This New Balance 847 Sizing Guide uses direct comparison photos where I put my 847 shoes next to other popular shoes so you can see the difference in sizing. I will also discuss things like weight, width, flexibility, heel drop, and sole height. After trying these shoes, do New Balance 847 shoes run big or small?
New Balance 847 shoes fit true to size. They have a fit that is very comparable to other types of athletic shoes. I ordered my normal sizing and they fit comfortably. This is where you can see side-by-side comparison photos that compare the sizing of the New Balance 847 to the sizing of other popular brands.
It’s important to note that this shoe is built using the SL-2 last, which is designed to create a wider forefoot area and a deeper toe box (show me comparison sizing photos for the 847). However, the SL-2 will *most likely* not be wide enough in standard form to overcome the need for wide sizing. In most cases, even on a wider last like the SL-2, you should still order wide sizing if you normally order wide sizing in shoes.
Let’s start this New Balance 847v4 Sizing Guide by looking at the direct side-by-side comparison photos of my New Balance 847 shoes compared to other popular shoes. Then let’s discuss how other design specs of this shoe differ from other options.
New Balance 847 Sizing Photos
All photos below use a size 12 men’s shoe. The exact version used for these sizing photos is the New Balance 847v4.
New Balance 847 On My Foot
To give you an idea how the 847 responds on a foot, here I am wearing mine:
New Balance 847 (right) vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Skechers Afterburn Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Skechers Go Walk Slip On Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Vans UltraRange Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Vans Slip On Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 847 (right) vs 1540 Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Crocs Sizing
New Balance 847 (left) vs 993 Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 847 vs MW840 Sizing
New Balance 847 (left) vs 5740 Sizing
New Balance 847 (left) vs 860 Sizing
New Balance 847 (right) vs 990 Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 847 (left) vs 992 Sizing
New Balance 847 (left) vs 840 Sizing
New Balance 847 (left) vs 877 Sizing
New Balance 847 vs Keen Sizing
Do New Balance 847 Shoe Fit Wide or Narrow?
The New Balance 847 is a walking/casual shoe built with mesh on the upper to offer more lightweight breathability than other walking shoes. This shoe is built using the SL-2 last, which is designed to create a wider forefoot and deeper toe box area.
It’s important to understand that although the SL-2 last creates a wider fit compared to normal lasts, it won’t be enough to overcome the need for wide sizing. You will likely still need to order wide sizing if you normally order wide sizing in shoes. The SL-2 will feel just a tiny bit wider than standard shoes.
For width comparison, here is my New Balance 847 compared to my Nike Cortez shoes. The Nike Cortez are well-known for having a narrow, shallow toe box.
As you can see, the 847 shoe does fit wider than the narrow Nike Cortez. But, again, even though this shoe is a little bit wider than regular shoes, it likely won’t be enough to overcome the need for wide sizing.
To get a better idea of how wide these shoes are, below is the width of my New Balance 847 shoes (standard) compared to the Nike Air Monarch 4E (which is a popular extra wide shoe) both size 12:
Below is a photo of me measuring the width of the outsole on my 847 men’s size 12 shoes:
To be fair, the midsole of this shoe does flare out a bit, so the measurement above won’t be a true indication of the width of the shoe. Still, these shoes offer a wide platform base which helps with stability.
These shoes are available all the way up to New Balance 6E Width.
Do New Balance 847 Shoes Fit Big or Small?
When I compared the New Balance 847 Shoes to other types of popular athletic-style shoes pictured above, I found the fit to be very similar. In my experience, the New Balance 847 shoes fit true to size.
To read more about sizing, visit my New Balance Sizing Guide.
How Much Do New Balance 847 Shoes Weigh?
My size 12 men’s New Balance 847 shoes weigh 1.09 pounds per shoe.
Recently I tried 33 different types of New Balance shoes. Although these shoes are comfortable to wear, there were other types of New Balance shoes that weigh less. Click here to see how the weight of the New Balance 847 Shoes compares to other New Balance shoes.
