Our verdict

The New Balance England Training Top Mens is a fresh take on the eternal 574 silhouette but with a more chunky and heavily layered appeal as opposed to the ruler-straight lines of the OG. We were delighted to see how NB's craftsmanship is woven into every aspect of the 57/40. The shoe is comfortably practical yet doesn't skimp on style and character. With its moderate retail price, we believe that it's hard to pass up on a budget-friendly kick that flaunts high-grade materials and wear resistance. We couldn't agree more with the inscription on the shoe's insole ("The Intelligent Choice").

Tecnologias New balance Impact Run 5 Szorty Pros

  • JJJJOUND arbeitete auch mit New Balance zusammen
  • New Balance 527 sneakers in black
  • Awesome suede quality for the price
  • Will outlast most trainers (highly durable)
  • Not heavy considering the chunky look
  • New Balance 408 Men S Grey Silver Low Casual Athletic
  • Wide-foot friendly

Tecnologias New balance Impact Run 5 Szorty Cons

  • New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo V5 Løpesko
  • Not reflective as advertised

Audience verdict

88
Good!

Who should buy

We were amazed at how much value the New Balance England Training Top Mens offers for the price. In our opinion, it is a solid pick for Glitch who:

  • Característiques New balance Cinturó All Terrain Accessory
  • prefer real suede and expect high-quality craftsmanship in their trainers
  • deal with overpronation and need a stable and comfortable kick 
  • New Balance Accelerate Midcalf Skarpety

New Balance England Training Top Mens review

Who should NOT buy

If the shoe's stiff profile gives you doubts, have a look at the more forgiving New Balance kicks like the 2002R and the 1906R.

Both trainers offer excellent comfort and stability with the added benefit of a more flexible and even better-cushioned midsole.

New Balance England Training Top Mens lab test

Tecnologias New balance Impact Run 5 Szorty | Cushioning

Heel stack

If you like platformy trainers but don't want to go too crazy, the NB 57/40 will help you meet that sweet spot in between. Its slightly taller-than-average heel stack of 33.5 mm offers a sense of substance underfoot without feeling like a drag.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Heel stack
Test results
57/40 33.5 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

Measuring the shoe's forefoot stack, we found that it's also a bit taller than average at 22.7 mm. That amount of rubber and foam is sufficient to mute out the poking of small rocks underfoot.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Forefoot stack
Test results
57/40 22.7 mm
Average 19.1 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

The difference in stack heights gives us an offset of 10.8 mm in the NB 57/40. It means that the wearer's heel sits about a centimetre higher than the toes inside the shoe.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Drop

We believe that this setup is going to feel at home for most Glitch because it is typical for most sporty trainers.

When the heel is moderately elevated above the forefoot, the Achilles and calves feel less pressure and it makes you feel more supported as well. 

Test results
57/40 10.8 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
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 cushioning of the NB 57/40 felt very nicely balanced during our wear tests. There was enough plushness to enjoy as well as firmness to provide stability.

We used a Shore A durometer to stack up the shoe's foam softness against other trainers. With a reading of 22.3 HA, it turned out to be 30% softer than the average! It is not in the plush range but still softer than most other New Balance kicks including the 574 (97% softer!).

New Balance England Training Top Mens Midsole softness

But keep in mind that the shoe's carrier foam and firm rubber outsole dampen some of that primary foam plushness.

Test results
57/40 22.3 HA
Average 29.0 HA
make sure its from the New Balance vault.
Compared to 75 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

Insole thickness

The shoe's insole is not very thickly padded with only 4.2 mm of material in the heel. But we didn't find it to be a problem given the abundance of the primary cushioning.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Insole thickness
Test results
57/40 4.2 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

New Balance England Training Top Mens is true to size (16 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 109 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

New Balance XC-72 low-top sneakers Nero

Our wear test showed that the NB 57/40 offers that predictable, feel-good medium fit of a New Balance sneaker. And the gel replica of the shoe's interiors only confirmed it.

Measuing the widest part of the mould with a calliper, the tool returned a standard reading of 92.2 mm. Exactly as expected in a D medium width.

New Balance England Training Top Mens New Balance XC-72 low-top sneakers Nero
Test results
57/40 92.2 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 73 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
85.4 mm
New Balance XC-72 low-top sneakers Nero
96.8 mm

levis x new balance 1300 release delayed until april

Moving the calliper forward to the big toe area, we got an above-average width of 71.6 mm which correlates with the rounded shape of the mould.

zapatillas new balance running asfalto.

