Nuestra conclusión

The 991 v2 is here to improve an already wonderful design. With now a lighter, more durable and more breathable structure, we just couldn't get enough of it. It features top-quality materials in a super trendy 90s runner construction that looks good with pretty much anything. The best part is that its comfort levels are also over the top, which, added to its breathability, makes it perfect for running daily tasks non-stop. Even though these sneakers are definitely expensive, our wear and lab tests agree on them being worth every penny!

Pros

  • Really comfortable
  • Premium quality
  • High-end materials
  • Super breathable
  • Durable design
  • Very stylish
  • Attention to detail
  • Fantastic traction

Contras

  • Pricey
  • On the firmer side

Veredicto de los usuarios

86
Aceptables

Who should buy

The 991 v2 should be the next main element of your OOTD if:

  • You're looking for something really comfortable and durable to run errands all day every day.
  • You settle for nothing but the best quality regarding not only design but also materials.
  • You adored the v1 but wanted something lighter.
  • You're a retro lover and the 90s vibes of this former runner make your heart melt.

New Balance 991 v2_outdoor_02

Who should NOT buy

The 991 v2 isn't here to make you believe in crazy price drop fairytales: it keeps the same steep price as the previous version. We believe its premium materials are totally worth it, yet we can see some people taking a step back when they check these sneakers' price tag. If you're looking for a cheaper pair and you are a New Balance lover, you might find this selection interesting.

This is a Made in UK pair. If you want to check the Made in USA models we have reviewed so far, here is our list! They are also premium quality and incredibly trendy nowadays. Don't miss out!

New Balance 991 v2-pieces

Amortiguación

Altura de la suela en la zona del talón

Even at first sight, it's easy to say that the 991 v2 is a cushioned shoe. We felt really comfortable during our wear tests, and our caliper confirmed it in the lab when it returned 35.2 mm. This New Balance pair is taller than average, which translates into great shock absorption and impact protection.

New Balance 991 v2 Heel stack-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 35.2 mm
Media 30.2 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
16.9 mm
Altura de la suela en la zona del talón
50.5 mm

Altura de la suela en el antepié

The forefoot follows the same example, as it's also higher than average. At 19.6 mm, we enjoyed this shoe's cushioning during our walks, as it completely erased the harsh urban surfaces underneath.

New Balance 991 v2 Forefoot stack-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 19.6 mm
Media 19.1 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
9.7 mm
Altura de la suela en el antepié
29.5 mm

Drop

Even though both the rearfoot and the forefoot stacks of this New Balance are higher than average, the heel still comes on top. After doing our maths, we saw the 991 v2's drop goes all the way up to 15.6 mm.

New Balance 991 v2 Drop-

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 15.6 mm
Media 11.1 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Suavidad de la mediasuela

The 991 v2 features a full-length FuelCell midsole that returned a rather firm score when we pressed our durometer against it. At 31.0 HA, we can't say this New Balance felt like a couple of clouds, but it kept our feet comfortable at all times.

New Balance 991 v2 Midsole softness-1

In comparison with the first iteration, this second version is not that plush, but we felt an extra touch of stability during our long walks: this update features the classic ABZORB SBS pods and ENCAP cushioning.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 31.0 HA
Media 29.0 HA
Utilizamos la media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 75 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
15.0 HA
Suavidad de la mediasuela (de blanda a firme)
46.4 HA

Grosor de la plantilla

At 5.0 mm, our caliper indicated the thickness of this insole is just average. But we aren't complaining, though! It felt cushy and comfortable, and that's what matters.

New Balance 991 v2 Insole thickness-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 5.0 mm
Media 5.1 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
3.1 mm
Grosor de la plantilla
11.5 mm

Tallaje y ajuste

Talla

New Balance 991 v2 tallan bien (17 votos).

Si tienes estas zapatillas, ¿qué opinas de su talla?

1 talla más pequeñas ½ talla más pequeñas Tallan bien ½ talla más grandes 1 talla más grandes
En comparación con 109 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
½ talla más pequeñas
Tallan un poquito pequeño
Tallan bien
Tallan un poquito grande
½ talla más grandes

Anchura de la parte delantera - zona más ancha

Fit-wise, the 991 v2 felt just right during the wear test. But to verify it, we conducted our gel test, where we create a mold of the shoe and measure it with our caliper.

With 93.0 mm in the widest part of the mold, this NB kick indeed offers an ideal, non-restricting fit for a D medium width. But if you need an alternative width (narrow or wide), check our the New Balance 990 v6.

New Balance 991 v2 Toebox width - widest part-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 93.0 mm
Media 92.3 mm
En comparación con 73 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
85.4 mm
Anchura de la parte delantera - zona más ancha
96.8 mm

Anchura de la parte delantera - dedo gordo

We are also happy to report that this sneaker doesn't taper like crazy. Our caliper returned 70.0 mm of width in the big toe area which reflects the shoe's slightly rounded and thus, roomier toebox shape.

