New Balance 993 Sizing Guide: True to Size? (49 Pairs)

New Balance 993 Sizing — What 49 Pairs in the Feetlot Database Tell Us

The New Balance 993 is a Made-in-USA premium runner, and across the 49 owner-reported pairs in the Feetlot database its fit pattern is consistent: the residuals cluster around the 0.20 to 0.25 size-unit standard deviation typical of a normal lifestyle sneaker. That means the 993 fits a given foot length predictably from person to person — there is no wild-card length surprise. The widely repeated "New Balance runs true" advice lines up with what Feetlot data actually shows for the 993.

The quirk that makes the 993 different from most sneakers is not its length but its width system. New Balance builds the 993 on multiple width lasts (B, D, 2E, 4E), so the fit problem that other brands force you to solve with a half size up or down is solved on the 993 by picking the correct width. That is why the length sizing stays so true: wearers who would otherwise size up for room instead move to a wider last and keep their normal number.

Should You Size Up or Down in New Balance 993?

Standard fit (most people)

Stay true to size in the standard D width. The 993 uses a structured pigskin-suede-and-mesh upper over an ENCAP and ABZORB midsole, and at your true Nike size it gives a secure heel and a supportive midfoot straight out of the box. The 993 is one of the sneakers in the Feetlot dataset where the average wearer does not adjust away from their nominal size.

Wide feet

Change the width before changing the size. Going up half a size to chase width adds length you do not need and lets the heel slip; the better move on the 993 is the 2E (wide) or 4E (extra wide) last at your true size. New Balance offering these widths is the whole point of the model, so use them rather than oversizing.

Narrow feet

Try the B (narrow) width at your true size first. The structured upper does not collapse onto a narrow foot the way a knit would, so narrow-footed wearers sometimes feel they swim in the standard D. The narrow last fixes the hold without shortening the length; only go down half a size if the B width still feels loose, and never go a full size down.

New Balance 993 vs 990 and other 99X models

The 993 shares its length sizing with the rest of the Made-in-USA 99X line — the 990, 991, 992 and similar models take the same number on the same foot. The differences between them are cushioning and upper construction, not length, so if you know your size in another 99X, carry it straight over to the 993.

How New Balance 993 Compares to Other Sneakers

The New Balance 993 sits squarely in the middle of the lifestyle-sneaker pack on length. According to Feetlot data, the 993 fits at essentially the same numerical size as the Nike Air Force 1, Air Jordan 1, Vans Authentic, Nike Air Max 90, Nike Blazer Mid '77, Air Jordan 4, adidas Superstar, and Nike SB Dunk Low. If a wearer takes size 10 in any of those, they take size 10 in the 993 too.

The shifts worth knowing run in both directions. A few models fit slightly smaller than the 993, so you would take half a size up in those compared to your 993 number — that group includes the adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 and the Nike Air Max 97. The opposite is true for roomier, boot-leaning footwear: the Converse Chuck Taylor Core Ox and the Clarks Desert Boot both run a touch larger, so take half a size down from your 993 number when buying those.

Sign in to Feetlot and add a few of your other sneakers to get a personalized 993 size recommendation calibrated to your actual foot rather than to the population average.

New Balance 993 Size Chart (US / EU / UK)

Common Sizing Mistakes

• Sizing up for width instead of changing width. The 993 comes in B, D, 2E and 4E. Going up half a size for more room adds length and lets the heel slip; pick the wider last at your true size instead.
• Treating the 993 like a Nike that you size down. Air Force 1 owners often go down half a size, but the 993 fits true. Carry your normal number, not your sized-down AF1 trick.
• Assuming the 993 runs big because it looks chunky. The dad-shoe silhouette is volume, not length. According to Feetlot data the 993 sits at the same numerical size as Air Force 1 and Vans Authentic.
• Buying small expecting the suede to stretch. The pigskin-suede-and-mesh upper softens slightly but does not gain length. A 993 that is too short stays too short.
• Ignoring the width letter on the box. A "size 10" in 4E is a very different shoe from a "size 10" in B. Always check the width code, not just the number.

How Feetlot Computes These Numbers

Every New Balance 993 sizing recommendation on Feetlot is the output of a global offset model fit to over 100,000 owner-reported shoe records. Each shoe gets a single number — its "size offset" — that captures how much its sizing drifts from the reference shoe (the Nike Air Force 1). When a Feetlot user provides their size in any tracked sneaker, the model recovers their true foot baseline and recommends the matching 993 size.

This works better than the more common pairwise approach because Feetlot uses the entire wardrobe graph. A YEEZY 350 owner contributes data about how YEEZY fits relative to Air Force 1 owners, who in turn link to 993 owners, and so on. Even when two users share zero shoes directly, the chain of users in between transmits a consistent recommendation. The result: sizing advice that holds up no matter how unusual a wardrobe is.