New Balance 574
Supplied listing: unisex 574; its product description refers to the 574 V3. Specific color and factory style code are not confirmed.
More published width choices
SpecFit Score: Not assigned
Check Price on AmazonNew Balance 574 vs Adidas Spezial
This comparison examines the New Balance 574 and adidas Handball Spezial as everyday trainers, focusing on fit options, cushioning construction, upper materials, outsoles and their different low-profile or running-inspired shapes.
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adidas Handball Spezial
Supplied listing: men's Night Indigo / Cream White / White, size 9. adidas documents a similar Night Indigo colorway as style IF7087.
Low-profile suede design
SpecFit Score: Not assigned
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Decision summary
A conditional choice, not an overall specification winner
The 574 has the stronger documented choice of widths and a clearly described ENCAP midsole. The Handball Spezial offers a low-profile court-derived shape, a suede upper and a gum rubber outsole. Neither feature set proves superior comfort, durability or everyday grip. Pick according to fit requirements and the construction you prefer.
574 SpecFit Score
Not calculated
Spezial SpecFit Score
Not calculated
Score difference
Not applicable
Recommendation confidence
Insufficient for one winner
Common Verified Coverage: not computed because the key outcomes lack comparable measurements. Ranking Stability: not tested because no defensible numerical model was established.
The most decision-relevant verified distinction is option availability: the reference 574 Core range lists standard, wide and extra-wide men's widths, while the corresponding adidas Handball Spezial page lists regular fit. This does not show that every 574 listing includes every width or that a regular-width shoe cannot fit you.
Quick decision table
| Decision area | New Balance 574 | adidas Spezial | Practical edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published width options | 574 Core: men's D, 2E and 4E | Handball Spezial IF7087: regular fit listed | 574 for documented choice |
| Underfoot construction | ENCAP foam with polyurethane support rim | Lightly cushioned footbed noted by the supplied listing; detailed midsole specification unverified | Different; comparative comfort unknown |
| Upper | Suede and mesh | Suede | Depends on material preference |
| Outsole | Rubber, including 5% recycled rubber in the documented Core model | Gum rubber | Grip not established |
| Shape and heritage | Running-inspired hybrid road/trail profile | Lower-profile heritage indoor-court shape | Depends on use and styling |
Why the available evidence does not establish one winner
Width choice can be checked directly, so the 574 earns a real but conditional advantage for people who need a wider size. The ENCAP construction is also documented, but its presence alone cannot tell us how the shoe will feel beside the Spezial. Meanwhile, a gum outsole and a slimmer silhouette distinguish the Spezial without proving that it grips better, weighs less or suits every foot.
These criteria do not share a reliable common performance scale. Assigning scores to comfort, fit quality, grip or long-term wear would turn construction details into unsupported measurements. A simple count of documented features would be misleading as well.
1. Fit options and sizing
A suitable size and width matter more than small differences in materials. The strongest published difference here is in available width categories.
| Specification | New Balance 574 | adidas Handball Spezial | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer-listed width fit | 574 Core men's: standard D, wide 2E, extra-wide 4E | IF7087 listed as regular fit; no separate width menu shown | 574 offers more documented options for width-specific needs. |
| Manufacturer size menu | Reference men's Core page: US 4 to 18 | IF7087 US men's: 4 to 13.5 | Outer ends of the shown range may matter; individual colors and stock can differ. |
| Size advice | New Balance says its Core 574 runs small and suggests considering a larger size. | adidas advises the usual size; the supplied product listing advises a smaller size. | Guidance conflicts for the Spezial. Neither recommendation guarantees fit. |
| Closure | Laces | Laces | Effectively tied. |
Category finding: 574 has the clearer documented width advantage. Published dimensions of the footbed, toe box and actual internal volume are not provided for a consistent matched-size comparison. The New Balance official reference is a 574 Core model, while the supplied listing calls its shoe a 574 V3, so the full option menu should not be assumed for that exact listing.
2. Cushioning and underfoot construction
Construction helps identify how each shoe is built, but brand-specific cushioning names are not independent measures of comfort or impact absorption.
| Specification | New Balance 574 | adidas Handball Spezial | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsole system | ENCAP combines a soft foam core with a polyurethane rim. | Comparable midsole material and geometry are not specified in the manufacturer information examined. | More detail is known about the 574; absence of a specification is not absence of cushioning. |
| Footbed | Separate footbed thickness not verified. | Supplied listing describes a lightly cushioned footbed. | No matched thickness or pressure measurements to compare. |
| Heel-to-toe drop and stack | Not verified for the exact supplied version. | Not verified for the exact supplied version. | No defensible geometry score. |
| Independent matched-condition comfort test | Not established | Not established | No evidence-based comfort winner. |
Category finding: the 574 has more explicit midsole documentation. That makes its engineering easier to understand, not automatically more effective for every wearer.
