New Balance Shoes Review (2026): Are They Good For Travel?

New Balance shoes have become the “it” shoe in recent years. So much so that I’ve been eager to test them to see if they’re actually comfortable enough for travel. I’ve learned that the answer depends on which pair you buy. 

For this New Balance shoes review, I tested four styles from their casual line over a week, doing 10,000 steps in each of them (minus one that was so uncomfortable I had to stop halfway). The results were varied. 

I’ve been testing travel shoes for over a decade, and I have flat feet with overpronation, which means my arches collapse inward when I walk, plus a bunion and one foot that has dealt with tendonitis in the past. 

That combination makes me a demanding tester, and it also makes me the right person to tell you whether a trendy sneaker can handle a real travel day or only looks like it can. 

To be clear about what I tested, these are all from the casual line, the trendy ones you’re seeing everywhere, not New Balance’s walking and running shoes, which almost certainly have more support but aren’t as cute or as versatile.

Note: I bought all four pairs with my own money and this review is not sponsored in any way. 

A Quick Look at New Balance

New Balance started in Boston in 1906 as the New Balance Arch Support Company, founded by William J. Riley. 

The company made flexible arch supports with three points of contact, an idea Riley took from watching chickens balance in his backyard, and sold them to people who stood all day for work. 

For roughly its first forty years, the company made orthopedic products rather than athletic shoes.

The first New Balance running shoe came out in 1938, and the Trackster arrived in 1960 as a running shoe offered in multiple widths, which was unusual at the time. 

The company is still privately owned and headquartered in Boston. A brand initially built on arch support now sells a casual line with essentially none, which is a little ironic and worth keeping in mind while you shop.

New Balance Shoes Review: My Experience With New Balance Casual Shoes

I’d never worn New Balance shoes before testing the four shoes below. Growing up, they were the dorky American shoes you did not want to be caught in, so watching them become the trendy brand everyone wants to wear has been funny to me. Their marketing and design team deserves a lot of credit! 

I tested the casual line specifically, because I wanted shoes that would still look cute and work with a lot of outfits. Plus, New Balance’s casual line is the one that’s trendy right now, not so much their walking and running shoe line.  

Their casual line is not marketed as walking shoes, but people recommend them for travel constantly on social media, so I wanted to find out whether any of them could actually handle a long day on your feet. 

I chose four of their most popular lifestyle shoes and tested them over a week, walking (or trying to walk) 10,000 steps in each. I had a lot of mixed thoughts after testing them fully. Here are my detailed notes on each. 

New Balance 327 (7/10)

The New Balance 327 is the pair I went back and forth on the most due to the look. The shape is more angular and sportier in person than it appears online, and I honestly couldn’t decide whether they were cute or ugly cute. 

I took a poll on Instagram, and the results were just as split, with 59% saying cute, 18% saying ugly cute, and 24% saying just plain ugly. 

I ultimately landed on them being more ugly cute and not quite my style, but I could see them working for others who like more of a statement sneaker. 

They’re also the most comfortable shoe of the four I tried, which I did not see coming. The forefoot barely bends when you flex it in your hands, but that stiffness doesn’t show up when you’re walking in them. These run narrower than New Balance’s other casual shoes, and that narrowness is the reason they work for my feet. 

The toe box starts wider and then comes in at the arch to feel like your foot is wrapped and secure. So even with no arch support built in, my arch felt supported, and my overpronation was never an issue. 

It was the only pair of the four where I didn’t feel like I needed to replace the insert, although adding your own for more support probably wouldn’t hurt either. There’s decent bounce and cushioning to these as well. 

I have regular width feet and they were slightly on the narrow side, with my feet sitting right at the edges of the shoe. The fit mostly worked, but I did have very minor pinky toe rubbing on my left foot after 10,000 steps, but never got a blister. On the upside, my bunion was never in pain. 

I definitely wouldn’t recommend these if you have wider feet, but they work well for anyone with narrow to regular feet. My feet ran a little warm in them since they don’t have any mesh panels, but it wasn’t anything too noticeable. 

New Balance 530 (6/10)

The New Balance 530 is the shoe you’ve seen everywhere, and it’s the pair I’d be most likely to pack if I were taking New Balance on a trip. 

