When comparing New Balance 990v5 vs 993 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 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.
- Both the New Balance 990v5 and the New Balance 993 are part of New Balance’s “Made in USA” collection.
- Both shoes are comfortable, but I personally think the 993 provides more cushioning under the foot than the 990v5. In my opinion, the 993 is the most comfortable option out of the entire New Balance “Made in USA” collection. Here is the close-up video I took of how both of these shoes respond on my feet.
- Overall, the flexibility of the New Balance 990v5 vs 993 is similar, but I would suggest you watch these videos where I bend and twist the shoes to give you a better idea how they compare regarding flexibility.
- The New Balance 990v5 vs 993 sizing is very similar. Both shoes fit within the realm of what I consider “true-to-size”. If you made me choose, I’d say the 993 fits a little wider around the collar. Click here to jump to the sizing section where I use side-by-side photos to compare these shoes to other popular brands.
- The 990v5 weighs a little bit less than the 993. The 990v5 weighs 1.01 pounds and the 993 weighs 1.06 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 vs 993 by using the videos and pictures I took of the shoes that I own.
New Balance 990v5 vs 993 Comfort
New Balance markets the 993 as a “lifestyle” athletic casual shoe and markets the 990v5 as a running shoe. After wearing both, the overall function of these shoes is very similar.
Both have an athletic design that can be used for walking and jogging, however, if you are looking for a true running shoe, I think there are better options (this is my favorite).
How They Respond on Foot
To give you an idea how these shoes respond on a foot, here I am wearing mine:
As you can see above, both the 993 and the 990v5 are made using a suede/mesh upper. In my opinion, the 993 provides more comfort under the foot than the 990v5, but it is reasonably close.
I also compared the flexibility and the “twistability” of these shoes, and you can view those results here.
Alternative for Running
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 1080v12:
New Balance 990v5 vs 993 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 990v5 vs 993 Padding
Both the 993 and 990v5 have quality padding around the collar and tongue and in my experience, there was no noticeable difference in this area regarding comfort. However, you may notice below that the 993 has a wider collar area (here’s where you can read more about the difference in sizing).
Here are mine (990 first):
Strobel Board
I found no noticeable difference in the strobel board area (which is under the insole). Both the 990v5 and the 993 have fabric stitched over the top of the firm strobel board.
Here are mine (990v5 first):
Insole Thickness
Yes, both the 990v5 and the 993 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 993:
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 990v5 vs 993 Design
Sole Height
Below is the height measurements I took for the New Balance 990v5 and 993 (990v5 first):
As you can see, the 993 (bottom) does sit a little bit taller on the foot (nearly 5 inches tall for a men’s size 12). I also found a difference in the heel-to-toe drop, and the heel height. This is where you can read more about those differences.
Outsole Width
Below is the width measurements I took for the New Balance 990v5 and 993 (990v5 first):
As you can see, the base of these shoes has a similar width. The outsole pattern is different, but it didn’t cause a noticeable difference either way. For a better idea how wide these shoes fit, click here.
New Balance 990v5 vs 993 Weight
The 990v5 weighs a little bit less than the 993. The 990v5 weighs 1.01 pounds and the 993 weighs 1.06 pounds per shoe for a size 12 men’s. Click here to read more about how these weights compare to other New Balance shoes.
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 shoes weigh more than that.
New Balance 990v5 vs 993 Heel Drop
When I measured my New Balance 990v5 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 12mm. When I measured my New Balance 993 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found its heel drop to be approximately 13-14mm.
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 990v5 shoes:
Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance 993 shoes:
You will notice that I found the actual heel height of the 990 to be slightly taller than the 993. Remember, these numbers are my unofficial measurements and should be thought of as approximations. Overall, the heel height is very similar.
New Balance 990v5 vs 993 Sizing
I found the New Balance 990v5 vs 993 sizing to be similar. Both fit within the realm of what I would describe as “true-to-size”. If you made me choose, I would say the 993 fit a bit wider near the collar than the 990v5. But the width of the forefoot area is very similar (993 on right).
Here they are side-by-side (990 on left):
To give you a better idea how wide these shoes are, here they both are compared to the Nike Air Monarch 4E, which is a popular extra wide shoe (990 first):
To read more about sizing, visit my article about 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
New Balance 990 (right) vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Reebok Classics 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 Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Asics Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Hoka One One Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Skechers Afterburn Sizing
New Balance 990 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 990 (right) vs 574 Sizing
New Balance 990 (left) vs 880 Sizing
To read more, visit my article about the sizing of New Balance 990v5 Shoes.
New Balance 993 Sizing Photos
New Balance 993 (right) vs Skechers Afterburn Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Nike Zoom Winflo Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Skechers Go Walk Slip On Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Crocs Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Asics Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Hoka One One Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 574 Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Vans Old Skool Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 997 Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Nike Blazer Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 992 Sizing
New Balance 993 vs Fresh Foam Roav Sizing
New Balance 993 (left) vs 880 Sizing
New Balance 993 (left) vs 860 Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 515 Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 57/40 Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 847 Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 813 Sizing
New Balance 993 (left) vs 2002r Sizing
New Balance 993 (right) vs 237 Sizing
New Balance 993 (left) vs 1080 Sizing
To read more, visit my article about the sizing of New Balance 993 Shoes.
New Balance 990v5 vs 993 Conclusion
These shoes are very similar in that they are both casual athletic shoes. New Balance markets the 993 as a “lifestyle” athletic casual shoe and markets the 990v5 as a running shoe. After wearing both, the overall function of these shoes is very similar.
These shoes are perfect as casual shoes, or for simple exercise. For more advanced running, I think there are better options (this is my favorite).
I found the 993 to provide more comfort under the foot, but the 990v5 weighed less. Both are made with suede/mesh uppers that are reasonably breathable.
When I compared the flexibility of the New Balance 990v5 vs 993, I found both the flexibility and the “twistability” of the shoes to be similar. This is where you can see the videos of me demonstrating how flexible these shoes are.
The sizing and fit is similar, but I did think the 993 was a little bit wider, especially around the collar.
Although both are comfortable, neither offer that “squishy” comfort under the foot that modern athletic shoes offer. If you prefer that squishy comfort, I would recommend the New Balance 1080. Click here to view the New Balance 1080 shoes available at NewBalance.com (paid affiliate link takes you to NewBalance.com).