This New Balance Roav Sizing Guide uses direct comparison photos where I put my New Balance Fresh Foam Roav 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 Roav shoes run big or small?
New Balance Roav shoes fit true to size for most people. However, some people find that the Roav fits just a little bit smaller than their normal shoe size. Part of this issue may have to do with the fact that the Roav has a shallow, snug toe box. For a more regular fit, you may need to size up a half size (or choose wide sizing). Click here to view side-by-side sizing photos comparing these shoes to other popular brands.
Let’s start this New Balance Roav Sizing Guide by looking at the direct side-by-side comparison photos of my New Balance Roav shoes compared to other popular shoes. Then let’s discuss how other design specs of this shoe differ from other options.
New Balance Roav 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 Roav v2.
New Balance Roav On My Foot
To give you an idea how the Roav responds on a foot, here I am wearing mine:
New Balance Roav (right) vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Reebok Classics Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing
New Balance Roav (right) vs 1080 Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Brooks Adrenaline Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Under Armour HOVR Sizing
New Balance Roav (left) vs Rebel Sizing
New Balance Roav vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
New Balance Roav (right) vs 1080 Sizing
New Balance Roav (right) vs 860 Sizing
New Balance Roav (left) vs 840 Sizing
New Balance Roav (left) vs Fresh Foam More Sizing
Do New Balance Fresh Foam Roav Shoes Run Big or Small?
In my experience, the New Balance Fresh Foam Roav shoes run little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing. As we will discuss next, the toe box is shallow, which create a snug fit. For a more regular fit, you may need to size up a half size (or choose wide sizing).
To read more about sizing, visit my article about the sizing of New Balance Shoes.
Do New Balance Roav Shoes Fit Wide or Narrow?
This shoe is built on a PL-8 performance last that is designed to deliver a standard fit. However, in my experience, New Balance Roav shoes have a shallow toe box that creates a snug fit near the toes. Below is a photo of the New Balance Roav toe box (left) compared to the New Balance Fresh Foam 860:
Perhaps it is the type of material used on the upper, but I just found the toe box to fit snug.
To get a better idea of how wide these shoes are, below is the width of my New Balance Roav shoes (standard) compared to the 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 Roav men’s size 12 shoes:
The overall width of the outsole is very similar to other running shoes. But the shallow toe box creates a snug fit, so wide sizing may be needed.
How Much Do New Balance Roav Shoes Weigh?
My size 12 men’s New Balance Fresh Foam Roav shoes weigh 0.61 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. Click here to see how the weight of the New Balance Roav Shoes compares to other New Balance shoes.
Are New Balance Roav Shoes Breathable?
Yes, the New Balance Roav shoes are very breathable. Out of all the Fresh Foam shoes that I have tried, I think the Roav was the most breatahble. I also think the New Balance FuelCell running shoes (Propel, Rebel) are very breathable.
To help illustrate how breathable these New Balance Fresh Foam Roav shoes are, here I am holding my shoes up to the light:
You can actually see some light passing through the material.
The main takeaway is, yes, expect the New Balance Fresh Foam Roav to be breathable.
New Balance Fresh Foam Roav On Foot
Here I am wearing my New Balance Roav shoes, which I found to have a snug fit:
How Flexible are New Balance Roav Shoes?
Flexibility can play a large role in the fit and comfort of a shoe.
The New Balance Roav shoes are one of the most flexible shoes that New Balance makes. In the video below I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:
Do New Balance Roav Shoes Fit Tall?
New Balance Roav Sole Height
I found the New Balance Roav sole height for my size 12 shoes to be approximately 2 inches tall near the heel. Overall, this is a very standard heel height that is very similar to other types of athletic shoes.
In the photo below, I tried to capture the heel height, and the overall height of the Roav shoe:
New Balance Roav Heel Drop
When I measured my New Balance Roav shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 8mm.
Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance Roav 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 Roav 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 Roav 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 Roav heel drop and how it compares to other options.
Do New Balance Fresh Foam Roav Shoes Fit Comfortable?
In my experience, the New Balance Roav shoes have a comfortable fit that is lightweight and flexible. However, 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 Roav Shoes Comfortable?
New Balance Roav Padding
The New Balance Roav 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 Roav shoes near the collar:
Does the New Balance Roav Have a Removable Insole?
Yes, the New Balance Roav 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 Roav shoes:
How Thick is the New Balance Roav Insole?
I measured my New Balance Roav foam insole to be slightly under a quarter-inch thick.
I did find this insole thickness to be a bit thicker than the insole used in certain other types of New Balance running shoes. For example, here is the Roav insole (left) compared to the insole used in the New Balance FuelCell Rebel:
New Balance Fresh Foam Roav Sizing Conclusion
In my experience, the New Balance Fresh Foam Roav runs a bit smaller than normal shoe sizing. The main reason for this is the shallow toe box can create a crowded feeling through the toes. For a more normal fit, you may need to size up a half size (or choose wide sizing).
If you want something lightweight that has a more regular fit, I would recommend considering my two favorite types of New Balance running shoes: the New Balance FuelCell Rebel and the New Balance 1080.