I recently put my hands on both the New Balance 237 and the New Balance 574 shoes so that I could compare them on comfort, sizing, and design. When comparing New Balance 237 vs 574 there are some significant differences that may affect which one is right for you.
Quickly, this is what jumps out the most to me:
- The New Balance 574 and New Balance 237 are similar in that both shoes are inspired by retro athletic shoes. Another New Balance shoe that is very similar to these shoes is the 327, so you will probably want to compare it also.
- Despite both having a thick foam midsole, they aren’t as “squishy” under the foot as modern running shoes. If you prefer that “squishy” comfort, I would recommend the New Balance FuelCell Rebel or the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 which are my two favorite options.
- I found these 237 and the 574 to respond similarly on my foot. Both are made with lightweight, flexible suede/mesh uppers, and feature a thick foam midsole for support. Click here to see the video of how these shoes respond on a foot.
- Although both are flexible, I found the New Balance 574 to be more flexible than the 237. This is where you can see the videos I took comparing the flexibility by bending and twisting the shoes.
- I found these two shoes to weigh very similar. The 237 weighs 0.77 pounds and the New Balance 574 weighs 0.78 pounds per shoe for a size 12 men’s. Although these are very lightweight, there are options by New Balance that weigh even less. Click here to read more about weight.
- Although both shoes fit within the realm of what I consider “true-to-size”, in my experience, the 237 does fit a little bit longer than the 574. The 574, although slightly shorter in length than the 237, does fit a little bit wider. Click here to jump to the sizing section where I use side-by-side photos to compare these shoes to other popular brands so you can choose the right size.
- Perhaps the biggest difference regarding design is the fact that the 237 is inspired by retro running shoes and the 574, although designed in part like a retro athletic shoe, is built to have a more versatile design, making it better than the 237 for all-day use.
In this article let’s take a closer look at the New Balance 237 vs 574 by using the videos and pictures I took of the shoes that I own.
New Balance 237 vs 574 Design
The 237 and 574 are inspired, in part, by retro running shoes, which means both styles have a lightweight, flexible design. However, the 574 has a more versatile outsole, which makes it a bit better for all-day use (is the 574 good for running?).
How They Respond on Foot
To give you an idea how these shoes responds on a foot, here I am wearing mine:
As you can see above, both options are made with a lightweight suede/mesh upper, which allows the shoe to be flexible. The foam midsole on the two shoes is very similar, but the 237 midsole is slightly thicker.
Although these shoes are comfortable, they aren’t as “squishy” under the foot as other types of New Balance shoes. For comparison, here is one of the most comfortable options, the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v12:
Flexibility
In the videos below, I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:
I found the 574 to be a bit more flexible (and twistable) than the 237. Now, to be clear, the 237 does not feel stiff on the foot, but the 574 is a bit more responsive.
Padding
Both the 237 and 574 have quality padding around the collar. The 237 has a retro exposed-foam tongue while the 574 has a more modern, padded tongue. Here are mine (237 first):
Insole Thickness
Yes, both the 237 and the 574 have removable insoles, so you can clean or swap them as needed. First, here is the insole of the 237:
And below, is the insole for the New Balance 574:
By my measurements, the insole thickness was basically the exact same.
New Balance 237 vs 574 Design
Sole Height
Below is the height measurements I took for the New Balance 237 and 574 (237 first):
As you can see, the 237 has a thicker midsole, but the overall height of the shoes is similar.
Outsole Width
Below is the width measurements I took for the New Balance 237 and 574 (237 first):
As you can see, although the widest point of the outsole has a similar measurement, the overall design of the outsole is quite different. The 574 has what New Balance refers to as a “hybrid road/trail design” which makes it a versatile shoe.
Weight
Despite some design differences, I found these shoes to weigh almost the exact same. Here I am weighing my 237 and 574 shoes, which are men’s size 12 shoes (237 first):
Recently I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes. Overall, these shoes are both lightweight compared to the average of the shoes I tried (I found the average to be 0.89 pounds per shoe for a size 12 men’s).
Heel Drop
When I searched for New Balance 237 and 574 heel drop information, I couldn’t find solid data anywhere. New Balance (at the time I am publishing this article) does not list the heel drop information on the product pages for these two shoes.
I decided to measure the 237 and 574 heel drop myself. What I found was the heel-to-toe drop of these shoes is very similar, and is in that upper-mid drop to high drop range.
When I measured my New Balance 574 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 13-14mm. When I measured my New Balance 237 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 9mm.
It is important to understand that although I tried my best to get accurate measurements, the best way to measure heel drop is to cut the shoes in half and use an industrial caliper. Obviously, I didn’t want to destroy my shoes, but this is a convenient alternative way to measure heel drop.
The point is, think of these heel drop numbers as an approximation. For all official measurements, it would be best to reach out to New Balance directly.
Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance 237 shoes:
Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance 574 shoes:
New Balance 237 vs 574 Sizing
Overall, I found these two shoes to both fit within the realm of what I would describe as “true-to-size”. The 237 to me fits a tiny bit longer than the 574, and the 574 fits a bit wider than the 237.
The 574 is made using the SL-2 last, which is designed to create a little bit of extra room in the forefoot and toe box. New Balance says it was “built on a wider last than the previous generation’s narrow racing silhouettes”.
Overall, expect the 574 to have a slightly wider fit than the 237 (New Balance Shoe Sizing Explained). Here they are side-by-side (237 on right):
New Balance 237 Sizing Photos
To read more, visit my article about the sizing of New Balance 237 Shoes.
New Balance 237 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Vans UltraRange Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Vans Old Skool Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Numeric 272 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Nike Cortez Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Crocs Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
New Balance 237 vs 5740 Sizing
New Balance 237 (right) vs 990 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 327 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs XC-72 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 992 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 993 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 720 Sizing
New Balance 574 Sizing Photos
To read more, visit my article about the sizing of New Balance 574 Shoes.
New Balance 574 (right) vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Vans UltraRange Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Vans Slip On Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Vans Old Skool Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Nike Cortez Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Hey Dude Wally Sox Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Crocs Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing
New Balance 574 (right) vs 997 Sizing
New Balance 574 (left) vs 515 Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Asics Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
New Balance 574 (left) vs 993 Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Brooks Adrenaline Sizing
New Balance 574 vs Nike Zoom Winflo Sizing
New Balance 574 (left) vs 860 Sizing
New Balance 574 (left) vs 5740 Sizing
New Balance 574 (left) vs 880 Sizing
New Balance 574 (left) vs 720 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs 574 Conclusion
Both the 237 and 574 are inspired, in part, by retro athletic shoes. Both have a lightweight, flexible design, but I found the 574 to be a bit more flexible.
They respond similarly on the foot. Although these shoes were inspired by retro athletic shoes, if you are looking for running shoes, a more modern style will likely be best (I like the New Balance FuelCell Rebel and the New Balance 1080 the best).
Overall, these shoes are very similar in that they are lightweight casual shoes that provide a comfortable fit. The 237 has a traditional retro running design and the 574 is built on a wider last with a more-versatile outsole that gives more of an all-purpose design.