New Balance 991 v2 Toebox width - big toe-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 70.0 mm
Media 68.8 mm
En comparación con 73 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
63.9 mm
Anchura de la parte delantera - dedo gordo
74.1 mm

Altura de la parte delantera

We were also pleased by the ample toebox height of the 991 v2. With a caliper reading of 29.0 mm and an ultra-thin toebox mesh, our toes received pleanty of wiggle room  to feel comfortable on long walks.

New Balance 991 v2 Toebox height-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 29.0 mm
Media 27.8 mm
En comparación con 73 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
22.5 mm
Altura de la parte delantera
35.0 mm

Estabilidad

Prueba de estabilidad lateral

We felt pretty stable with this shoe during our wear tests. Even though the 991 v2 doesn't feature any specific stability technologies, our feet felt safe and balanced. After all, we're talking about a former runner, and it shows!

Rigidez torsional

This New Balance's midsole didn't let us really twist the shoe. Our thumbs had such a hard time with this that we decided to give the 991 v2 a 4/5 on our torsional rigidity test. Undoubtedly, this added some extra points on stability.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 4
Media 3.6
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Rigidez torsional
5

Rigidez del contrafuerte del talón

Breaking with the rigid heel counter of the 991 v1, the 991 v2 scored a 2/5 on our heel counter stiffness test. We were actually pretty happy about this change, as it added extra points on comfort. This might also mean some loss of support, but former runner means... no more running!

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 2
Media 3.2
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Rigidez del contrafuerte del talón
5

Anchura de la mediasuela - antepié

One of the changes that we liked the most on this newest version is that it features a wider midsole. At 110.9 mm, our caliper indicated that it's not only wider than the v1's (107.9 mm) but also wider than average.

New Balance 991 v2 Midsole width - forefoot-1

This provided us with a wider platform every time we landed, which felt great during our walks as it enhanced the overall stability.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 110.9 mm
Media 108.5 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
95.1 mm
Anchura de la mediasuela - antepié
121.0 mm

Anchura de la mediasuela - talón

The midsole at the heel follows the same path. Our caliper returned 87.0 mm, which is way higher than average. This provided us with plenty of space, and we really appreciated it when we had been walking for hours, as feet tend to get swollen.

New Balance 991 v2 Midsole width - heel-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 87.0 mm
Media 83.6 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
67.7 mm
Anchura de la mediasuela - talón
103.1 mm

Flexibilidad / Rigidez

Just like the previous iteration, the v2's midsole gets in the way when it comes to flexibility. Its dense composition makes the 991 stiffer than the average sneaker, as our tread gauge returned 30.4N when we pushed the shoe all the way up to 90 degrees.

This means that the 991 v2 might need a little bit of a warm-up to start following your feet moves closely. Even so, the ride is not as natural as the one we felt with other models of this same brand, such as the NB 530 (needed 17.8N on this same test), for example. Once again, and just like the v1, this stiffness comes in handy for people with foot conditions, as it prevents excessive foot flexion.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 30.4N
Media 23.4N
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
5.8N
Flexibilidad <> Rigidez
51.8N

Peso

The second key point where we actually see a massive improvement in the 991 line is regarding weight. We could already tell this second version felt lighter on foot, but you know we always turn our ideas into numbers, so we grabbed our scale and put the shoe on it.

New Balance 991 v2 Weight-1

It returned 13.93 oz/395g, which is an average score. The thing is that the v2 is a whole 9% lighter than the v1, which stands at 15.31 oz/434g. Even though this might not sound like much, trust us, your feel will start to feel it after a couple of hours walking in this pair.

The best part of it all? That the durable upper and high-quality materials of this premium pair do not mean a heavier weight!

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 13.93 oz (395g)
Media 13.79 oz (391g)
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
8.50 oz (241g)
Peso
20.49 oz (581g)

Transpirabilidad

With the v1 earning a 5/5 on our breathability test, we had high expectations for the v2. And they were met! When we cut its upper in half, we noticed the light could easily shine through the mesh of its toebox.

This was great news, as it anticipated wonderful results regarding breathability. Our smoke machine confirmed it, look!

Thanks to our microscope, we could see the reason why. The 991 v2's material has big ventilation gaps. It reminds us of the 991 v1's, as it also features a second layer underneath.

New Balance 991 v2 Breathability-2

All this just makes the perfect cocktail for the 991 v2 to get a perfect 5/5 on our breathability test. This makes the shoe perfect for any summer adventure, and the fact that its design sweetly balances a breathable forefoot with a structure rearfoot (even though it's made using the same mesh) just proves how much of a quality pair it is!

