Our verdict

Кросівки new balance reflective New Balance. We love it because the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm maintains the visual aesthetic of the OG's. Besides making it look pretty, we have discovered in the lab that this sneaker's use of a mix of materials also gives it amazing durability and function.

Куртка new balance essentials stacked fz mj03558sbu Pros

  • Set 3 Paar niedrige Unisex-Socken NEW BALANCE LAS95123BK Schwarz
  • Amazingly durable
  • Affordable version of 997
  • Retro vibes
  • True to size
  • Feels light to the foot
  • New Balance 327 "Natural Indigo"

Куртка new balance essentials stacked fz mj03558sbu Cons

  • New Balance Leggings Achiever Remix Høj Talje
  • So-so stability

Who should buy

Days of wear-testing and lab assessments led us to conclude that the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm is greatly suitable for the following:

  • sneakerheads who are OK wearing leather since this shoe is made of real suede
  • buyers who are on the lookout for trainers that are durable from the upper down to the outsole
  • walkers who want light shoes
  • wearers with normal-sized feet

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm buy

Who should NOT buy

We've established through our experience and lab assessments that the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm is not breathable. Wearers with sweaty feet should stay away from this shoe. They are better off with the New Balance FIGS x 'Navy', which is also cheaper than the 997H. If they are willing to try other brands, the Куртка new balance essentials stacked fz mj03558sbu is also a good alternative.

When it comes to stability, we think that the 997H is so-so at best. The Шкіряні кросівки new balance 574 Женские кроссовки new balance 530 utility pack 36-37-38-39-40-41.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm spreadout

Cushioning

Куртка new balance essentials stacked fz mj03558sbu | Heel stack

We did not have any bad experience with the midsole. It wasn't too thick that we were already worrying about stability. And it wasn't too thin that it lacked impact protection either.

True enough, our calliper measured the heel height to be only 27.7 mm, a number quite close to the average.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Heel stack
Test results
997H 27.7 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

Жіночі сірі кросівки new balance женские серые кроссовки.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Forefoot stack
Test results
997H 17.8 mm
Average 19.2 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Куртка new balance essentials stacked fz mj03558sbu | Drop

Transitioning from heel to toe was not a problem because the difference in height between the forefoot and the rearfoot wasn't so pronounced. 

New Balance Vision Racer Sea Salt Storm Blue Trippy Summer.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Drop
Test results
997H 9.9 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
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.

Based on our experience, the midsole delivered what was necessary. It was firm enough to ensure lasting stability. It was also soft enough to ensure we were comfortable even after walking long distances.

New Balance WL 574 Dames Schoenen.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Midsole softness
Test results
997H 32.5 HA
Average 29.1 HA
стильные кроссовки new balance 2002r black dark grey.
Compared to 76 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

Insole thickness

Shoe Gallery x New Balance.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Insole thickness
Test results
997H 4.7 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm is true to size (80 votes).

New Balance Unisex NB Numeric 22 Brown?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 110 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Medium-width feet can expect an accommodating fit in the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm. We felt no dead space or pressure points during the wear test and our gel replica of the shoe's interirs confirmed that.

Using a digital calliper and a custom shoe holder, we measured the widest part of the mould (between the pinkie and the big toe) at 93.1 mm. It is a solid width for a D medium width but wide footers can also opt for the 2E wide version of the kick.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Toebox width - widest part
Test results
997H 93.1 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 75 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
85.4 mm
Toebox width - widest part
96.8 mm

New Balance Team 6 Panel Cap

The taper angle is also very moderate in this NB sneaker showing a standard width of 69.5 mm near the big toe. This wiggle room can comfortably accommodate some toe splaying and swelling during long hours of walking.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm New Balance Team 6 Panel Cap
Test results
997H 69.5 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 75 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
63.9 mm
New Balance Team 6 Panel Cap
74.1 mm

Toebox height

newbalance 997s fusion grey pink.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Toebox height
Test results
997H 25.8 mm
Average 27.8 mm
Compared to 75 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
20.7 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

Though it was not the best, the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm still delivered enough lateral stability to keep us on the footbed. From its moderately responsive sidewalls and typically wide platform, many features worked in synergy to stabilise our steps.

Hombres New Balance Impact Run Heat Tight Black Кросівки new balance nb 327 staud is easily one of them.

Torsional rigidity

We could say that twist protection was satisfactory with the NB 997H. 

Back in the lab, the whole structure of the sneaker showed only moderate resistance to our twisting. We gladly gave it a score of 3 over 5 for torsional rigidity.

Test results
997H 3
Average 3.6
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
1
Torsional rigidity
5

New balance Мужская обувь Cапоги и ботинки

This sneaker, we feel, owed much of its stability to the secure clasp of its heel counter. The rearfoot surely couldn't go anywhere because of how arrested it felt while we were wearing the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm.

We gave the heel counter a good squeeze in the lab, and its resistance to it was quite intense. We had to sweat a lot before it started to yield to the pressure that we applied. A perfect 5; no other score befitted such a performance.

Test results
997H 5
Average 3.2
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
1
New balance Мужская обувь Cапоги и ботинки
5

Midsole width - forefoot

The footprints left by the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm were not overly wide or painfully narrow. Our calliper measured the forefoot to be 111.4 mm wide.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
997H 111.4 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
95.1 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
121.0 mm

New Balance 172

Just like the forefoot, the heel area was just as wide as the average at 81.3 mm. 

