As one of the premier shoe brands, New Balance is constantly evolving its technology to better suit the needs of consumers. To track those innovations and allow you to accurately choose the style of shoe that best fits your needs, New Balance uses a 3 part system to create the full style number for each shoe. The full style number can be found under the tongue of the shoe and is unique to each gender, model, and color.
Model Number and Style Number
In general, higher numbers have more technology built into them. This isn’t always the case but holds true more often than not.
The full style number is broken down into the following 3 parts and can be found on the underside of the tongue.
Part 1
The Letter before the number indicates the gender and the activity the shoe was designed for…
MT = Men’s Trail
WT = Women’s Trail
MW = Men’s Walking
WW = Women’s Walking
MX = Men’s Cross-Training
WX = Women’s Cross-Training
MC/MCH/MCY = Men’s Tennis
WC/WCH/WCY = Women’s Tennis
US = Made in The USA
UK = Made in The United Kingdom
Kids shoes have a different letter system
G = grade school
P = preschool
I = infant
Y = youth (preschool and grade school)
Part 2
The numbers are the model number. The last 2 digits of the model number indicate the technology in that particular shoe.
40 = Optimal Control *
- Best for over-pronators and low arches
- Superior control, stability, cushioning, and support
- Supports proper foot biomechanics
- *With the exception of the 840v4 running & 840v2 walking. These styles are neutral cushion styles.
50 = Fitness Running
- Best for indoor workouts or training on roads
- Visually appealing
- Innovative technology
- Maximum responsiveness and power for athletes
60 = Stability
- Pronation reduction
- Maximum stability control
- Maximum cushioning and comfort
70 = Light Stability
- Perfect combination of stability and speed
- Lighter, sleek profile
- Designed for runners who train at a faster pace
80 = Neutral
- Designed for high-mileage runners
- Light-weight
- Superior cushioning
90 = Speed *
- Designed for speed and distance runners
- Superior ride and fit
- Professional runners’ choice
- *With the exception of the 990v5 and its predecessors.
Part 3
Any letters after the number typically indicate the color of the shoe.
WB = White and Blue
BK = Black
GL = Grey
Version
Any letter or number following the color designation is the version number.
v5 = Version 5
v6 = Version 6
There are some versions of New Balance shoes that don’t seem to fit the model number or style number because the number on the side of the shoe or in the sales description may not be the full model or style number listed under the tongue of the actual shoe.