New Balance 991 v2 Breathability-3

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 5
Media 3
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Transpirabilidad
5

Durabilidad

Calidad de la piel o cuero / ante

As expected from a premium model, it features premium materials. Even though we burned the suede of its rearfoot, there was no flame and no sticky mess as a result. Consequently, we can confidently say the 991 v2 features authentic suede.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 Cuero auténtico

Durabilidad de la parte delantera

Great breathability usually comes with low durability, yet this New Balance is ready to be the exception to the rule. We always place our Dremel in the very same spot, and the thing is that this model features a bigger protective layer around the toebox.

As you can see, the tool barely touches the mesh, as the top suede material shields it from the abrasive tool. This achievement alone has made us give the 991 v2 a solid 4/5 on our toebox durability test, which is a huge step ahead from the 1/5 the previous version scored on this same test.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 4
Media 3.7
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Durabilidad de la parte delantera
5

Durabilidad del acolchado del talón

We were pretty happy to see the heel didn't back down. It faced the Dremel bravely, earning another wonderful 4/5 on durability. Even though the tool rolled at 5K RPM and with 2N of force, it was not enough to make this supposedly more fragile part break down.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 4
Media 3.2
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Durabilidad del acolchado del talón
5

Dureza de la suela

When we turned this shoe upside down, we were welcomed by the brand's wonderful NDurance rubber compound. When we pressed our durometer against it, it returned 88.0N, which is higher than average.

New Balance 991 v2 Outsole hardness-2

This indicates that the outer rubber focuses on durability. But there's a lighter and inner compound that we found was not as hard. At 82.5 HC, the rubber hugging the FuelCell technology is softer, creating a comfortable balance on every step.

New Balance 991 v2 Outsole hardness-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 82.5 HC
Media 85.7 HC
Utilizamos la media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
76.1 HC
Dureza de la suela
94.0 HC

Durabilidad de la suela

At 10K RPM and with 2N of force, our Dremel tried to destroy the 991 v2's outsole. Once the time was up, we measured the dent left by the tool, which went all the way up to 1.0 mm.

It's an average result, so we expect this New Balance pair to last for a while before any worrying signs of wear appear on its rubber.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 1.0 mm
Media 1.1 mm
En comparación con 92 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
0.0 mm
Desgaste de la suela
2.0 mm

Grosor de la suela

As the compound used is durable enough, New Balance didn't need to go for a big piece of rubber in order to make the outsole last. Our caliper returned 5.2 mm, which is just slightly lower than average. But after our Dremel test, we're not worried at all!

New Balance 991 v2 Outsole thickness-1

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 5.2 mm
Media 5.3 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
2.9 mm
Grosor de la suela
8.6 mm

Varios

Agarre / Tracción

We walked for hours with this shoe around our city, and its runner soul tagged along in every step of the way. Why? Well, because the traction levels were just on point. We can't say this pair bites the floor like a hungry pup, yet the grip it offered was enough for us to feel safe and happy.

New Balance 991 v2_outdoor_04

The pattern is slightly similar to the v1's... just like a distant cousin! It also features multiple flex grooves that allowed our feet to move more freely, as they added some flexibility to the shoe. The big longitudinal gap does pretty much the same, apart from reducing the overall weight!

Precio

A premium shoe with premium materials and... a premium price. Just like the previous iteration, the 991 v2 has nothing to do with some other cheaper New Balance models. You need to be ready to make the investment, and after our detailed analysis, we can say we believe it's worth the money. This stylish long-lasting pair looks good with pretty much anything, as its aesthetics are really trendy nowadays. But that's not all: its overall design is also made to last!

New Balance 991 v2_outdoor_011

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 $250
En comparación con 116 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
€70
Precio
€250

Elementos reflectantes

As expected from a pair of sneakers with this price tag, the 991 v2 features reflective elements all over its upper. You can see the shoe shine no matter where you are! From the top:

From the side:

And even from the back!

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2

Acolchado de la lengüeta

Even though the v2 is lighter than the v1, it features a thicker tongue, improving the overall comfort levels.

New Balance 991 v2 Tongue padding-1

With a solid layer of foam that reaches 12.3 mm, we absolutely forgot about any kind of lace bite. This pillowy piece comes alongside strategically padded interiors that focus on the mid and rearfoot. All in all, this New Balance offers the best of both worlds: a well-ventilated toebox and a padded heel.

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 12.3 mm
Media 9.3 mm
En comparación con 93 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
0.7 mm
Acolchado de la lengüeta
23.0 mm

Tirador del talón

Following the retro aesthetics and 90's vibes, the 991 v2 doesn't have a heel tab. It keeps a clean touch with the name of the version and its lovely suede and leather accents.

New Balance 991 v2_outdoor_017

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2 Ninguno

Plantilla extraíble

As a master of insoles, New Balance added perforations and containing walls to the one this shoe features. As if that wasn't enough for us to love it, the brand also made sure it was removable!

Resultados de las pruebas
991 v2