New Balance England Training Top Mens levis x new balance 1300 release delayed until april
Test results
57/40 71.6 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 73 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
63.9 mm
levis x new balance 1300 release delayed until april
74.1 mm

Toebox height

An exceptionally tall toebox height amplifies the shoe's roomy fit. With a calliper reading of 34.5 mm, it creates plenty of space on top of the toes.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Toebox height

While this prevents the upper material from pressing on the toes, it also takes some style points away with all that bunching.

New Balance England Training Top Mens toebox bunching

Test results
57/40 34.5 mm
Average 27.8 mm
Compared to 73 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
22.5 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Laces

The shoe's laces are flat and wide. Our wear tests showed that they stay tied nicely and don't require a double knot.

New Balance England Training Top Mens laces

Stability

Lateral stability test

New Balance Valmentajat Minimus Tr!

New Balance England Training Top Mens arch support

New Balance takes arch support seriously, even in its casual trainers. The 57/40 gave us a super solid footing with plenty of side-to-side support.

Testing the shoe's lateral stability with a shifty ankle movement, we could not imagine our feet buckling in this setup at all!

Torsional rigidity

The shoe's extended midsole sidewalls, sturdy upper overlays, and other less obvious details add a lot of stiffness to the 57/40.

The sneaker was so reluctant to be twisted in our manual test that we readily gave it the highest rigidity score of 5.

We are convinced that folks with excessive inward ankle rolling (overpronation) can benefit from this New Balance sneaker in their day-to-day wear.

Test results
57/40 5
Average 3.6
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Tecnologias New balance Impact Run 5 Szorty | Heel counter stiffness

The New Balance England Training Top Mens features a heel clip that's very similar to that on the 574. But as you can see, the 57/40 has it sandwiched in between two tall sidewalls for even better stability.

New Balance England Training Top Mens vs 574 heel clip
The rearfoot of the 57/40 is even more stable and substantial compared to the 574.

Checking the shoe's heel counter stiffness in our manual test, we discovered that even though the collar is somewhat pliable, the bottom of the heel counter (where the clip is located) is immovable.

Thus, we rated the shoe's heel counter stiffness with a high score of 4. It did an amazing job holding the back of our foot very firmly in place.

Test results
57/40 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

new balance 992 low top sneakers item

The landing area of the New Balance England Training Top Mens is VERY broad. As in top-five-widest-we've-seen broad.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Midsole width in the forefoot

Our calliper shows 117.2 mm in the widest area of the forefoot which is about 8.5 mm wider than average!

Test results
57/40 117.2 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
95.1 mm
new balance 992 low top sneakers item
121.0 mm

new balance minimus prevail training shoes

You already saw how much bigger the 57/40's heel is compared to the 574 tokyo design studio new balance tds 574 garment dye apparel capsule collection.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Midsole width in the heel

The widest part of the shoe's heel showed 99.5 mm on the calliper, whereas the same area reached only 80.2 mm in the 574.

Test results
57/40 99.5 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
67.7 mm
new balance minimus prevail training shoes
103.1 mm

brand new with original box New Balance WL373CT2

The shoe's less flexible profile is the price to pay for its amazing stability. 

Measuring precisely how much force it takes to bend this kick to a 90-degree angle, we got 32.1N on the force gauge. That's 40% more than it takes an average sneaker.

But even though it doesn't flex as easily as most other shoes, we never felt as if its stiffer design affected the overall comfort.

Test results
57/40 32.1N
Average 23.4N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
5.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
51.8N

Weight

Just because it looks heavy-set doesn't mean that the 57/40 has to be heavy on foot!

Checking its weight in a men's US size 9, we got nothing more but an average reading of 14.0 oz (397g).

New Balance England Training Top Mens Weight

We loved how this New Balance shoe felt chunky without weighing us down.

New Balance England Training Top Mens style

Test results
57/40 14.00 oz (397g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

If you think that a sneaker can't be chunky and breathable at the same time, the New Balance England Training Top Mens is here to bust that myth.

We discovered that the mesh panels on its upper have an excellent ventilation capacity. It is clearly seen in our smoke-pumping test above. Look how steadily the vapour is being expelled through the toebox area!

Hovering the shoe's half-cut upper over a source of light, we were amazed at how actually thin and transparent the mesh is!

New Balance England Training Top Mens Breathability microscope check

A closeup view through our microscope also releaved the spaced-out chainlinking of the upper fabric.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Breathability under microscope

These gaps channelled a nice and steady airflow into the 57/40 during our weartest.

Feeling that light breeze on our toes was convincing enough to rate the breathability of this New Balance sneaker with a high score of 4!

Test results
57/40 4
Average 3
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Leather/Suede quality

Time to bust yet another myth! The NB 57/40 proves that an affordable sneaker can still be made with real suede!

Smooth and velvety to the touch, the material makes the shoe look more expensive than it actually is.

