GOOD SHOES. REAL LIFE. An independent guide for men 35+ Research in progress
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New Balance 993

For men 35+: fit, comfort and wear.

New BalanceRunner shape

New Balance 993

Image: New Balance

Reviews

15 of 18 reviews recommend it.

3 do not recommend it.

Overall review score7.5/1017 authors

Made in USA

  • True to size or large
  • All day: comfortable

993

  • True to size or small; wide
  • Feels light
More version details

$200Mid-rangeprice at the maker's store

Find on Google

On our lists: Sneakers worn to the office · Sneakers wearers call comfortable all day

Do New Balance 993 run big?

Length

  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
4321

Reported sensations

  1. Under the arch

    993

    • Reported pressure.

  2. Forefoot

    Made in USA

    • Reported pressure.

  3. Width

    • Wide fit.

    Made in USA

    • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
    • Reports differ: regular or wide.

    993

    • Wide fit.

  4. Around the toes

    Made in USA

    • Roomy.

Are New Balance 993 comfortable all day?

Through the day

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.

Weight on foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.

How do they hold up over time?

What wears or breaks?

1
Reported locations, not a failure rate.

1Upper

Made in USA

  • Tearing.

Made in USA 993

  • Coming apart.

Will they keep their looks?

Made in USA

  • Some pairs hold up; others show wear quickly.

How long have people worn them?

Made in USA

  • Owners describe 2–4 years or 3–12 months of wear.
  • Some pairs are still in use.

993

  • Owners describe under 3 months of wear.
  • Some pairs are still in use.

Made in USA 993

  • Owners describe 3–12 months of wear.

These are times already worn, not estimates of how long a new pair will last.

See them on video

YouTube ↗

New Balance x Kith Madison Square Garden 993 Navy Review / On-foot!

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 From The Reconsidered Program

YouTube ↗

Is this the COMFIEST New Balance shoe? - New Balance 993 Chive & Interstellar Reviews & On Feet

New Balance 993 'Community Blue' Review: Made in USA ... by sameoldseth

New Balance 993 JoeFreshGoods Review and Styling Tips by chuckjourneyman

The New Balance 993 Taffy Blue is for sure my sleeper pick this ... by sauney12

New Balance 993 Sea Salt with Black Release Review by guynkicks

More videos
YouTube ↗

Highest Resale for a New Balance Sneaker in 2023? New Balance 993 MiUSA Kith Spring 101

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 "Sea Salt / Black" (U993WS): Review & On-Feet

YouTube ↗

This is ART! Joe Freshgoods New Balance 993 On Feet Review

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 Review/On-Feet with 992 Comparison

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 Community Blue Review & On Feet

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 Review 2026: Is the Made in USA 993 STILL Worth It? (Sizing, Comfort & On-Feet)

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 'Grey' Review | The Perfect Dad Shoe?

YouTube ↗

New Balance 993 – Tested Comfort After 20,000 Steps

YouTube ↗

New Balance Made Size Guide (990v1–v6, 991v1/v2, 992, 993) – What Size Should You Buy?

YouTube ↗

We NEED more 993s! New Balance 993 MiUSA Shadow Grey Driftwood Review & On Feet

YouTube ↗

If you could only buy one New Balance Shoe - New Balance 993

YouTube ↗

Get Yourself a New Balance 993 Before it's too Late.

New Balance 993 MiUSA Teddy Santis Sea Salt Black review by sullivanryan

Estimate your cost per wear
Your scenario

What would each wear cost you?

Enter your price, frequency and expected years.Your assumptions · not the model’s measured lifespan
How this is calculated

Price ÷ (days per week × 52 × years), with one wear per day, rounded up to the next cent. Price and lifespan here are your scenario, not observations from other owners.

About our research

Based on 24 reviews and other sources.

We compare owner feedback and reviews for fit, comfort and wear. Model details come from maker and retail information.

How we put the guide together →

Compare with similar pairs

Similar uses, different fits and trade-offs. These are reports about each model, not a head-to-head test.

New Balance 993 vs Lems Primal

Also used for walking. Compare length.
New Balance 993
New Balance 993
Lems Primal
Lems PrimalSee this model
What mattersNew Balance 993Lems Primal
Length
  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
  • Some reports disagree: small.

Primal 2

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.

Primal 3

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
Width
  • Wide fit.

Made in USA

  • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

993

  • Wide fit.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

Primal 2

  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

Primal 3

  • Reports differ: narrow or wide.
Toe box

Made in USA

  • Roomy.
  • Roomy.

Primal 2

  • Roomy.

Primal 3

  • Roomy.
All day on your feet

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
  • All day walkingComfortable.

Primal 2

  • All day walkingComfortable.

Primal 3

  • All dayComfortable.
Weight on the foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.
  • Feels light.

