Nuestra conclusión

New Balance ha vuelto con otro icono para el día a día que presume de la vibra sencilla y del estilazo de la marca. Las 996 son unas zapatillas comodísimas que se adaptaron fácilmente a los movimientos de nuestros pies, proporcionando una pisada suave que nos hizo disfrutar de cada paso. Además, sus materiales son duraderos (su parte superior es de ante auténtico) y transpirables (la malla de la parte delantera deja que el aire entre y salga de las zapatillas). La verdad es que, en general, a nosotros nos encantaron, pero entendemos que su precio puede hacer que algunas personas pasen de hacerse con un par.

Pros

  • El popular diseño de siempre de New Balance
  • Adecuadas para llevarlas todo el día
  • Estructura duradera
  • Transpirabilidad fantástica
  • Más tirando a ligeras
  • Pisada cómoda y suave
  • Ante auténtico
  • Pegan con todo

Contras

  • No son aptas para pies anchos
  • Muy caras

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Who should buy

We believe the New Balance 996 deserves a spot on your sneakers collection if you are:

  • A NB lover who just can't get enough of their ever-popular design.
  • Looking for a breathable and comfortable shoe to walk around town when temperatures start going up.
  • A pair with a long-lasting structure and straightforward aesthetics that matches most of your outfits.

New Balance 996_outdoor_01

Who should NOT buy

This New Balance is definitely not for wide-foot sneakerheads. Its midsole and upper are more on the narrow side, and its toebox tapers quite a bit, so we believe this might lead to uncomfortableness. If you can relate to this, we think you should have a look at the New Balance 530.

If you're on a budget, it might be better not to dream about the 996. Its sky-rocketing price point can be a breaking-point for many, and we totally understand it! As a more affordable alternative, we've got the New Balance 574, which has a similar design and vibe.

New Balance 996_pieces

Transpirabilidad

The breathability test we perform in our lab has 3 main characters: our light, the smoke machine, and a microscope.

As you can see in this first video, there are 3 round holes that let the line shine through. The rest of the upper doesn't seem to have any other big pores, but let's ask our smoke machine if the upper doesn't really let the air flow.

Oh, wow! Alright, it does let the air go through, look at the toebox!

On the other hand, we have the Jordan Legacy 312, just on the right of the video. This shoe features a leather upper that traps air and moisture inside, which means it's pretty hot. Consequently, we couldn't give it any more than a 1/5 on our breathability test.

New Balance 996 Breathability-3

There are multiple gaps in the toebox's material, that's why it was so easy for the smoke to escape!

New Balance 996 Breathability-4

All in all, we've decided to give this NB model a solid 4/5 on our breathability test, which is a wonderful score!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 4
Promedio 3.1
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Transpirabilidad
5

Durabilidad

Calidad de la piel o cuero / ante

This hot pair is about to get even hotter! Our butane torch got the party started, so it was time to verify if the 996's materials were authentic or synthetic.

First: the suede part at the heel area. Result: authentic. It just didn't end up with a big flame and getting all melted under it!

Second: the leather part at the toebox: Result: authentic. Another big win! It withstood the heat as much as it could, without melting at all.

Third: the N logo. Result: authentic. And that makes it 3 out of 3! What a wonderful performance; we literally couldn't be any happier about these results.

Durabilidad de la parte delantera

There are many times when shoes put breathability first, and their upper ends up being slightly less durable than average. But there's no way we can know this if we don't ask our Dremel!

Rolling at 5K RPM with 3.2N of force during 12 seconds was clearly not enough to get through the 996's tough suede overlayer.

New Balance 996 Toebox durability-3

The damage can be spotted easily, that's for sure, but it didn't have a negative effect on the shoe's integrity or wearability.

New Balance 996 Toebox durability-2

Check this comparison real quick. On the left, we have the NB 996, which scored a 4/5 on our toebox durability test. On the right, the NB 530, which only got 1/5 in this same test because the tool made a massive hole on its upper. That white thing you see over there? Yeah, that's a piece of material we put inside to appreciate how big the damage was!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 4
Promedio 3.9
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Durabilidad de la parte delantera
5

Durabilidad del acolchado del talón

We moved the Dremel to the back of the shoe and put it right next to the heel padding. We had high hopes after seeing the previous results, but we also know this area is the most delicate one.

We drilled the back of the 996 for 4 seconds at 5K RPM and with 3.2N of force, and we can't say we were unhappy with the results.

New Balance 996 Heel padding durability-3

The material ended up looking a bit messy, but the Dremel didn't manage to destroy it all! If you want to see what that looks like, check the comparison below.

New Balance 996 Heel padding durability-2

Once again, on the right we have the NB 996, which earned a 3/5 on our heel padding durability test. On the left, the NB 237, which scored a scary 1/5 on this same test.

Resultados de las pruebas
996 3
Promedio 3.5
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Durabilidad del acolchado del talón
5

Dureza de la suela

We pressed our durometer against the 996's outsole to check its hardness.

