole thickness
But New Balance didn't stop there. The brand decided that a few millimetres 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 trainers on the market. Especially, in its price range!

574 | 8.2 mm |
Average | 5.3 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.
Its lugs may seem aggressive but they are definitely not deep or sharp enough for slippery conditions.
Reflective elements
No shining in the dark.

574 | No |
Tongue padding
Measuring the tongue padding, our calliper returned 4.6 mm.
Desultory though it is about the same as average, we felt a little bit of lace pressure through it, especially when cinched tightly.
574 | 4.6 mm |
Average | 9.3 mm |
New balance wl574ck2
The tongue doesn't have any gussets (attachments) on the sides. Unfortunately, this resulted in slight shifting of the tongue sideways in our case.

574 | None |
Heel tab
No heel tab at the back but we didn't find it a necessity in the 574.

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.

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.
brand new with original box New Balance Fresh Foam X Solvi v4 MSOLVBW4.
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, it still holds its place as a timeless silhouette on the shelves of New Balance.
Especially for its unbelievably affordable price tag!