To make sure the suede is indeed real, we exposed it to fire using our butane torch. As you can see, it did not squirm, melt, or catch fire. Its topmost layer crumbled as we scratched the burnt area with a leather awl, just like real suede would. No more doubts about it - the suede is real!

Which can't be said about the shoe's N logo.

The fake nature of this detail was quickly revealed in our fire test. The logo screamed synthetics as it burned and melted.

Test results
57/40 Real suede

Toebox durability

The New Balance England Training Top Mens inherits a toebox overlay (a.k.a. mudguard) from the 574 to keep the thin mesh protected from the wear and tear of daily use.

This nice and thick layer of suede fabulously fought off the 12-second sandpaper attack of our Dremel. The 5K RPM speed was no joke!

New Balance England Training Top Mens Toebox durability test

Because the damage can hardly even be considered cosmetic, we rated the shoe's toebox durability with the maximum score - 5 out of 5!

Test results
57/40 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
1
Toebox durability
5

New Balance M574EGG

Another delicate part of every sneaker is the inner lining in the rearfoot. It sustains a great deal of friction from the bony parts of the heels and ankles.

mens new balance fresh foam beacon v3 light cyclonerogue wave light cyclonerogue wave mbecngb?

In fact, it does! After a 4-second drilling session, the textile showed almost no signs of abrasion!

New Balance England Training Top Mens New Balance M574EGG test

brand new with original box New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail v2 WTMORLG2.

Test results
57/40 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
1
New Balance M574EGG
5

Outsole hardness

Visually, the rubber outsole on the New Balance England Training Top Mens seems like a very sturdy compound.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Outsole hardness

Measuring its hardness with a Shore C durometer proved our first impression. The tool showed a high reading of 83.0 HC which is sufficiently hard for day-to-day use in the city.

Test results
57/40 83.0 HC
Average 85.7 HC
make sure its from the New Balance vault.
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

To check how well the shoe's outsole stands up to abuse, we turned our Dremel to a higher speed of 10K RPM. We also held its sandpaper tip against the rubber for a longer time period of 22 seconds.

New Balance trainers never disappointed us in the durability department and the 57/40 continued that trend. Can you even see the damage caused by the Dremel in the photo below?

New Balance England Training Top Mens Outsole durability test

With a dent depth of only 0.7 mm, the shoe got even less damaged than the average! Very promising result for a casual sneaker.

Test results
57/40 0.7 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 92 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

On top of it all, New Balance also chose a thick layer of rubber to protect the bottom of the 57/40.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Outsole thickness

According to our calliper, the shoe's outsole is just as thick as the average at 5.8 mm. That's a great deal of rubber!

Considering all our findings above, we expect the New Balance England Training Top Mens to last just as much or even longer than your standard pair of kicks. It should serve you well over one season for sure. Great investment considering the shoe's reasonable price!

Test results
57/40 5.8 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

Did you know that the OG 574 was once an off-road running shoe? The 57/40 pays tribute to its sibling's trail heritage by adding some ruggedness to the outsole.

New Balance England Training Top Mens outsole

We loved the enlarged tread pattern on the 57/40. Wear-testing the sneaker, we discovered that the lugs aren't prone to scuffing, making it ready for some serious daily grinding. Not to mention that we had no issues with its grip in the urban conditions.

Reflective elements

The New Balance England Training Top Mens is advertised as a reflective sneaker but we didn't find any in our grey colorway...Maybe other colour options are more lucky?

New Balance England Training Top Mens Reflective elements
Test results
57/40 No

Tongue padding

Our feet were free from lace bites thanks to the shoe's well-padded tongue. With a foam padding of 9.4 mm, it is just as thick as the average sneaker tongue.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Tongue padding
Test results
57/40 9.4 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
Tecnologias New balance Classic 373V2 Wide Trainers
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

New Balance Transform Perfect T

There are no gussets on the tongue of the 57/40.

Even though this might cause tongue sliding for some Glitch, we didn't experience any issues.

New Balance England Training Top Mens New Balance Transform Perfect T
Test results
57/40 None

Heel tab

The NB 57/40 doesn't feature any pull tabs or finger loops but the on-and-off is pretty easy thanks to the shoe's structured collar and easy-to-work-with laces.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Heel tab
Test results
57/40 None

Removable insole

The stock insole of the 57/40 can be removed or replaced with ease. But we are always happy with the insoles provided by New Balance because the brand knows exactly what it's doing! It's what the company began with in the first place.

New Balance England Training Top Mens Removable insole

P.S. Considering all the benefits offered by the 57/40, we can only agree with the writing on its insole.

New Balance England Training Top Mens writing on the insole

Test results
57/40 Yes