Our verdict
- New Balance Calça Essentials best dad shoes
Pros
- Sleek dad shoe
- Amazingly durable
- New Balance 530 Suede BlackM530CBA
- Retro vibes
- True to size
- Feels light to the foot
- Caratteristiche New balance Scarpe Classic Running 574v2
Cons
- Not so breathable
- So-so stability
Audience verdict
- Top 30% in New Balance sneakers
Comparison
The most similar sneakers compared
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Audience score | 90 Great! | 89 Good! | 94 Superb! | 91 Great! | |
Price | $90 | $145 | $100 | $120 | |
Style | DadRetroSporty | ClassicDadRetroSporty | DadRetroSporty | RetroSportyFuturistic | |
Breathability | Warm | Warm | Warm | Moderate | |
Weight lab | 12.8 Sandali NEW BALANCE K2004GRP Grey Pink | 13.5 oz / 383g | 12.9 New balance 577 cush зручні та стильні кросівки жіночі нові сша | 14.5 Tênis New Balance Sport Verde | |
Midsole softness | Firm | Firm | Soft | Firm | |
Material | MeshSuede | MeshSuede | LeatherMesh | KnitSuede | |
Season | SpringWinterFall | SpringWinterFall | SpringWinterFall | SpringWinterFall | |
Inspired from | Running | Running | Running | Running | |
PaperBoy Paris & New Balance Team-Up on a Cool Ice Boy 1500 | Medium | Medium | Wide | Wide | |
Toebox width at the big toe | Wide | Medium | Wide | Medium | |
Leather/suede quality | Real suede | Real suede | Real leather | Real suede | |
Toebox durability | Good | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
New Balance Essentials Graphic Men's T-shirt | Good | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
Outsole durability | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
Heel stack lab | 27.7 mm | 35.4 mm | 32.3 mm | 34.8 mm | |
Stiffness | Flexible | Moderate | Stiff | Moderate | |
Tongue Yellow | Average | Average | Average | Thin | |
Drop lab | 9.9 mm | 11.1 mm | 10.0 mm | 11.0 mm | |
Forefoot | 17.8 mm | 24.3 mm | 22.3 mm | 23.8 mm | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heel tab | None | None | None | Pull tab | |
Torsional rigidity | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
New Balance CT302 White Nightwatch Green | Stiff | Moderate | Moderate | Stiff | |
Reflective elements | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | |
Closure | Laces | Laces | Laces | Laces | |
Top | Low top | Low top | Low top | Low top | |
Ranking | #39 Top 50% | #48 Bottom 39% | #5 Top 7% | #31 Top 40% | |
Popularity | #39 Top 50% | #12 Top 16% | #7 Top 9% | #58 Bottom 26% |
New Balance CT302 White Nightwatch Green | Who should buy
Days of wear-testing and lab assessments led us to conclude that the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero is greatly suitable for the following:
- sneakerheads who are OK wearing leather since this shoe is made of real suede
- New balance 327 undyed
- walkers who want light shoes
- wearers with normal-sized feet
New Balance 992 M992CA
We've established through our experience and lab assessments that the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero is not breathable. Wearers with sweaty feet should stay away from this shoe. They are better off with the New Balance 237, New Balance CT302 White Nightwatch Green ASICS Gel Lyte III is also a good alternative.
When it comes to stability, we think that the 997H is so-so at best. The New Balance 480 might be a better pick for stability.
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.
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.
997H | 2 |
Average | 2.9 |
New Balance CT302 White Nightwatch Green | 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.
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 Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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 New Balance 530, which got a 1 out of 5, in the photo below and the sturdiness of the former becomes even more apparent.
997H | 5 |
Average | 3.8 |
New Balance Essentials Graphic Men's T-shirt
We were glad that the suede outer layer was not the only sturdy thing. The heel Yellow 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 Yellow. The New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero remained immaculate. Under similar circumstances, NB 237 ended up with a gaping hole and just gave up the ghost!
997H | 5 |
Average | 3.4 |
Outsole hardness
Our HC durometer gave the outsole a hardness rating of 86.8, making it just as hard as the average outsole. Experience-wise, we did not notice anything unusual, either.
997H | 86.8 HC |
Average | 85.2 HC |
Outsole durability
The New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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.
997H | 0.5 mm |
Average | 1.0 mm |
Outsole thickness
At 4.9 mm thick, the outsole was of average thickness.
997H | 4.9 mm |
Average | 5.6 mm |
Weight
We have to say; the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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 grams.
997H | 12.84 oz (364g) |
Average | 14.22 oz (403g) |
Cushioning
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 caliper measured the heel height to be only 27.7 mm, a number quite close to the average.
997H | 27.7 mm |
Average | 30.0 mm |
Forefoot stack
Just like the heel, the forefoot part of the midsole is also as thick as the average at 17.8 mm.
997H | 17.8 mm |
Average | 18.9 mm |
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.
Based on our calculations in the lab, the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero had a heel-to-toe drop of 9.9 mm.
997H | 9.9 mm |
Average | 11.1 mm |
Midsole softness
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.
Our HA durometer measured its softness to be 32.5 which is more or less equal to the average.
997H | 32.5 HA |
Average | 29.5 HA |
Insole thickness
Sneakers NEW BALANCE CM997HPW Gri.
997H | 4.7 mm |
Average | 5.5 mm |
Stability
Lateral stability test
Though it was not the best, the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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 stabilize our steps.
Of course, better picks exist as far as lateral stability is concerned, and the New Balance WL574ZAG 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.
997H | 3 |
Average | 3.5 |
New Balance CT302 White Nightwatch Green
This sneaker, we feel, owed much of its stability to the secure zapatillas of its heel counter. The rearfoot surely couldn't go anywhere because of how arrested it felt while we were wearing the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero.
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.
997H | 5 |
Average | 3.2 |
Midsole width in the forefoot
The footprints left by the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero were not overly wide or painfully narrow. Our caliper measured the forefoot to be 111.4 mm wide.
997H | 111.4 mm |
Average | 108.9 mm |
Midsole width in the heel
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.
997H | 81.3 mm |
Average | 83.3 mm |
Flexibility
Stiffness
It was such a pleasure to wear the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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 Sea. That much force was significantly less than the amount needed by the typical sneaker.
997H | 16.5N |
Average | 24.1N |
Sneakers NEW BALANCE WL574SOD White
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.
Size and fit
Internal length
Our caliper in the lab measured the footbed to be 273.8 mm long. This number is just around the average.
997H | 273.8 mm |
PaperBoy Paris & New Balance Team-Up on a Cool Ice Boy 1500
Our experience tells us that the New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero couldn't accommodate people with wide feet. The widest part of its toebox was only 100.9 mm wide and surely did not deviate much from the average figure.
997H | 100.9 mm |
Average | 99.1 mm |
Toebox width at the big toe
The big toe part was just as wide as the average, as well. Our caliper in the lab gave a reading of 79.2 mm.
997H | 79.2 mm |
Average | 74.9 mm |
New Balance Fresh Foam EVOZ Womens Shoes Blue Multi
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.
997H | None |
Comfort
Tongue Yellow
The tongue felt nice even when we were not wearing socks. Its surface material was soft, and the Yellow felt like a gentle duvet on top of our feet.
New Balance Mens Tekela v3 Pro LEATHER FG Black Orange.
997H | 9.6 mm |
Average | 9.1 mm |
Heel tab
The New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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.
997H | None |
Removable insole
The New Balance Running Top senza maniche con spalline nero 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.
997H | Yes |
Misc
Reflective elements
The 997H did not have any reflective overlays on it. Usage should only be in well-lit conditions.
997H | No |