New Balance 996 Outsole hardness-1

It returned 90 HC, which is a score higher than average. This should translate into great durability, but once again, we can't know this until we ask our Dremel.

So let's find out!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 90.0 HC
Promedio 85.3 HC
Utilizamos una media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
72.9 HC
Dureza de la suela
90.5 HC

Durabilidad de la suela

We mercilessly turned our Dremel on once again. It was the outsole's turn now, so we readjusted it at 10K RPM. This time, the test lasted 22 seconds, but we kept the force at 3.2N. We use the same parameters for every shoe, as in that way we can easily and fairly compare their results.

We trusted the 996's big lugs, and once we put the tool aside, we realized the damage was not too bad.

New Balance 996 Outsole durability-2

Our tread gauge indicated the dent had a depth of 0.9 mm, which is slightly lower than average.

Resultados de las pruebas
996 0.9 mm
Promedio 1.0 mm
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
0.0 mm
Desgaste de la suela
2.0 mm

Grosor de la suela

This New Balance's outsole is durable, but the brand opted to also add a big piece of this hard rubber compound.

New Balance 996 Outsole thickness-1

The 7.0 mm our caliper returned indicated this shoe's outsole is definitely long-lasting. So you don't need to worry about it leaving your side any time soon!

New Balance 996_outdoor_07

Resultados de las pruebas
996 7.0 mm
Promedio 5.5 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
3.1 mm
Grosor de la suela
12.5 mm

Peso

Despite its thick outsole and durable materials, the New Balance 996 doesn't feel heavy on foot!

We walked around town with it enjoying its wonderful comfort, and neither did our feet get tired than expected nor did we feel this pair as a couple of ankle weights.

New Balance 996 Weight-1

Our scale returned 13.75 oz/390.0g, which is about average.

Yeah, we can't say these are a couple of feathers, but we definitely can't complain! These sneakers felt wonderful on our feet, and after all that's all that matters.

Resultados de las pruebas
996 13.76 oz (390g)
Promedio 13.86 oz (393g)
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
8.50 oz (241g)
Peso
22.61 oz (641g)

Amortiguación

Altura de la suela en la zona del talón

The 996's heel stack goes all the way up to 34.8 mm, which is around 15% higher than average.

New Balance 996 Heel stack-1

This translated into a comfortable ride separated from the harshness of urban surfaces, protecting our feet from any obstacles they could encounter.

Resultados de las pruebas
996 34.8 mm
Promedio 29.7 mm
En comparación con 69 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 stack had the same idea, as it's also higher than average.

New Balance 996 Forefoot stack-2

At 20.5 mm according to our caliper, our toes were fairly separated from the ground, making us enjoy showing off this NB around town even more!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 20.5 mm
Promedio 18.7 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
10.6 mm
Altura de la suela en el antepié
28.3 mm

Drop

The forefoot and heel stacks are quite different regarding height, which translated into a drop of 14.3 mm.

New Balance 996 Drop-1

This is neither good nor bad, you'll just feel the heel is slightly higher than the forefoot, but that's all! We didn't have to get used to it or anything like that. Oh, and it's definitely not uncomfortable!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 14.3 mm
Promedio 11.0 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
4.6 mm
Drop
22.6 mm

Suavidad de la mediasuela

It's very important for us to cut every shoe in half. This way we can see what each of them hides on the inside!

New Balance 996 Midsole softness-1

The ENCAP midsole cushioning of the 996 returned 33.5 HA when we pressured our durometer against it. This is slightly harder than average, but our feet didn't really feel it.

New Balance 996 Midsole softness in cold-2

There's also a durable polyurethane foam right next to it that got 34 HC on our durometer, which is basically the same score.

Resultados de las pruebas
996 33.5 HA
Promedio 29.1 HA
Utilizamos una media de cuatro pruebas. La foto muestra una de esas pruebas.
En comparación con 54 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
15.0 HA
Suavidad de la mediasuela (de blanda a firme)
60.0 HA

Grosor de la plantilla

The queen of insoles has decided to give us just a standard one with this model.

New Balance 996 Insole thickness-1

Our caliper returned 5.3 mm, which is just an average result. But hey, if you don't like it, you can always change it!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 5.3 mm
Promedio 5.2 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
3.1 mm
Grosor de la plantilla
14.2 mm

Estabilidad

Prueba de estabilidad lateral

The lateral stability of this shoe wasn't bad at all.

We made our ankles wiggle, but we felt this shoe trying to hold them in place. If you're looking for the safest fit, you can always make use of the extra eyelet the 996 has at the top (which is a detail that we absolutely love). Its running heart never left its sneaker body!

New Balance 996_outdoor_012

Rigidez torsional

This NB pair let us play with it without putting up much of a fight.

As you can see, its structure is more on the forgiving side, which we really appreciated as it gave us that fantastic out-of-the-box comfort.

