New Balance 992 Performance Review

A New Balance Made in USA classic is back. After a three-year hiatus, the New Balance 992 is releasing again. In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at the model and see if the Boston-based brand made the correct decision in bringing the 992 back for 2025.

What is the New Balance 992?

Originally debuted back in 2006, the New Balance 992 was released to mark the 100th anniversary of the brand and as an update to the popular Made in UK 991. Designed by Jonathan Bacon, the 992 was the first sneaker to use ABZORB SBS cushioning.

There has been a rumor that Apple’s Steve Jobs was asked for some insight during the 992’s design stage. So, I reached out to Jonathan Bacon and asked if this rumor was true. He told me that Jobs was, in fact, sent “an early prototype to wear test and review.” However, he added that given how important the 992 was to New Balance at the time, any changes could not have been made to the finished shoe “until every higher up person saw it.”

So, to finally put an end to the long-standing, Steve Jobs 992 rumor: yes, Jobs was sent a prototype for feedback; however, to say anything more than that may exaggerate his impact on the final design (and be a disservice to Bacon’s fine work).

The New Balance 992 is a part of the famed 99X family, a sneaker line that includes some of NB’s best and most beloved models, many of which we’ve reviewed here at WearTesters. [Editor’s Note: You can check out Ryan’s 998 Review and 990 vs 991 Comparison, Chris’ 990v4/990v6 Review, or Gavriel’s 993 Review for our team’s thoughts.] But let’s find out how this 992 measures up to the rest of the 99X family.

Pros

Truly Great Materials

Oh boy, I once again get to gush about the materials on a New Balance MADE sneaker! And gush I will. The 992 features New Balance’s signature pigskin suedes for most of the upper. And just like all of my other MADE sneakers, the quality is tip-top-notch – cuts are pretty thick and buttery soft to the touch.

But there’s more than just the pigskin suedes on the New Balance 992’s upper. The standard Core colorways, for example, also have some nubuck hits around the tongue and the top of the heel; whereas the Joe Freshgoods “Aged Well” collab colorway swaps the nubuck for some very premium leather (of which I’m a big fan).

And rounding off the 992’s upper, regardless of colorway, New Balance gives us some high-quality, very breathable mesh (most notably for the toebox). I have nothing bad to say about the materials on the 992.

All Day Comfort

In terms of the midsole, the New Balance 992 uses three of the brand’s cushioning technologies: an ENCAP and C-CAP dual-density midsole, plus the aforementioned ABZORB SBS at the heel and forefoot.

The ENCAP and C-CAP provide some cushion without sacrificing stability. And according to the 992’s designer, Jonathan Bacon, ABZORB SBS is a gel-like material that adds more cushion and more rebound.

As for how the overall midsole feels underfoot, it’s pretty damn nice and is great for all-day wear. Of all my 99X sneakers, I think only the 990v6’s ENCAP and FuelCell midsole combo beats the 992’s setup in terms of comfort.

Durable Rubber Outsole

The 992’s outsole is made using New Balance’s NDurance rubber, and it’s known – with good reason – for its durability. When compared to the outsole of the 990v6 (the most recent 990 model), the 992 has thicker rubber and more of it with regard to outsole coverage.

If you’re someone who puts a lot of stock into a shoe’s durability, you should like what New Balance has done here. A lot of my other 99X sneakers use NDurance rubber, and I’ve never had issues with outsole wear.

Very Easy Entry

As a sneaker reviewer with spastic cerebral palsy, a physical limitation, I find it important to note a sneaker’s ease of entry for those like me. And I’m very happy to report that the New Balance 992 falls in line with the other 99X models I’ve owned/reviewed – meaning I can get the 992 on independently.

I keep them tied but leave the top eyestay unlaced so there’s enough of an opening for me to slide in my feet. Of my 99X collection, I actually find the 992 the easiest to get on independently. I’m not entirely sure why that’s the case, but it might have something to do with the shape of the 992’s tongue.

Cons

Lack of Widths

New Balance is known for having wide (and even narrow) fit options of its popular sneakers. It’s one of the many reasons New Balance is my favorite sneaker brand. However, just like the recent 998s, the New Balance 992 is only available in one width, D (the standard width for men’s sizing).

As someone with 4E-width Tolkien Hobbit feet, I’m pretty bummed NB isn’t making the 992 available in more widths. Don’t get me wrong, the 992 is still plenty wide by industry standards. For wide-footers, going true-to-size should work, you’ll have some extra length but enough width – that’s what I did and I like how they fit. And for average/narrow-footers, going a half size down should be good – that’s what other reviewers do and it seems to work for them.

High Retail Price

There’s no way around this one. New Balance’s MADE sneakers retail for a lot of money, and the 992 is no exception. Core 992 colorways retail for $200, and special or collaboration colorways can retail for upwards of an eye-watering $220.

Hard to Get

At the time of writing, the New Balance 992 is not readily available at New Balance retailers. So, if you want a pair of them, you’ll likely have to use the secondary market and pay over the already high retail price. Hopefully New Balance will make more pairs soon.

[Editor’s Note: We’ve seen some availability appear periodically on the New Balance website, but certain sizes and colorways are definitely less reliably available than others.]

New Balance 992 Summary

The New Balance 992 uses superb materials, offers all-day comfort, and has a thick, durable rubber outsole. I think the 992 is a great model for New Balance fans. There were a few colorways from the 2020-2022 run of this classic model I really wanted and never got. So, I’m very happy to finally add a 992 to my ever-growing New Balance collection.

But, should the brand have brought them back in 2025? Given how popular the current run of 992s have been so far and the many reasons I shared above, I think, unequivocally, yes.

Disclosure

The New Balance 992 used for this review was purchased by one of our team members. New Balance had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.