When I compared the New Balance 990 vs 997, this is what stood out the most to me:
- These shoes are similar in that they both are casual athletic shoes. Both are comfortable, but they won’t be as “squishy” under the foot as modern athletic shoes. If you prefer that “squishy” comfort, I would recommend the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080.
- The New Balance 990v5 is part of New Balance’s “Made in USA” collection (the 997 is not). The 990 was not my favorite Made in USA option – the 993 was.
- I think the 990 provides more cushioning under the foot, but it was reasonably close. Both shoes are what I would describe as comfortable casual athletic shoes. This is where you can see the videos of me wearing both shoes and see the compression under the foot as I move.
- Overall, I found the flexibility to be pretty similar between the 990 and 997. I’ll let you be the judge: this is where you can see the videos of me testing the flexibility and “twistability” of the New Balance 990 vs 997.
- Both the 990 and the 997 have a retro design reminiscent of 90’s athletic shoes. However, if you made me choose, I would rather exercise in the 990. It is more supportive, and the 997H feels like a lifestyle casual shoe on the foot.
- The New Balance 990 and 997 both fit within the realm of what I consider “true-to-size”. I would suggest you check out these side-by-side comparison photos I took to compare the sizing of these shoes to each other, and to other popular brands.
- The 997H weighs less than the 990. The 990 weighs 1.01 pounds and the 997H weighs 0.74 pounds per shoe for a size 12 men’s. Click here to read more about how these weights compare to other New Balance shoes.
In this article let’s take a closer look at the New Balance 990v5 and the New Balance 997H by using the videos and pictures I took of the shoes that I own.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Comfort
New Balance markets both of these shoes as “lifestyle” shoes. That means although they have an athletic design, they’re best thought of as casual athletic shoes.
These types of shoes are popular because you can use them occasionally for exercise, but also easily pair them with jeans. Both the 990 and the 997 have a retro design reminiscent of 90’s athletic shoes.
How They Respond on Foot
To give you an idea how these shoes respond on a foot, here I am wearing mine:
When comparing the under-foot comfort of the New Balance 990 vs 997, I thought the 990v5 offers a bit more cushioning than the 997. But it was very close. Both have comfortable designs in comparison to other types of casual shoes.
They do not, however, have as much cushioning under the foot as modern running shoes. For example, I recently tried over 30 types of New Balance shoes, and the 1080v12 was my favorite regarding comfort under the foot. It provides that “squishy” feeling and even though the 990 and 997 are comfortable, they don’t have a thick, “squishy” midsole like the 1080v12 (990 vs 1080).
Here is how the 1080v12 responds on my foot:
I also compared the flexibility and the “twistability” of the 990v5 and the 997H shoes, and you can view those results here.
Alternative Options
If you like the casual athletic design of the 990 (which is a bit sturdier than modern running shoes), then I would also suggest the Made in USA 993. I actually thought the 993 was the most comfortable shoe in the New Balance “Made in USA” series.
If you like the retro athletic design of the 997H, the New Balance 237 shoes have a more traditional retro running style than the 997H. Just like the 997H, you can pair the 237 with jeans, or also use it for occasional exercise.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Flexibility
In the videos below, I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:
Overall, these shoes are very similar in how flexible they are. There is, however, a difference in weight. Click here to view the difference in these shoes regarding weight.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Padding
Both the 990v5 and the 997H have quality padding around the collar and tongue. Here are mine (990v5 first):
Insole Thickness
Yes, both the 990v5 and the 997H have removable insoles, so you can clean or swap them as needed. First, here is the insole of the 990v5:
And below, is the insole for the New Balance 997H:
By my measurements, the insole thickness was basically the exact same. I did find the fit of these shoes to be slightly different. This is where you can view the side-by-side photos I took regarding sizing.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Design
Upper Material
Both the 990 and the 997 are made with breathable mesh/suede uppers. Here’s the material on mine (990 first):
Sole Height
Below is the height measurements I took for the men’s New Balance 990 vs 997 (size12; 990 first):
As you can see, the the 990 (top) finished higher on the foot than the 997 does.
Outsole Width
Below is the width measurements I took for the men’s New Balance 990 vs 997 (990 first):
As you can see, the width of these shoes is similar, but in both the men’s and women’s version, the 990v5 measured just a tiny bit wider at the base.
If you are concerned about fit, I would highly suggest you view these side-by-side sizing photos I took of each shoe to get a better idea how both the 990 and the 997 fit.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Weight
The 990v5 weighs 1.01 pounds and the 997H weighs 0.74 pounds per shoe for a size 12 men’s.
As you can see, the 997H weighs less than the 990v5.
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. If you prefer a lightweight shoe, the 997 will be the better option. To view the full list of weights (in a chart) I took for over 30 New Balance shoes, click here.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Sizing
I found the 990v5 and 997H to have a similar fit. Both fit within the realm of what I would describe as “true-to-size”.
Here they are side-by-side (990 on right):
To give you a better idea how wide these shoes are, here they both are compared (in standard width) to the Nike Air Monarch 4E, which is a popular extra wide shoe (990 first):
Overall, I found them to have a normal width. To read more about sizing, visit my article that discusses New Balance sizing and fit.
In the sections below, I compare both of these shoes to other popular shoes so you can get a better feel for sizing.
New Balance 990v5 Sizing Photos
These photos below all use a size 12 men’s shoe. If you would like to skip ahead to 997 sizing, click here.
New Balance 990 (right) vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Nike Zoom Winflo Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Skechers Go Walk Slip On Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Brooks Adrenaline Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Asics Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Hoka One One Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Skechers Afterburn Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 990 (left) vs 880 Sizing
To read more, visit my article about the sizing and fit of New Balance 990v5 Shoes.
New Balance 997 Sizing Photos
These photos below all use a size 12 men’s shoe.
New Balance 997 vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Brooks Adrenaline Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
New Balance 997 (left) vs 880 Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Crocs Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 997 (right) vs Hey Dude Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Asics Sizing
New Balance 997 vs AF1 Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Keen Sizing
New Balance 997 vs Vans Old Skool Sizing
To read more, visit my article that discusses the sizing of New Balance 997H.
New Balance 990 vs 997 Conclusion
The New Balance 990v5 and 997H are both listed as “lifestyle” shoes. Think of these shoes as casual athletic shoes that you can use for occasional exercise, but also easily pair with jeans.
Both the 990 and the 997 have a retro design reminiscent of 90’s athletic shoes. However, if you made me choose, I would rather exercise in the 990. It is more supportive, and the 997H feels like a lifestyle casual shoe on the foot.
The 990 is part of New Balance’s Made in USA line, and the 997 is not. I think the 990 provides a little more cushioning under the foot, but it very close. This is where you can see the videos of me wearing both shoes and see the compression under the foot as I move.
The New Balance 990v5 and 997H both fit within the realm of what I consider “true-to-size”. I would suggest you check out these side-by-side comparison photos I took to compare the sizing of these shoes to each other, and to other popular brands.
If you are searching for ultra-lightweight athletic shoes, there are better options. I like that “squishy” comfort under the foot. My favorite lightweight New Balance running shoes are the Fresh Foam 1080 (click here to view) and the New Balance FuelCell Rebel (click here to view).