New Balance

Many sneaker enthusiasts have jumped on board the 550 hype train recently. Inevitably, an 80s retro basketball shoe from NB is going to draw comparisons to Nike’s own classics from the same decade (although the AF1 released in ’82 and the 550 is from ’89). Here, we look at the New Balance 550 VS Air Force 1.

How Does New Balance 550 Sizing Compare To Air Force 1s?

The New Balance 550 has a narrower fit VS the Air Force 1. Both fit larger than true to size, however sizing down is easier in the AF1 as it is wider than the 550.

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On the surface, the NB 550 seems to fit large. It looks pretty big, so one would think the interior would be roomy like an Air Force 1. However, the shape of the toebox combined with the padding gives the sneaker a smaller-than-you-think fit on feet.

Meanwhile, the Air Force 1 has a nice, roomy fit. I’ve been able to go down a half size on many pairs of Forces. At true to size, the sneaker feels way more forgiving than the 550 and I often have to lace TTS pairs tighter to mitigate the “big” feel on feet.

NB 550 Sizing And Comfort Level After Break-In?

The 550 fits best at true to size. While some might suggest a half size down, this is only recommended for those with narrow feet. Normal or wide footers should opt for true size.

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The sneaker looks deceptively large in hand and on the shelf. On feet at true to size, they do feel big, but only lengthwise. The sneaker basically has a long, narrow fit.

Apparently, the collabs such as those with Aimé Leon Dore have softer materials and a more forgiving fit width-wise. I found the general release pair that I got to fit a bit narrow and stiff. I didn’t last long enough to break them in as I felt the fit to not only be on the skinny side, but also somewhat awkward due to the extra length.

From what I’ve read, the sneaker does break in and become comfortable over time. Even the stiffer GR’s (general releases) will loosen up, which shouldn’t be surprising. Most kicks will eventually adjust somewhat to the wearer’s foot shape with enough wears. If the sneaker was less long, I probably would have stuck with trying to break my pair in longer.

Underfoot, I found the shoe to have a fairly standard level of comfort. I think the Air Force 1 uses a bit of a nicer insole in many releases, which gives additional comfort not found in the 550. While New Balance’s sneaker didn’t feel hard as a rock underfoot, I still have to give the edge to the AF1 on comfort. Which isn’t saying much, as neither shoe compares to most modern runners (or retro runners for that matter).

How Do New Balance 550s Fit Compared To Nike?

Overall, the New Balance 550 runs longer than true-to-size, but width-wise is narrow. This actually makes them quite similar to many Nikes which notoriously have narrow fits.

This is what makes the fit on 550s so confounding. New Balance is generally known for having a generous fit, such as that found on pairs in the popular 990 series. I remember before I even started collecting, I had a friend who was very tall with a large foot and needed certain shoes that provided enough width and adequate support. New Balance was the only company that he felt were comfortable right off the shelf.

Not so with the NB 550 however. The long, skinny fit has traditionally been a hallmark of Nike sneakers, so it’s surprising that New Balance’s offering does not allow for a more accomodating fit.

Are NB 550’s More Like AF1’s Or More Like Dunks?

In appearance, the New Balance 550 is more like an Air Force 1 with it’s chunky exterior and midsole. Fit-wise, the sneaker fits like neither AF1 or Dunk; it’s quite narrow despite the look on the exterior.

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The Nike Dunk is designed to be a bit more low profile vs a sneaker like the Air Force 1. The 550 follows more in the tradition of “bigger” looking basketball sneakers from the 80s, thus the exterior is more reminiscent of the AF1. The tall midsole also evokes some of that Air Force “platforms for men” energy.

As far as fit, the 550 doesn’t feel like a Dunk or an AF1. If anything, the NB 550 feels a little like I’m trying to break in a pair of modern SB Dunks when on feet. The difference being that the SB Dunk feels narrow due to padding and doesn’t feel overly long. The 550 is narrow fitting without the same level of padding, in addition to being on the long side.

So Do I Dislike the 550 or Something?

On the contrary! I love the look and aesthetic of the 550. I’m not a fan of the fit when brand new, and if I had more patience, I probably would have held onto my pair and broken them in. Frankly, I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t like the 550 more, but I don’t hate the shoe overall.

Given that I have a larger collection, my inclination these days is to be rid of sneakers that don’t fit comfortably right out of the box, with the exception of certain models. I found the NB 550 to be tolerable, but ultimately not worth keeping in my collection. Perhaps a different colorway or collab might convince me otherwise.

On the other hand, I’ve never had this problem with the Air Force 1. If anything, I’ve had to get rid of pairs I had at true to size that fit too big. I’ve always felt that the AF1 is a comfy, if not clunky sneaker.

Meanwhile, I think going up in size on the 550 would just result in an awkwardly long fit. While the width issue would be cleared up, the length would be too extreme.

Keep in mind, everyone’s foot shape is different. What fits narrow and awkward to me might fit perfectly for you, so if you like the look of the 550, I encourage you to try a pair out if possible. Just make sure the place you buy a pair from takes returns in case you find the fit as odd as I did.

Buy New Balance 550s:

• New Balance 550s on eBay

Buy Air Force 1s:

• Air Force 1s on eBay