New Balance XC 72 Sizing Guide w/ Photos [Fit Big or Small?]


This New Balance XC 72 Sizing Guide uses direct comparison photos where I put my XC 72 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 XC 72 shoes run big or small?

New Balance XC 72 shoes fit true to size for most people. They have a fit that is very comparable to other types of athletic casual shoes. I ordered my normal sizing and they fit comfortably. New Balance now also has it’s own sizing guide available at NewBalance.com that has helpful sizing tips for the XC-72 – click here to view that sizing guide at NewBalance.com (paid affiliate link takes you to NewBalance.com).

When I compared New Balance XC 72 sizing to the sizing of other popular shoes, I found the XC-72 to fit true to size. For example, here is my New Balance XC-72 (on the right) compared to Nike Air Max sizing:

new-balance-xc-72-vs-nike-air-max-excee-sizing

And here is my New Balance XC-72 compared to Adidas Superstar:

new-balance-xc-72-vs-adidas-superstar-sizing

I ordered my normal sizing for the New Balance XC-72 and they fit comfortably. Let’s start this New Balance XC 72 Sizing Guide by looking at the direct side-by-side comparison photos of my New Balance XC 72 shoes compared to other popular shoes (and how it reacts on my foot).

New Balance XC 72 Sizing Photos

New Balance XC 72 On My Foot

To give you an idea how the XC 72 responds on a foot, here I am wearing mine:

New Balance XC 72 vs Brooks Adrenaline Sizing

brooks-vs-new-balance-xc-72-sizing

New Balance XC 72 (right) vs Adidas 2k Boost Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-adidas-2k-boost-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Skechers Go Walk Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-skechers-go-walk-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Adidas Superstar Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-adidas-superstar-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Converse Chucks Sizing

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New Balance XC 72 vs Reebok Classics Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-reebok-classics-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-adidas-gazelle-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Vans Old Skool Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-vans-old-skool-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Nike Blazer Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-nike-blazer-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-saucony-shadow-6000-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Nike Air Max Excee Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-nike-air-max-excee-sizing

New Balance XC 72 (right) vs 574 Sizing

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New Balance XC 72 (left) vs 327 Sizing

new-balance-327-vs-xc-72-sizing

New Balance XC 72 (right) vs 997 Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-997-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Nike Cortez Sizing

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New Balance XC 72 vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-converse-pro-leather-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Vans UltraRange Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-vans-ultrarange-sizing

New Balance XC 72 vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing

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New Balance XC 72 (right) vs 237 Sizing

new-balance-xc-72-vs-237-sizing

Do New Balance XC 72 Shoes Run Big or Small?

When I compared the New Balance XC 72 Shoes to other types of popular athletic-style casual shoes pictured above, I found the fit to be very similar. In my experience, the New Balance XC 72 shoes fit true to size.

To read more about sizing, visit my New Balance Size and Fit Guide.


Do New Balance XC 72 Shoes Fit Wide or Narrow?

In my experience, New Balance XC 72 do not fit too wide or too narrow. The material of the upper is very flexible (the XC 72 is made, in part, based off the design of retro running shoes), so it almost feels like it forms to my foot.

But overall, the toe box area has what I would describe as average width. For example, here is my New Balance XC 72 compared to Nike Air Max:

new-balance-xc-72-vs-nike-air-max-excee-sizing

For those with wide feet: To get a better idea of how wide these shoes are, below is the width of my New Balance XC 72 shoes (in standard width) compared to the Nike Air Monarch 4E (which is a popular extra wide shoe):

new-balance-xc-72-vs-nike-air-monarch-sizing

Below is a photo of me measuring the width of the outsole on my XC 72 men’s size 12 shoes:

new-balance-xc-72-width-outsole

It should be noted that the design of these shoes has an outsole that sticks out a bit wider than the upper itself (meaning this measurement above won’t give you a perfect indication of the width of the shoe – see the New Balance XC-72 on foot photo below). That said, I found the New Balance XC-72 width to be very standard compared to other types of athletic casual shoes.

New Balance XC 72 On Foot

Here I am wearing my New Balance XC 72 shoes, which I found to have a true-to-size, comfortable fit:

xc-72-on-foot

Are New Balance XC-72 Lightweight?

My size 12 men’s New Balance XC 72 shoes weigh 0.93 pounds per shoe.

new-balance-xc-72-weight

Recently I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes. Overall, these shoes are reasonably lightweight, however, I did find that other types of New Balance athletic casual shoes weighed less. To read about how these shoes compare to other New Balance shoes, visit my New Balance Weight Chart.

New Balance XC 72 Material

The New Balance XC 72 shoes are made using a lightweight suede and textile upper. Here is a close-up look at the material on my XC 72 shoes:

new-balance-xc-72-material

How Flexible are New Balance XC 72 Shoes?

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

The New Balance XC 72 shoes have a flexible design that feels responsive on my foot. In the videos below I tried to capture how flexible these shoes are:

Do New Balance XC 72 Shoes Fit Tall?

New Balance XC 72 Sole Height

I found the New Balance XC 72 sole height for my size 12 shoes to be approximately 1.5 inches tall near the heel. Overall, this is a 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 XC 72 shoe:

new-balance-xc-72-sole-height

New Balance XC-72 Heel Drop

When I searched for New Balance XC-72 heel drop information, I couldn’t find solid data anywhere. New Balance (at the time I am publishing this article) does not list the XC-72 heel drop information on the product page.

I decided to measure the XC-72 heel drop myself. When I measured my New Balance XC-72 shoes using an 8-inch Digital Outside Caliper, I found the heel drop to be approximately 12-13mm.

Here I am measuring the heel drop of the New Balance XC-72 shoes:

new-balance-xc-72-heel-drop-measurements-1
new-balance-xc-72-heel-drop-1

**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 XC-72 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 XC-72 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 XC-72 heel drop and how it compares to other options.

Do New Balance XC 72 Shoes Fit Comfortable?

In my experience, the New Balance XC 72 shoes have a comfortable fit that is reasonably lightweight and flexible. This shoe combines a retro running style with a more-modern wedge outsole, and because of that, it has a comfortable design that doesn’t feel stiff on the foot.

To read more in depth about comfort, visit my article Are the New Balance XC 72 Shoes Comfortable?

New Balance XC 72 Padding

The New Balance XC 72 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 XC 72 shoes near the collar:

new-balance-xc-72-collar

Does the New Balance XC 72 Have a Removable Insole?

Yes, the New Balance XC 72 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 XC 72 shoes:

new-balance-xc-72-insole

How Thick is the New Balance XC 72 Insole?

I measured my New Balance XC 72 foam insole to be slightly under a quarter-inch thick.

new-balance-xc-72-insole-measurement

This insole thickness is comparable to many other types of New Balance shoes.

XC-72 Comparisons

To read more about how the XC-72 compares to other options, visit my articles linked below:

New Balance XC-72 vs 237

New Balance XC 72 Sizing Conclusion

In my experience, the New Balance XC 72 sizing fits true to size. When I compared the sizing of the XC 72 to the sizing of other popular athletic casual shoes, I found the sizing to be very similar.

The New Balance XC 72 shoes have a regular width that I would describe as not too narrow nor too wide. The material used for the upper is very flexible, and feels like it forms to my foot. Because of this, if you have wide feet, the material on the New Balance XC 72 will be a bit more forgiving than a stiffer upper, and I think it allows this shoe to fit a wider range of feet.

If you need a wider design, the New Balance 574 is another athletic casual sneaker, and it comes in wide sizing.

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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