I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes, including both the New Balance 574 and the New Balance 992. When I compared the New Balance 574 vs 992, I found significant differences. This is where you can read a quick summary about the most important differences between these two shoes.
New Balance 574 vs 992 Explained
Both the New Balance 574 and the New Balance 992 are retro athletic “lifestyle” shoes. Although these are athletic shoes, they are most commonly worn as casual shoes.
In my opinion, the 992 provides more cushioning under the foot than the 574, but the 574 is much more lightweight and flexible. The 992 is a bulkier, supportive shoe. Actually, when I recently tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes, I thought the 992 was the chunkiest New Balance shoe.
The New Balance 992 is part of New Balance’s Made in USA collection (the 574 is not made in the USA). If you prefer the Made in USA collection, I actually thought the New Balance 993 was the most comfortable shoe out of all the shoes in New Balance’s Made in USA collection (992 vs 993 compared).
The New Balance 992 fits longer than the 574. In fact, I found there to be about a half-size difference between the length of these two shoes. This is where you can see a comparison sizing photo for the New Balance 574 vs 992.
Comfort
Both shoes are comfortable, but I think the New Balance 992 provides more cushioning under both the toe pad and the heel. The 992 is made with New Balance’s ABZORB midsole, which helps reduce impact shock under the heel.
Although the 574 is comfortable, it doesn’t have as thick of a midsole as the 992. But this does help keep the weight down for the 574 (more on weight later).
In the videos below, I tried to capture how much compression these shoes have under my feet.
Flexibility
When I tested the flexibility and “twistability” of these shoes, I was a bit surprised at what I found. Despite being an athletic-style shoe, the New Balance 992 is not very flexible. It will be the better option if you prefer a stable, supportive fit.
The New Balance 574 is much more flexible and “twistable” than the 992. Here I am testing the flexibility of these shoes:
Insoles
Yes, both the New Balance 992 and the New Balance 574 have removable insoles. When I compared the thickness of these insoles, I found them to be very similar. The New Balance 992 insole is contoured and fits the shape of the foot better than the 574 insole.
Here is the insole of my 992:
And here is the insole of my New Balance 574:
The thickness of these insoles is very comparable to most other types of New Balance shoes that I tried.
New Balance 574 vs 992 Design
Material
Both the New Balance 992 and the New Balance 574 use a suede/mesh upper that creates a casual, but breathable, design. Here is a look at the material on my shoes (992 first):
Height
As I have mentioned throughout, when I tried these shoes I found the 992 to be bigger and bulkier than the 574. It is taller, with a thicker midsole, and also fits longer (more on sizing later).
Here is a look at the height of my shoes (992 first):
Weight
Because the New Balance 992 is the bulkier shoe, I found it to weigh more than the 574. The 992 provides a sturdier, more casual design with thicker materials. Although this can be a good thing, it does add weight to the shoe.
When I recently tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes, the New Balance 992 was one of the heaviest. My size 12 New Balance 992 weighs 1.27 pounds per shoe and my size 12 New Balance 574 weighs 0.78 pounds per shoe. Here is a look at mine:
New Balance 574 vs 992 Sizing
There is a significant difference in the sizing of these shoes. I found the New Balance 992 to fit about a half size longer than the 574. If you made me choose, I would say the 574 was the one that was closer to true-to-size, and the 992 runs bigger than my normal shoe sizing.
In the photo below I tried to capture the sizing difference in the New Balance 574 vs 992 (574 on left):
In my experience, both shoes have a wider, roomier fit than most other types of New Balance shoes. Here’s a look at these shoes on my foot (992 on right):
I would suggest you visit my sizing guides linked below, where I use side-by-side comparison photos to compare the sizing of these shoes to other popular brands:
The main takeaway is both of these shoes are built to be worn as casual athletic “lifestyle” shoes, but the design and fit is much different. The 992 is a bulkier, supportive shoe that offers more cushioning under the foot. The 574 is much more lightweight and flexible.