New Balance 996_outdoor_05

Resultados de las pruebas
996 3
Promedio 3.4
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Rigidez torsional
5

Rigidez del contrafuerte del talón

The heel is also pretty pliable, as it bent easily when we pushed it down.

Once again, this translated into a comfortable fit from minute one, which is something that we really like about sneakers. Because, you know, when you buy a new pair of shoes and you find out they're rubbing your heel... that's a bummer. And let's not even talk about blisters!

New Balance 996_outdoor_09

Resultados de las pruebas
996 2
Promedio 3.2
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
1
Rigidez del contrafuerte del talón
5

Anchura de la mediasuela en el antepié

This shoe's midsole is slightly narrower than average at the forefoot.

New Balance 996 Midsole width in the forefoot-1

Our caliper returned 107.2 mm, but we didn't feel unstable or anything like that!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 107.2 mm
Promedio 108.4 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
95.1 mm
Anchura de la mediasuela en el antepié
121.0 mm

Anchura de la mediasuela en la zona del talón

Now, the heel takes being narrow to the next level.

New Balance 996 Midsole width in the heel-1

At 77.7 mm, it's a whole 6% narrower than average. It might not sound like much but, in shoes, every mm counts!

New Balance 996_outdoor_015

We also want to add that our standard-width feet felt okay with this, but we can see how wide-foot sneakerheads might find it slightly less comfortable than us. Just because of the narrower base for their feet!

Resultados de las pruebas
996 77.7 mm
Promedio 82.9 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
67.7 mm
Anchura de la mediasuela en la zona del talón
103.1 mm

Flexibilidad

Rigidez

The 996 would have been an FX specialist with this flexibility!

It only needed 17.3N of force to bend all the way up to 90 degrees, and our feet would nod if they could! During our wear tests, this NB moved alongside them, following every move and offering us a very comfortable and easy ride.

New Balance 996_outdoor_04

Resultados de las pruebas
996 17.3N
Promedio 23.0N
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
5.8N
Rigidez
60.5N

Agarre / Tracción

First of all, let's have a look at the 996's outsole.

New Balance 996_outdoor_03

Looking just like an F1, this shoe has a rubber coverage (black) that surrounds the midsole material (white), which is more prone to abrasion.

We can't say these runner-style sneakers are built to bite the floor like crazy, but they provided us with enough traction on urban surfaces. All in all, the outsole did its job fairly well, and that's what counts!

Tallaje y ajuste

Anchura de la parte delantera en la parte más ancha

Our caliper returned 96.0 mm when we measured this shoe's toebox width at the widest part.

New Balance 996 Toebox width at the widest part-1

Once again, this result is lower than average and, also once again, we can see this shoe being kind of uncomfortable for wide-feet sneakerheads.

New Balance 996_outdoor_014

Resultados de las pruebas
996 96.0 mm
Promedio 98.8 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
91.6 mm
Anchura de la parte delantera en la parte más ancha
107.7 mm

Anchura de la parte delantera en la zona del dedo gordo

And... it also tapers quite a lot!

New Balance 996 Toebox width at the big toe-2

Our caliper marked 71.1 mm, which is way less than average and, consequently, it might not be the best shoe if you've got wide feet. Your toes will definitely feel cramped, and that might lead to uncomfortableness!

New Balance 996_outdoor_011

One of the roots of this issue is that the high-quality materials used in this shoe don't give in! The suede parts might stretch a little, little bit, but we believe it definitely won't be enough for them to fit wide feet comfortably.

Resultados de las pruebas
996 71.1 mm
Promedio 74.7 mm
En comparación con 68 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
63.7 mm
Anchura de la parte delantera en la zona del dedo gordo
83.0 mm

Comodidad

Acolchado de la lengüeta

We loved the padded tongue of the New Balance 996!

New Balance 996 Tongue padding-1

Its wonderful 9.9 mm made our instep stay comfortable even if we used that extra top eyelet to tighten up the shoe!

New Balance 996_outdoor_010

Resultados de las pruebas
996 9.9 mm
Promedio 9.1 mm
En comparación con 69 sneakers
Número de zapatillas
0.7 mm
Acolchado de la lengüeta
38.4 mm

Tirador del talón

This shoe doesn't have a heel tab, but wait until you get to our reflective elements section and find out why!

New Balance 996 Heel tab-1

Resultados de las pruebas
996 Ninguno

Plantilla extraíble

This shoe features a removable insole, which is wonderful news!

New Balance 996 Removable insole-1

If you need to use your own orthotics or if you're just looking for that extra cushioning or support underfoot, you can always go for a different insole.

New Balance 996 Removable insole-2

Additionally, this shoe's opening is pretty big, so fitting the insole in shouldn't be troublesome at all.

Resultados de las pruebas
996

Varios

Elementos reflectantes

Look at how cool the 996's heel is! Who needs a heel tab with such an awesome detail (and a wide opening, of course).

Resultados de las pruebas
996