When I compared my New Balance 550 vs Air Force 1 sizing, I found there to be a noticeable difference. The Nike Air Force 1 fits a little bit longer in length than the New Balance 550, and has a wider, roomier toe box area.
New Balance 550 vs Air Force 1 Sizing
Here’s a photo of my Air Force 1 vs New Balance 550 sizing:
The difference in sizing wasn’t extreme, but it was noticeable. This isn’t too shocking since the Air Force 1 is known to run a little bigger than other types of silhouettes.
When I compared the New Balance 550 to the sizing of other popular athletic shoes, I found the sizing to be very similar. For example, below is a photo of my New Balance 550 compared to Air Jordan 1 sizing:
And here is my New Balance 550 compared to Adidas Superstars:
This is where you can view all the New Balance 550 comparison sizing photos I took. This is where you can view more Air Force 1 sizing comparison photos.
Does AF1 Fit Wider than New Balance 550
Yes, the AF1 is definitely wider and roomier in the toe box than the New Balance 550. If you have wide feet, you may need to size up the New Balance 550 for extra space.
The Air Force 1 also has a more squared toe box shape than the New Balance 550. Below is the toe box size of Air Force 1 compared to New Balance 550 (AF1 on left):
Videos of Me Wearing Both Shoes
I felt a little bit more heel slippage with my normal sizing in the AF1 than I did with the New Balance 550. Here are videos of me wearing both the Air Force 1 and the New Balance 550 (AF1 first):
Flexibility of AF1 vs New Balance 550
In my experience, the New Balance 550 is more flexible than the Air Force 1. Here are videos of me demonstrating the flexibility of both the New Balance 550 and the Nike Air Force 1 (550 first):
New Balance 550 vs Air Force 1 Sizing Conclusion
In my opinion, both shoes fall within the realm of what I would consider to be true to size. However, the Air Force 1 definitely fits a little bit longer than the New Balance 550, and also has a wider, roomier toe box. To read more, visit our article about Nike vs New Balance Shoe Sizing.