Are New Balance 847 Shoes Breathable?
The New Balance 847 shoes are not as breathable as many types of New Balance running shoes, but if you compare these 847 to other popular New Balance walking shoes, these shoes are one of the most breathable options.
Many New Balance walking shoes (for example, the 577 and 813) use leather uppers, which add support, but aren’t very breathable. This New Balance 847 shoe has a more breathable upper than those shoes. Here is the material on mine:
New Balance offers a wide selection of breathable shoes. As I mentioned above, many of their running shoes are very breathable. For example, here is the New Balance Propel that I own:
You can actually see light passing through the shoe.
But it is important to understand that many New Balance running shoes won’t provide the same level of support and stability that the 847 provides.
If you are looking for a breathable New Balance walking shoe, I think this is one of your best options. And it still provides stability and support. This 847v4 shoe has the New Balance ROLLBAR technology for stability and the TPU heel insert for enhanced support (see other New Balance shoes with Rollbar).
New Balance 847 On Foot
Here I am wearing my New Balance 847 shoes, which I found to have a true-to-size, comfortable fit:
How Flexible are New Balance 847 Shoes?
Flexibility can play a large role in the fit and comfort of a shoe.
The New Balance 847 shoes have a flexible design that feels responsive on my foot. That said, these are casual/walking shoes, so they are not as flexible as New Balance running shoes. And I also did not think they were as flexible as the 877 walking shoe.
In the videos below, I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:
Do New Balance 847 Shoes Fit Tall?
New Balance 847 Sole Height
I found the New Balance 847 sole height for my size 12 shoes to be just under 2 inches tall near the heel. This heel height is very similar to many other types of New Balance shoes that I have tried.
In the photo below, I tried to capture the heel height, and the overall height of the 847 shoe:
New Balance 847 Heel Drop
When I searched for New Balance 847 heel drop information, I couldn’t find solid data anywhere. New Balance (at the time I am publishing this article) does not list the 847 heel drop information on the product page.
I decided to measure the 847 heel drop myself. When I measured my New Balance 847 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 12mm.
Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance 847 shoes:
**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 the New Balance 847 heel drop.
The point is, think of this number as an approximation. For all official measurements, it would be best to reach out to New Balance directly.
The heel drop won’t affect how the New Balance 847 shoes fit, but it can affect how comfortable it is for you to use. To read more, visit my article that discusses the New Balance 847 heel drop and how it compares to other options.
Do New Balance 847 Shoes Fit Comfortable?
To read more in depth about comfort, visit my article Are the New Balance 847 Shoes Comfortable?
New Balance 847 Padding
The New Balance 847 shoes do have padding around the collar and tongue which helps create a comfortable, but dependable fit. Here is a look at my New Balance 847 shoes near the collar:
Does the New Balance 847 Have a Removable Insole?
Yes, the New Balance 847 has a removeable insole in case you need to clean or swap your insole. Here is a look at the removable insole in my New Balance 847 shoes:
How Thick is the New Balance 847 Insole?
I measured my New Balance 847 insole to be slightly over a quarter-inch thick. This was the thickest insole out of all the New Balance shoes that I tried.
The insole is two different layers. The top layer is a foam material and the bottom layer feels like a type of gel pad:
847 Comparisons
To read more about how these shoes compare to other options, visit my articles linked below:
New Balance 847 Sizing Conclusion
In my experience, the New Balance 847 fits true to size. I though the width was a bit wider than many other types of New Balance shoes, but wasn’t enough to affect my sizing decisions one way or another.
These 847 shoes are built to provide support and stability while also providing a flexible and breathable design. These shoes are more breathable than the leather walking shoes that New Balance offers.
If you want to compare it to another breathable walking shoe, I like the New Balance MW840, which is made with leather, but is more breathable than other leather options.