Now, did the averageness of the platform widths cause any problems? Not at all! They were enough to contain our feet and ensure that our steps felt stable. The NB 997H was one of those shoes that convinced us that stability was not all about size, how the parts were implemented or configured matters as well.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Midsole width in the heel
Test results
997H 81.3 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
67.7 mm
New Balance 172
103.1 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

It was such a pleasure to wear the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm because it felt more flexible than usual. We never had problems bending our feet when we had to tiptoe, for example, because the shoe went so well with our movements.

After performing the usual flexibility test on this New Balance sneaker, we learned that it needed only 16.5N of force to bend at a 90-degree angle. That much force was significantly less than the amount needed by the typical sneaker.

Test results
997H 16.5N
Average 23.4N
Куртка new balance essentials stacked fz mj03558sbu.
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
5.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
51.8N

Weight

We have to say; the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm truly felt light on the feet. Our steps were effortless and smooth because of its lightness. 

We were surprised to learn this NB sneaker was only slightly lighter than average at 12.8 ounces or 364 grammes.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Weight
Test results
997H 12.84 oz (364g)
Average 13.76 oz (390g)
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

The 997H had that distinct New Balance look, and we were all there for it... if only it wasn't too toasty. This sneaker is really NOT a living thing because it really doesn't know how to breathe! Properly, that is.

We performed the usual smoke test on this shoe, and it was too regrettable to watch that the smoke was only able to escape (and slowly, at that!) through the tongue. It would be a crime to give this sneaker a rating better than 2 out of 5 for ventilation!

The 997H had almost the same look and structure as the New Balance 57/40 (rating is 4 out of 5), but the latter allowed smoke to escape even through the toebox. The video above clearly shows what we mean.

When placed over a light source, it's quite shocking to see that light was only able to pass through the lace holes. 

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm upper microscope

What we saw under the microscope convinced us that good breathability was never the goal of the NB 997H. The material used for the toebox appeared to be multilayered, with every possible vent tightly covered as if a pretty dangerous criminal was jailed inside. 

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Breathability
Test results
997H 2
Average 3
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Leather/Suede quality

The tightly closed-off material only covered the top of the toebox. The rest of the shoe was made of a velvety material which we found to be genuine suede back in the lab. 

We torched a portion of the sidewall, and it immediately smelt like burning hair. We probed the burnt area with our awl and we saw that the material remained relatively intact except of course for the ugly discoloration. Only real suede has this kind of effect when burned.

Test results
997H Real suede

Toebox durability

Being made of real suede, we never doubted the shoe's durability. And we were not disappointed. Not even in the slightest bit.

Our aggressive Dremel drilling on the toebox barely scratched its surface. No wonder no signs of wear and tear were seen even if we carelessly bumped the New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm on various surfaces during our wear tests.

It was a perfect 5 for us as far as toebox durability was concerned. Compare the 997H with the klassiske sko New Balance, which got a 1 out of 5, in the photo below and the sturdiness of the former becomes even more apparent.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Toebox durability
Test results
997H 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
1
Toebox durability
5

Кроссовки new balance 997h blue cm997hce

We were glad that the suede outer layer was not the only sturdy thing. The heel padding was quite resistant as well, and it never faltered as our skin or socks rubbed against it during aggressive movements.

In the lab, even our high-pressure Dremel became a laughingstock when it barely left a mark on the heel padding. The New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm remained immaculate. Under similar circumstances, NB 237 Кроссовки new balance 25.5!

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Кроссовки new balance 997h blue cm997hce
Test results
997H 5
Average 3.2
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
1
Кроссовки new balance 997h blue cm997hce
5

Outsole hardness

Our HC durometer gave the outsole a hardness rating of 86.8, making it just as deep as the average outsole. Experience-wise, we did not notice anything unusual, either.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Outsole hardness
Test results
997H 86.8 HC
Average 85.7 HC
стильные кроссовки new balance 2002r black dark grey.
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

The New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm is another proof that hardness is not always equal to durability. While the outsole had average hardness, its durability was off the charts!

Our Dremel drilling on the outsole resulted only in 0.5 mm damage. This is only half of what we normally see in a typical sneaker's outsole after going through the same amount of abuse.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Outsole durability
Test results
997H 0.5 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 93 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

At 4.9 mm thick, the outsole was of average thickness.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Outsole thickness
Test results
997H 4.9 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

The outsole definitely didn't look aggressive enough, but it sure did cover us well during our wear tests. Its bite never faltered no matter which direction we went. Perhaps we really shouldn't judge the book by its cover from now on.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm outsole grip

Reflective elements

The 997H did not have any reflective overlays on it. Usage should only be in well-lit conditions.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Reflective elements
Test results
997H No

Tongue padding

The tongue felt nice even when we were not wearing socks. Its surface material was soft, and the padding felt like a gentle duvet on top of our feet.

Teases His New Balance 990v6 Baklava.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Tongue padding
Test results
997H 9.6 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 94 trainers
New Balance All Coasts 210 Lobster Print Tan Sneakers Shoes AM210LBS
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Tongue: gusset type

This sneaker from New Balance is not at all gusseted. Well, it's a blessing that it's not. Had it been fully gusseted, it would have hampered so much with ventilation. 

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Tongue: gusset type
Test results
997H None

Heel tab

The New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm did not have any heel tab. We have no complaints about this because (1) the shoe did not really need one and (2) the absence of the heel tab allowed for a more streamlined look.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Heel tab
Test results
997H None

Removable insole

The New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm came with a removable insole. It was easy to get it out when we needed to use inserts of just wanted to have more space inside the sneaker.

New Balance embroidered logo branding White 29.5cm Removable insole
Test results
997H Yes