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I recently put my hands on both the New Balance 237 and the New Balance 720 shoes so that I could compare them on comfort, sizing, and design. When comparing New Balance 237 vs 720 there are some significant differences that may affect which one is right for you.
Quickly, this is what jumps out the most to me:
- These shoes are similar in that they are both inspired by retro athletic shoes. Two other styles that are also inspired by retro athletic shoes are the New Balance XC-72 (click here to view) which has a futuristic “time-bending” design and the New Balance 327 (click here to view) which has a unique outsole that makes it stand out from the crowd.
- Despite both having a comfortable 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 (click here to view) or the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 (click here to view) which are my two favorite options.
- I found these 237 and the 720 to respond similarly on my foot. Both are made with lightweight suede uppers, and feature a foam midsole for support. Click here to see the video of how these shoes respond on a foot.
- Between these two style, the 720 was the more flexible option. Yes, the 237 is flexible and comfortable to wear, but the 720 has a much more responsive design. This is where you can see the videos I took comparing the flexibility by bending and twisting the shoes.
- The 720 weighs less than the 237. The 720 weighs 0.69 pounds and the 237 weighs 0.77 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.
- Both shoes fit within the realm of what I consider “true-to-size” and the overall fit of these shoes is very similar. If you made me choose, I’d say the 720 had a slightly more narrow fit. 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 has a thicker midsole which increase the heel height of the shoe. The 720 is a low-profile shoe that sits very low to the ground compared to other New Balance shoes.
In this article let’s take a closer look at the New Balance 237 vs 720 by using the videos and pictures I took of the shoes that I own.
New Balance 237 vs 720 Design
The 237 and 720 are inspired, in part, by retro running shoes, which means both styles have a lightweight, flexible design. However, the 720 has a much lower profile than the 237.
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/nylon uppers, which allows the shoe to be flexible. Both shoes have a foam midsole, but the midsole is thicker and more comfortable on the 237. The 720 has a lower profile.
Although these shoes are comfortable, they aren’t as “squishy” under the foot as other types of modern New Balance running shoes. For comparison, here is one of the most comfortable options, the New Balance FuelCell Rebel:
Flexibility
In the videos below, I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:
Although both shoes are flexible, the 720 is much more flexible (and twistable) than the 237 shoe.
Padding
Both the 237 and 720 have quality padding around the collar, but if you made me choose, I think the 237 offers more padding around the tongue and ankle area. As you can see below, the 237 offers the retro exposed-foam tongue and the 720 has a retro nylon tongue with no exposed foam.
Here are mine (237 first):
Insole Thickness
Yes, both the 237 and the 720 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 720:
By my measurements, the insole thickness was basically the exact same.
New Balance 237 vs 720 Design
Sole Height
Below is the height measurements I took for the New Balance 237 and 720 (237 first):
As you can see, the 720 has a low profile design. The 237 has a thicker midsole, and because of it, the overall height of the shoe is taller than the 720. But overall, the design of these two shoes is quite similar.
Outsole Width
Below is the width measurements I took for the New Balance 237 and 720 (237 first):
As you can see, the 720 has a more narrow base. In fact, the 720 has a narrow design (we discuss sizing and fit more later in the article). But before you get too concerned about fit, the material of the 720 is so lightweight and flexible that it conforms to a wide range of feet.
Weight
Because of the design differences we discussed above (thicker midsole, wider base), the 237 does weigh a bit more than the 720. Here I am weighing my 237 and 720 shoes, which are men’s size 12 shoes (237 first):
Recently I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes and I found the average to be 0.89 pounds per shoe for a size 12 men’s. So, as you can see, both of these shoes are lightweight compared to the average New Balance shoe that I tried.
Heel Drop
When I searched for New Balance 237 and 720 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 720 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 720 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 11mm. 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 720 shoes:
New Balance 237 vs 720 Sizing
Overall, I found these two shoes to both fit within the realm of what I would describe as “true-to-size”. The overall fit of these shoes is very similar, but I did think the New Balance 720 fit a bit more narrow.
As I mentioned earlier in the article, both of these shoes use a lightweight, flexible upper that fits a wider range of feet sizes comfortably. I ordered my normal sizing for both.
To read more about sizing, visit my article that discusses the size of New Balance shoes. Here they are side-by-side (237 on left):
New Balance 237 Sizing Photos
To read more, visit my article about the sizing and fit 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 Slip On 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 Max 90 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs Hey Dude Wally Sox 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 997 Sizing
New Balance 237 (right) vs 990 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 327 Sizing
New Balance 237 (right) vs 574 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 992 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs 993 Sizing
New Balance 237 (left) vs XC-72 Sizing
New Balance 720 Sizing Photos
To read more, visit my article about the sizing of New Balance 720 Shoes.
New Balance 720 vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Vans UltraRange Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Vans Slip On Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Vans Old Skool Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Keen Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Nike Cortez Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Hey Dude Wally Sox Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Crocs Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing
New Balance 720 (right) vs 5740 Sizing
New Balance 720 (right) vs 997 Sizing
New Balance 720 (right) vs 990 Sizing
New Balance 720 (right) vs 574 Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Vans Authentic Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Vans Sk8-Hi Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 720 (right) vs 1080 Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Brooks Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
New Balance 720 vs Asics Sizing
New Balance 720 (left) vs 327 Sizing
New Balance 237 vs 720 Conclusion
Both the 237 and 720 are inspired by by retro athletic shoes. Both have a lightweight, flexible design. The 237 has a thicker midsole, which gives it a taller heel height and makes it a bit heavier in weight. Both shoes are lightweight compared to average shoes. .
I found them to 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 have a very similar fit, although I felt like the 720 had a slightly more narrow fit. I found both to fit true to size and they provided a comfortable fit.