New Balance 992 Sizing Guide w/ Photos [Fit Big or Small?]


This New Balance 992 Sizing Guide uses direct comparison photos where I put my 992 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 992 shoes run big or small?

New Balance 992 shoes fit a little bit larger than normal shoe sizing. If you are in-between shoe sizes, it is probably best to size down. When I ordered my normal sizing, I felt like they fit about a half size larger than normal shoe sizing. New Balance now also has it’s own sizing guide available at NewBalance.com that has helpful sizing tips for the 992 – click here to view that sizing guide at NewBalance.com (paid affiliate link takes you to NewBalance.com).

When I compared the sizing of New Balance 992 to the sizing of other popular athletic shoes, I found the 992 to consistently run a bit longer in length. For example, here is my New Balance 992 (on the right) compared to Nike Air Force 1 (both size 12):

new-balance-992-vs-nike-af1-sizing

And here is my New Balance 992 compared to Hoka sizing (both size 12):

new-balance-992-vs-hoka-sizing

In my experience, it is best to size down a half size for a more traditional fit. Let’s start this New Balance 992 Sizing Guide by looking at other direct side-by-side comparison photos of my New Balance 992 shoes compared to other popular shoes.

New Balance 992 Sizing Photos

New Balance 992 On My Foot

To give you an idea how the 992 responds on a foot, here I am wearing mine:

New Balance 992 vs Nike Zoom Winflo Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Skechers Go Walk Slip On Sizing

new-balance-992-vs-skechers-go-walk-slip-on-sizing

New Balance 992 (right) vs 990 Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Asics Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Hoka One One Sizing

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New Balance 992 Sizing vs Converse Chucks

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New Balance 992 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Skechers Afterburn Sizing

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New Balance 992 (left) vs 993 Sizing

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New Balance 992 (left) vs 2002r Sizing

new-balance-2002r-vs-992-sizing

New Balance 992 (right) vs 997 Sizing

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New Balance 992 (left) vs 1080 Sizing

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New Balance 992 (left) vs 880 Sizing

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New Balance 992 vs Fresh Foam Roav Sizing

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New Balance 992 (right) vs 237 Sizing

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New Balance 992 (right) vs 840 Sizing

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Do New Balance 992 Shoes Fit Wide or Narrow?

In my experience, New Balance 992 do not fit narrow. When I compared them to other types of popular athletic shoes (like the Nike Air Max pictured below), I felt like not only did the 992 fit longer in length, but it also had a slightly wider design:

new-balance-992-vs-nike-air-max-excee-sizing

Below is a photo of me measuring the width of the outsole on my 992 men’s size 12 shoes:

new-balance-992-outsole

These New Balance 992 outsole width measures near 4.75 inches, which is slightly wider than most other New Balance standard width shoes.

Do New Balance 992 Shoes Run Big or Small?

When I compared the New Balance 992 Shoes to other types of popular athletic-style shoes pictured above, I found the fit to be a little bit larger than normal shoe sizing. If you are in-between sizes, I would suggest sizing down.

To read more about sizing, visit my New Balance Size Comparison Page.


How Much Do New Balance 992 Shoes Weigh?

My size 12 men’s New Balance 992 shoes weigh 1.27 pounds per shoe.

new-balance-992-weight

Recently I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes. To read about how these shoes compare to other New Balance shoes, visit my article regarding New Balance Weight.

Are New Balance 992 Shoes Breathable?

Yes, the New Balance 992 shoes are breathable. Here is a close-up look at the breathable material on my Cruz shoes:

new-balance-992-material

Although the 992 is reasonably breathable, it isn’t as breathable as certain types of New Balance running shoes. For example, here is the the New Balance Propel that I own:

new-balance-propel-breathable

You can actually see light passing through the shoe.

The main takeaway is, yes, expect the New Balance 992 shoes are reasonably breathable since they are an athletic casual shoe with mesh on the upper. But there are more breathable options made by New Balance (Propel, Rebel).

How Flexible are New Balance 992 Shoes?

Flexibility can play a large role in the fit and comfort of a shoe.

The New Balance 992 shoes have more support and therefore are not as flexible as New Balance running shoes. However, the flexibility is similar to many types of casual athletic shoes. In the videos below, I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:

Do New Balance 992 Shoes Fit Tall?

New Balance 992 Sole Height

I found the New Balance 992 sole height for my size 12 shoes to be approximately 2 inches tall near the heel (the rear of the heel pushes near 2.25 inches). Overall, this shoe sits a bit taller than most other types of New Balance shoes.

In the photo below, I tried to capture the heel height, and the overall height of the 992 shoe:

new-balance-992-sole-height

New Balance 992 Chunky

When I recently tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes, I found the New Balance 992 sizing to be bulkier than other options. The 992 is a sturdy shoe, with thick materials and extra cushioning. Although this is a good thing, as we discussed earlier, it does add a bit of weight to the shoe.

If you like the New Balance Made in USA collection, I found both the 990 and the 993 to not be as bulky as the 992. If you prefer the chunky style, visit my article about chunky New Balance shoes to see your best options.


Do New Balance 992 Shoes Fit Comfortable?

In my experience, the New Balance 992 shoes have a comfortable fit. They are part of New Balance’s Made in USA collection.

Out of the Made in USA collection, I actually think the 993 shoes are the most comfortable (you can read more about the New Balance 993 here). But these 992 shoes are very comfortable also.

It should also be noted that I think the shoes with the most cushioning under the foot are the New Balance FuelCell shoes – the FuelCell Propel and the FuelCell Rebel. Of course, those shoes are built to be running shoes, so they might not fit what you are looking for.

To read more in depth about comfort, visit my article Are the New Balance 992 Shoes Comfortable?

New Balance 992 Padding

The New Balance 992 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 992 shoes near the collar:

new-balance-992-padded-collar

Does the New Balance 992 Have a Removable Insole?

Yes, the New Balance 992 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 992 shoes:

new-balance-992-insole

How Thick is the New Balance 992 Insole?

I measured my New Balance 992 insole to be slightly under a quarter-inch thick. This insole thickness is comparable to many other types of New Balance shoes.

new-balance-992-insole-thickness

992 Comparisons

To read more about New Balance 992 sizing compares to other shoes, visit my comparison articles linked below:

New Balance 992 vs 993

New Balance 992 vs 2002r

New Balance 992 vs 574

New Balance 992 Sizing Conclusion

In my experience, the New Balance 992 sizing run a little bit larger than normal shoe sizing. If you are in-between sizes, I would suggest sizing down.

If you want to compare it to another shoe, I like the New Balance 990, which is also part of the New Balance Made in USA collection, and has a more normal fit.

Paul Johnson

Paul is a lead content creator for Workwear Command. He has had several blue-collar jobs which have provided him a wide range of experience with tools and gear. He also has a business degree and has spent time in business casual office settings.

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