New balance 550 sizing compared to air force 1

Finding the right fit when buying new shoes can be tricky at times, especially as not every brand's shoes are the same size, but how do two of the biggest names in sportswear, Nike and New Balance, compare in terms of sizing?

We've put together a guide to compare some of the similarities and differences between the two brands, highlighting some of the key information you need along the way to ensure the perfect fit.

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With both brands consistently featuring among some of the best sneakers for winter though, we'd argue there's never been a better time to learn more about Nike and New Balance sizing.

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Table of contents

Nike vs New Balance - How Should They Fit?

Nike vs New Balance - Which Shoes Fit Wide Feet?

Nike vs New Balance - Which Shoes Run Narrow?

Before we dive in though, make sure you check out our guide to measuring your shoe size as well as you'll likely need this information to compare to both the Nike and New Balance size charts.

Without further delay, let's begin...

Nike vs New Balance - How Should They Fit?

Nike and New Balance make a range of different sneakers including some for everyday wear, like these "Nimbus Cloud" New Balance 574s, to some of the best basketball shoes around, like these Nike Hyperdunk Xs.

As a result, we believe it's important to know a bit about how your shoes should fit to make sure that your feet remain comfortable, regardless of whether you're in a game or going about your everyday life.

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According to Clarks, a good rule of thumb to follow for the length is you should have about one finger's width of space between your longest toe and the end of your shoes, with the natural bend falling around the balls of your feet.

Clarks goes on to suggest allowing for a small amount of wiggle room in your shoes to avoid blisters. Ideally, the balls of your feet should fit comfortably in the widest part of your sneakers, allowing for a small amount of slippage at the heels.

With that covered, it's time to see how the two brands' size charts compare.

Size guide

It's widely considered that New Balance sneakers run slightly bigger than Nike shoes by roughly around 0.5 to 1 US size.

This is evidenced below as a US size 6 from Nike measures 0.3cm smaller than a US size 6 from New Balance.

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This is also said to be the case with the width of the shoes as well, with New Balance shoes said to be slightly wider in general compared to Nike sneakers.

Nike vs New Balance - Which Shoes Fit Wide Feet?

With New Balance shoes generally being slightly wider than Nike's, you may find its sneakers to be more accomodating if you have wider feet.

However, New Balance also offers wider and even X-Wide widths on several of its models, including these Fresh Foam 860v11s, which should give you a little more peace of mind if you're not 100% sure your shoes will fit.

That said, as touched on in our comparison of Nike and adidas sizings, Nike also has its own collection of wide-fitting shoes which includes a wider version of the highly popular Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39s.

As a result, it would appear both brands go to great lengths to accommodate all feet shapes and sizes.

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Nike vs New Balance - Which Shoes Run Narrow?

Both brands recognise that some of their shoes are slightly narrower, or feel narrower than others.

In Nike's case, it appears runners, like these Phantom Run Flyknit 2s, can feel slightly narrower due to the mesh uppers being designed to conform to the shape of your feet for a secure and snug fit whilst exercising.

This is also said to be the case amongst some of Nike's Free range due to the internal webbing providing a tighter lock-in.

If you're a little worried about the width of Nike trainers, then we'd suggest opting for a pair of Air Force 1s or some of the best Jordan 1 Lows as they both typically feature slightly wider toe boxes than runners.

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You may also find some of New Balance's runners to be slightly narrower due to their more feet-hugging, knitted designs.

However, New Balance proudly states that it offers the largest selection of shoe widths, ranging from 2A X-Narrow to 6E XX-Wide, with the aim of having a pair of sneakers to suit every foot type available.

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