These are super lightweight and fairly breathable with the mesh panels. Comfort is more mixed. Most notably, the insole it comes with is as thin and unsupportive as the rest of the line. 

My left arch started rolling inward within the first mile in these and put enough pressure on my big toe to make it a little sore, although nothing long-lasting. My left foot is the one with the bunion and the tendonitis history, so it’s the first one to complain in every shoe I test. 

However, my right foot was fine during the full 10,000 steps with no issues, so these seem like they would be okay to walk in if you don’t have foot issues. And if you do, there’s good enough flexibility and firm cushioning in the sole to make them comfortable if you add your own insert.

These have the ABZORB foam in the heel, which is New Balance’s shock-absorbing foam, and it adds that cushioned base. It’s just on the firmer side, so don’t expect it to feel squishy or soft. The width was very comfortable for my regular width feet with no pinky toe rubbing at all. 

The dad shoe style grew on me as I wore these throughout the day. By the end of testing them, I actually found them pretty cute and would happily wear them with a lot of outfits.

New Balance 9060 (4/10)

The New Balance 9060 is gorpcore on steroids, with an overly chunky sole that I personally find pretty ugly. 

It’s also the heaviest of the four by a wide margin, more than half a pound heavier per pair than the 530. During testing, I felt the weight and heft of these with every step, which told me that I would never bring them on a trip with me; they’re far too clunky.

The cushioning is the best in the line. The heel support felt good, with real shock absorption, and there’s a nice bounce under the ball of your foot. But similar to the other New Balance casual shoes, it’s firm rather than plush, and there’s still no arch support, so my left arch was tired within the first mile. 

These were also the stiffest shoes I tried from New Balance. The tongue pressed on the top of my foot the whole time and needed breaking in. I also finished with a faint soreness in my knees that no other pair gave me, probably due to the weight and lack of arch support. 

At $159.99 with the same thin insole as the cheapest style in the line, you’re paying a premium for a chunky look and some extra shock absorption, which didn’t translate to a more comfortable shoe.

Plenty of people clearly disagree with me, since this is the most reviewed shoe in New Balance’s casual line, but I was not a big fan of the 9060.

I also think this amount of chunk just doesn’t look good on my feet, which are already large (women’s 10.5). I don’t need more exaggerated chunkiness because it kind of makes it look like I’m wearing clown shoes. I could potentially see them looking better on smaller, more petite feet, though. 

New Balance 574 Core (2/10)

I really wanted to like these shoes because I find them the cutest and most versatile of the shoes I tried, but I had problems with the New Balance 574 Core almost immediately. 

My toes were fatigued after a mile, then the outside of my foot started aching, and by 2.5 miles, both feet were burning hot from a lack of breathability and the firm sole. I had to stop walking at 5,000 steps because they were so uncomfortable.

If I had to hazard a guess, the main culprit is probably the sole, which is the least flexible of the shoes I tried and as rigid as a board. There’s no give in it anywhere, so your foot does all the work with every step, and the shoe doesn’t allow it to move naturally. 

That’s also what separates it from the 530. Both come with a lackluster insole, but the 530 becomes workable once you swap in your own. This one doesn’t, because an insole can’t make a rigid sole flex with your foot.

The mesh is a problem too. There are panels across the top, and New Balance markets this as “breathable mesh”. Run your hand around the inside, and the lining feels identical everywhere, with no difference behind the panels. So, it seems like it’s decorative, not practical. 

My feet were hotter in these than in anything else from the brand, so I really don’t think that “mesh” is doing anything. 

The best thing about these shoes is the look of them. The suede is soft and smooth, the grey is a color I didn’t already own and would wear constantly, and even the laces have a texture to them that I liked. 

My one reservation about the style was the toe, which is cut almost square instead of a rounded or oval curve like most sneakers. It makes the shoe look a bit stunted and boxy, and I personally prefer a rounder toe on a sneaker. 

That squared-off shape is probably why the length runs short too, these were a half size too small for me even though I got my normal size.