Primal 2

  • Feels light.

Primal 3

  • Feels light.
Maker price$199.99 (price at the maker's store)$125–$130 (regular price at the maker's store)

Maker prices recorded 2026-09-26 / 2026-09-28.

New Balance 993 vs Lems Primal Zen

Also used for walking. Compare length.
New Balance 993
New Balance 993
Lems Primal Zen
Lems Primal ZenSee this model
What mattersNew Balance 993Lems Primal Zen
Length
  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
  • True to size.
Width
  • Wide fit.

Made in USA

  • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

993

  • Wide fit.
  • Reports differ: narrow or wide.
Toe box

Made in USA

  • Roomy.
  • wide feetRoomy.
  • Reports differ: roomy or tight.
All day on your feet

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
Weight on the foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.
  • Feels light to some wearers, heavy to others.
Maker price$199.99 (price at the maker's store)$130–$150 (regular price at the maker's store)

Maker prices recorded 2026-09-26 / 2026-09-28.

New Balance 993 vs New Balance 1890

Also used for walking. Compare length.
New Balance 993
New Balance 993
New Balance 1890
New Balance 1890See this model
What mattersNew Balance 993New Balance 1890
Length
  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
  • True to size.

1890

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

ABZORB 1890

  • True to size.
Width
  • Wide fit.

Made in USA

  • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

993

  • Wide fit.
  • Reports differ: narrow or regular.

1890

  • Narrow fit.

ABZORB 1890

  • Narrow fit.
Toe box

Made in USA

  • Roomy.
  • Reports differ: roomy or tight.
All day on your feet

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
Weight on the foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.
  • Feels light.
Maker price$199.99 (price at the maker's store)$179.99–$199.99 (price at the maker's store)

Maker prices recorded 2026-09-26.

New Balance 993 vs New Balance 204L

Also used for walking. Compare length.
New Balance 993
New Balance 993
New Balance 204L
New Balance 204LSee this model
What mattersNew Balance 993New Balance 204L
Length
  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
Width
  • Wide fit.

Made in USA

  • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

993

  • Wide fit.
  • wide feetNarrow fit.
  • Reports differ: narrow, regular or wide.
Toe box

Made in USA

  • Roomy.
  • thick socksRoomy.
All day on your feet

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
Weight on the foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.
  • Feels light.
Maker price$199.99 (price at the maker's store)$119.99 (price at the maker's store)

Maker prices recorded 2026-09-26 / 2026-09-25.

New Balance 993 vs New Balance 740

Also used for walking. Compare width.
New Balance 993
New Balance 993
New Balance 740
New Balance 740See this model
What mattersNew Balance 993New Balance 740
Length
  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
  • Reports differ: small, true to size or large.
Width
  • Wide fit.

Made in USA

  • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

993

  • Wide fit.
  • Reports differ: narrow or regular.
Toe box

Made in USA

  • Roomy.
  • Reports differ: roomy or tight.
All day on your feet

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
  • All day standingComfortable.
  • All day walkingComfortable.
Weight on the foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.
  • Feels light.
Maker price$199.99 (price at the maker's store)$114.99 (price at the maker's store)

Maker prices recorded 2026-09-26 / 2026-09-25.

New Balance 993 vs New Balance 991

Also used for walking. Compare length.
New Balance 993
New Balance 993
New Balance 991
New Balance 991See this model
What mattersNew Balance 993New Balance 991
Length
  • Runs large.

Made in USA

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

993

  • Reports differ: small or true to size.
  • True to size.

991 Made in UK

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

Made in UK

  • Reports differ: true to size or large.

991v2

  • True to size.
Width
  • Wide fit.

Made in USA

  • wide feetRoomy across the foot.
  • Reports differ: regular or wide.

993

  • Wide fit.
  • Reports differ: narrow or wide.

991 Made in UK

  • Reports differ: narrow or regular.

Made in UK

  • Reports differ: narrow or regular.

991v2

  • Reports differ: narrow or regular.
Toe box

Made in USA

  • Roomy.
  • Reports differ: roomy or tight.

991 Made in UK

  • Tight.

Made in UK

  • Roomy.

991v2

  • Roomy.
All day on your feet

Made in USA

  • Walking · All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.
  • All dayComfortable.

991v2

  • All dayUncomfortable.
Weight on the foot

Made in USA

  • Feels heavy.
  • Feels light.

993

  • Feels light.

Made in USA 993

  • Feels light.
  • Feels light.

991 Made in UK

  • Feels light.

Made in UK

  • Feels light.
Maker price$199.99 (price at the maker's store)$269.99 (price at the maker's store)

Maker prices recorded 2026-09-26 / 2026-09-25.

More about New Balance

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Updated Sep 2026 · How we research