This New Balance Cruz Sizing Guide uses direct comparison photos where I put my New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz 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 Cruz shoes run big or small?
New Balance Cruz shoes run smaller than normal shoe sizing. Yes, the upper is made with a stretchable fabric, which helps account for the small sizing. Still, I would recommend sizing up a half size unless you prefer a snug fit. Click here to view side-by-side sizing photos comparing these shoes to other popular brands.
Let’s start this New Balance Cruz Sizing Guide by looking at the direct side-by-side comparison photos of my New Balance Cruz shoes compared to other popular shoes. Then let’s discuss how other design specs of this shoe differ from other options.
New Balance Cruz Sizing Photos
All photos below use a size 12 men’s shoe. The exact version used for these sizing photos is the New Balance Fresh Foam Cruzv1.
New Balance Cruz On My Foot
To give you an idea how the Fresh Foam Cruz responds on a foot, here I am wearing mine:
New Balance Cruz (right) vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Brooks Adrenaline Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance Cruz (right) vs 574 Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Hoka One One Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Converse Chucks Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Vans UltraRange Sizing
New Balance Cruz (right) vs 880 Sizing
New Balance Cruz vs Vans Slip On Sizing
Do New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz Shoes Run Big or Small?
In my experience, the New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz shoes run small. The upper is very stretchable, which helps, but I still recommend sizing up a half size if you prefer a more traditional fit.
To read more about sizing, visit my New Balance Sizing Info Page.
Do New Balance Cruz Shoes Fit Wide or Narrow?
In my experience, New Balance Cruz has a snug design, but because the fabric is stretchable, it conforms to a wider range of foot shapes compared to normal shoes. For comparison, here is my New Balance Cruz compared to my Nike Cortez shoes. The Nike Cortez are well-known for having a narrow, shallow toe box.
As you can see, the Cruz shoe fits wider than the narrow Nike Cortez. Because the upper is made with a two-way stretch knit fabric, this shoes conforms well to a wider foot.
But the Cruz standard also isn’t noticeably wide. If you have wide feet, these shoes are available in wide sizes.
To get a better idea of how wide these shoes are, below is the width of my size 12 New Balance Cruz shoes (standard) compared to my size 12 Nike Air Monarch 4E (which is a popular extra wide shoe):
Below is a photo of me measuring the width of the outsole on my Cruz men’s size 12 shoes:
How Much Do New Balance Cruz Shoes Weigh?
My size 12 men’s New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz shoes weigh 0.69 pounds per shoe.
Recently I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes. These shoes were one of the most lightweight options that I tried. To read about how these shoes compare to other New Balance shoes, visit my article that compares the weights of New Balance shoes.
Are New Balance Cruz Shoes Breathable?
Yes, the New Balance Cruz shoes are breathable. Here is a close-up look at the breathable material on my Cruz shoes:
However, it should be noted that these shoes are not as breathable as other types of New Balance running shoes. For example, here I am holding my Cruz shoes up to the light:
There isn’t any light passing through the material.
But compare that to the New Balance Propel, which I think is one of the most breathable New Balance shoes that I tried:
You can actually see light passing through the shoe.
The main takeaway is, yes, expect the New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz to be breathable, but I think there are more breathable options made by New Balance (Propel, Rebel).
New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz On Foot
Here I am wearing my New Balance Cruz shoes, which I found to have a snug fit:
How Flexible are New Balance Cruz Shoes?
Flexibility can play a large role in the fit and comfort of a shoe.
The New Balance Cruz shoes have a very flexible design that feels responsive on my foot. This is one of the most flexible shoes that New Balance offers. In the videos below I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:
Do New Balance Cruz Shoes Fit Tall?
New Balance Cruz Sole Height
I found the New Balance Cruz sole height for my size 12 shoes to be approximately 1.75 inches tall near the heel. Overall, this is a very standard heel height that is very similar to other types of athletic casual shoes.
In the photo below, I tried to capture the heel height, and the overall height of the Cruz shoe:
New Balance Cruz Heel Drop
When I measured my New Balance Cruz shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately between 8 and 9mm.
Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance Cruz shoes (yes, I punctured the toe to get this measurement):
**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 Cruz 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 Cruz 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 Cruz heel drop and how it compares to other options.
Do New Balance Cruz Shoes Fit Comfortable?
In my experience, the New Balance Cruz shoes have a comfortable (but snug) fit that is very lightweight and flexible. These shoes are made with a stretchy fabric that almost fits against the foot like a thick sock.
Although these shoes are comfortable, they did fit tight, and if you prefer a loose fit, you will need to size up. However, because the fabric is so stretchable, the design may work for those who prefer a tighter fit.
My favorite New Balance running shoes for comfort are the FuelCell Rebel and the Fresh Foam 1080.
To read more in depth about comfort, visit my article Are the New Balance Cruz Shoes Comfortable?
New Balance Cruz Padding
The New Balance Cruz shoes do have padding just below the collar. Overall, there isn’t a ton of padding around the collar and tongue, and that has a lot to do with the fact that the material itself is very stretchable and comfortable to wear.
Here is a look at my New Balance Cruz shoes near the collar. You can see the padding tucked down below the collar:
Does the New Balance Cruz Have a Removable Insole?
Yes, the New Balance Cruz 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 Cruz shoes:
How Thick is the New Balance Cruz Insole?
I measured my New Balance Cruz foam insole to be slightly under a quarter-inch thick. This insole thickness is comparable to many other types of New Balance shoes.
New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz Sizing Conclusion
In my experience, the New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz runs small. Yes, the upper is made with a stretchable fabric, which helps account for the small sizing. Still, I would recommend sizing up a half size unless you prefer a snug fit.
The New Balance Cruz shoes have a regular width that I would describe as not too narrow nor too wide. These shoes are available in wide sizes.
If you want something lightweight that has a more regular fit, I would recommend considering my favorite type of New Balance running shoe: the New Balance FuelCell Rebel.