New Balance Sizing and Fit

Some of New Balance’s casual styles are sold as unisex with dual sizing labels, so a listing might show something like M9 and W10.5 together, while others have their own women’s pages with women’s sizing. The 530 and 9060 I tested were unisex, and the 574 Core and 327 were women’s.

Beyond that, most of the casual line is true to size, with one exception.

The 574 Core runs short. My toes hit the end of the shoe in my usual size, and I should have gone up a half size. 

The 327 and the 9060 were both true to size in my normal 10.5, with no adjustment needed.

The 530 is true to size too. New Balance’s site suggested I size down a half size, and that was the wrong call since my feet were touching the end of the shoe and slightly too small on me. So, I’d recommend ordering your usual size. 

Width varies by style. Of the four I tested, only the 574 Core offers a wide width, and the 327 is standard width only and the narrowest of the group, so skip that one if you have wider feet. 

The 530 and the 9060 are unisex and come in standard width only, but since they’re unisex shoes, they had a bit more room than the 327. It still wasn’t the same as a true wide fit.

That’s just the four I tested, though. New Balance offers wide and extra-wide across a good chunk of their shoes, you just have to look for it or filter by it.

Every casual style I tested has a removable insole, so factor in the cost of a good orthotic insert when you’re comparing prices if you need more support. 

FAQs About New Balance Shoes

Is the New Balance casual line the same as their walking shoes?

No. The 574, 327, 530 and 9060 are made to look good, not be super supportive. New Balance’s walking and running lines, including the 880 and 1080, are built with actual arch support and better cushioning. 

If you need support, those are the ones worth looking at, though I haven’t tested them myself and they’re built to look like running shoes rather than a more versatile travel shoe.

Which New Balance is most comfortable for walking?

Of the four I tested, the 327 was the most naturally comfortable. It held my foot better than anything else, and I made it through 10,000 steps without any major issues. 

The 9060 has more cushioning, but cushioning and support aren’t always the same thing, and the 327 is the one my feet actually preferred.

That said, none of these are true walking shoes. They can work for it, but if you need something with more support, look at the 1080 instead. New Balance also has a dedicated walking line, including the 928, which is more supportive.

Are New Balance casual shoes good for flat feet or plantar fasciitis?

Not as they come. None of the four styles I tested has meaningful arch support, and I felt my overpronation in three of them within the first mile. 

The 327 was the exception, and even there the support came from the shape of the shoe holding my foot rather than from any built-in arch. 

If you have flat feet or plantar fasciitis, plan on replacing the insole or look at New Balance’s walking and running shoes instead.

Can you put your own insoles in New Balance casual shoes?

Yes, all four styles have removable insoles, which is a point in the brand’s favor. The ones they come with are thin and unsupportive across the whole line, so swapping them is a good call. 

Just know there’s a limit to what an insole can fix. The 574’s sole is so rigid that a better insert wouldn’t solve much. 

Are New Balance casual shoes good for travel?

I’d recommend two out of the four I tried, with adjustments. The 530 with a better insert would work for a trip. It was one of the more comfortable shoes I tried, and I liked how light it was. 

The 327 would work well for travel too if you’re okay with the angular style and a chunkier shoe. 

I wouldn’t travel with the 9060 because of how heavy (and ugly) it is, and I wouldn’t travel with the 574 Core at all because it’s basically just walking on stiff cardboard.

Final Thoughts: Are New Balance Shoes Worth It?

New Balance’s casual line is having a moment right now, and I get it, they’re really embracing the dad shoe and gorpcore vibes which are very in right now.  

With that said, these are first and foremost fashion sneakers, so don’t expect amazing support. If you don’t have any foot issues, you’ll probably be fine walking in these as they come.

My main gripe is that they’re priced like performance shoes without performing like them. Every casual pair I tested came with the same thin insole whether it cost $100 or $160, and not one of them had arch support, which is strange for shoes that look so sporty. 

If you want good looking sneakers for errands, coffee dates, short days on your feet, or to pair with a lot of clothes in your closet, these can work great for that. 

If you want a shoe that will carry you through a 20,000-step day in Rome, some of these will work okay, especially with a better insert, but they’re not going to be as comfortable as other brands I’ve tested. 

→ For more supportive options that are still stylish, check out my guide to my favorite walking shoes for Europe.