From sizing to street cred: Your ultimate guide to New Balance

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Discover why New Balance shoes have become such a sportswear mainstay in our complete guide.

Spawned from the sole purpose of boosting customer comfort and providing a ‘new balance’, it’s no surprise that this brand is firmly in the sportswear hall of fame.

Synonymous with record-breaking execution and enduring quality, New Balance has cemented its position as a household name and become a force to be reckoned with – catalysed by its game-changing, high-performance design which put it on the map over a century ago.

With a far-reaching history and an incredible selection of flourishing silhouettes to suit shoppers new and old, it’s safe to say that New Balance will remain as one of the greatest in its field for the foreseeable. But, how has New Balance evolved to become so successful? And when it comes to buying a pair today, what do you need to know about sizing and fit? Keep reading as we take a closer look.

New Balance’s history

New Balance’s story stretches back to 1906, when an English immigrant called William J. Riley founded the ‘New Balance Arch Support Company’ in Boston, Massachusetts, offering orthopaedic footwear. His first product with three support points was unexpectedly inspired by chickens in his backyard, where he noticed that their three-pronged feet gave perfect balance.

The turning point which aligned New Balance to its sports focus of today happened in 1938, where William created a specialist running shoe made from kangaroo leather. From that moment onwards, New Balance worked on extending its product range for a whole manor of sports such as boxing, tennis and baseball, developing to meet the requirements of athletes. This led to the release of the “Trackster” in 1960, the world’s first running shoe with various width fittings and a ripple sole, which was unofficially adopted by college cross-country teams.

Jim Davies, who now owns New Balance, bought the company in ’72 on the day of the Boston Marathon and committed himself to upholding the reputation for customer service and quality, while working to propel New Balance into global success – which he did.

New Balance now makes its shoes in Massachusetts and Maine in the U.S. and Flimby, England. Who would have thought that this reigning brand would have been stimulated by a simple chicken?

Are New Balance trainers cool?

Despite brands such as Nike and adidas being seen to dominate the sneaker realm, it’s hard to deny that New Balance has a substantial piece of the pie. It remains a mighty competitor with no potential dwindling in popularity on the cards; Google Trends shows consistent interest over the last five years, with an impressive boost in April this year, following an increased demand for sneakers during the rise of the 2020 pandemic.

New Balance shoes have seen a huge spike in popularity this year, according to Google Trends.

New Balance’s product offering contains a perfect balance of retro classics and innovative styles to please its audience from every angle. Undoubtedly, the brand’s work with a montage of sporting heroes and big names have only helped it grow on the ‘cool’ scale as the years go by.

Spotted on historical legends such as Bill Clinton, Steve Jobs and Barack Obama, this once ‘endorsed by no one’ brand has since made waves and gained widespread popularity with ambassadors and collaborations including Concepts, Heidi Klum, Offspring, Kawhi Leonard, Milos Raonic and Marvel.

New Balance sizing guide

When it comes to sizing, New Balance shoes follow a slightly different conversion from US to UK sizing than other brands, so it’s recommended to focus on the cm measurement for an accurate fit which represents the true length. If you’re stuck between sizes, it’s better to choose the larger size and make minor adjustments for a better fit with insoles, socks or alternative lacing.

So, how do New Balance shoes fit? These kicks have been found to typically run true to size and boast an especially accurate fit with the range of width options available too. The brand also states that they’re made for comfort straight out of the box – so no painful break-in periods needed.

Reference our handy New Balance size charts for men and women below to find your size.

UK US (MENS) EUR CM
6 6.5 39.5 24.5
6.5 7 40 25
7 7.5 40.5 25.5
7.5 8 41.5 26
8 8.5 42 26.5
8.5 9 42.5 27
9 9.5 43 27.5
9.5 10 44 28
10 10.5 44.5 28.5
10.5 11 45 29
11 11.5 45.5 29.5
11.5 12 46.5 30
12 12.5 47 30.5
12.5 13 47.5 31
UKUS (Women’s)EURCM
353522
3.55.53622.5
4636.523
4.56.53723.5
5737.524
5.57.53824.5
683925
6.58.54025.5
7940.526
7.59.54126.5
81041.527
8.510.542.527.5
9114328
9.511.543.528.5

How to clean New Balance shoes

Cleaning your NB sneakers is as straightforward as four steps; the only things you need are a light bristle brush or toothbrush, a damp cloth and a mild detergent. Opt for an undyed detergent for ordinary fabric styles to avoid staining and make sure you do a small patch test first to check. Leather or suede models will require specialist cleaners, too.

  1. Apply a small amount of the detergent/cleaner to the shoes and scrub gently with the brush.
  2. Use a damp cloth to wipe remaining suds and dirt away.
  3. Stuff the shoes with newspaper to help keep their shape and allow to air-dry for 24 hours.
  4. To remove any odour from the inside of shoes, use a deodorising spray or odour-control insoles. Our full guide contains more handy hacks for delightfully smelling shoes.

New Balance’s directions make it clear that you should not use the washing machine to avoid damaging your favourite pair. For a more detailed walkthrough, take a glance at our complete shoe cleaning guide.

Avoid the washing machine when cleaning your New Balances.

Where to buy New Balance

Has our New Balance guide got your trainer senses tingling? If you’re wondering where to buy these sporty beauties, then look no further. Take a look at our selection of cheap New Balance shoes online or pay us a visit at your local store to find yours.

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