3. Upper materials and conditions of use
The material mix affects the shoe's construction and care requirements. It does not, by itself, prove better airflow, weather protection or long-term durability.
| Specification | New Balance 574 | adidas Handball Spezial | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper material | Suede and mesh in the documented 574 construction | Suede in the documented IF7087 colorway | A genuine material difference, not a universal quality ranking. |
| Lining | Exact supplied variant not verified | Synthetic lining on IF7087 | No reliable comparative lining score. |
| Waterproof rating | Not documented for this supplied shoe | Not documented for this supplied shoe | Do not assume either is waterproof. |
| Leather content | Official 574 Core documentation says the upper contains cow leather. | Suede upper documented; other Spezial releases can use different materials. | Check the particular colorway if material composition is essential. |
Category finding: depends on which material construction you want. A mesh panel is not a laboratory airflow result, and suede on both shoes calls for care appropriate to the material.
4. Outsole and intended use
Both models have sport-derived histories, but their current product pages chiefly support an everyday footwear comparison rather than a modern athletic-performance claim.
| Specification | New Balance 574 | adidas Handball Spezial | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outsole material | Rubber; 574 Core documentation states 5% recycled rubber content. | Gum rubber | Material labels alone cannot determine slip resistance. |
| Design origin | Hybrid road and trail running heritage | Indoor handball heritage, introduced in 1979 | Different design histories do not certify current sport performance. |
| Verified traction test | Not established | Not established | No justified traction winner. |
| Certified slip-resistance rating | Not established for the supplied model | Not established for the supplied model | Neither should be selected as specialist slip-resistant footwear on this evidence. |
Category finding: no established outsole-performance edge. The rubber compositions and tread designs differ, but no matched test shows which grips better on a particular surface.
5. Profile and design character
The most visible difference is the shape each shoe is built around, which can be a genuine preference even when no objective performance winner exists.
| Attribute | New Balance 574 | adidas Handball Spezial | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| General profile | Layered, running-inspired silhouette | Low-profile, court-derived silhouette | Choose the proportions that suit your own preference. |
| Visual details | Suede and mesh panels, prominent N branding | Suede T-toe and three stripes | Different design languages, not a measurable superiority. |
| Specialized modern sports qualification | Not established by the cited lifestyle product information | Not established by the cited lifestyle product information | Neither should be presumed ideal for demanding sport solely from its heritage. |
Category finding: a matter of preference. Neither overall shape nor design appeal should receive automatic points in a general comparison.
Which should you choose?
Choose the New Balance 574 if...
- You need to explore standard, wide or extra-wide versions in the published 574 Core lineup.
- You want a running-inspired layered silhouette with suede and mesh.
- You specifically want the documented ENCAP foam-and-rim construction, while recognizing that it is not proof of better personal comfort.
Choose the adidas Handball Spezial if...
- You want the lower-profile style derived from classic indoor handball shoes.
- You prefer the documented suede upper and gum rubber outsole combination.
- The regular-fit offering works for you and you can confirm the fit of the particular colorway.
What could change the decision?
A requirement for a manufacturer-listed extra-wide option can decide in favor of the 574 Core range before other attributes are considered. A non-negotiable preference for the Spezial's low court profile can decide the other way. For shoppers without either requirement, matched-size measurements of midsole behavior, actual weight, grip, footbed shape and wear would be needed to establish a more general performance ranking.
A weighted sensitivity test cannot be run responsibly without comparable utility scores for those central criteria. No numerical decision-flip point is claimed.
How we calculated the scores
No defensible numerical SpecFit Scores were calculated. Manufacturer information confirms particular materials, a cushioning construction, published sizing options and product features, but it does not supply comparable evidence for comfort, fit quality, traction or long-term wear. Treating an undocumented value as zero, or awarding points simply for more stated features, would distort the result.
Relevant verified specifications and practical requirements guide the recommendations above. Extra capability matters only when it is useful, and subjective outcomes are not inferred from a list of features. Read more here.
What the specifications cannot tell you
The sources do not provide an equivalent matched-size test for arch feel, toe room, foot pressure, long-walk comfort, outsole wear or real-world traction. The supplied 574 listing and the manufacturer 574 Core reference also do not establish a single identical factory style code. For the Spezial, the supplied listing's advice to size down conflicts with adidas's own guidance to order the usual size. Individual foot shape and model variations can matter more than broad product-family labels.
Sources
- New Balance: 574 Core product details ENCAP construction, upper materials, published men's size and width options, outsole content and fit guidance. Used as a model-family reference, not proof of the supplied listing's exact style code.
- adidas: Handball Spezial IF7087 product details Night Indigo colorway, regular fit, suede upper, lining and gum rubber outsole.
- Supplied New Balance 574 product listing Product identity and the stated 574 V3 family, ENCAP midsole, suede and mesh upper and published extended-width claim.
- Supplied adidas Handball Spezial product listing Listed Night Indigo configuration and the footbed and size-advice statements, compared against manufacturer information.
- adidas Originals: Spezial design history The model's 1979 handball origin and low-profile heritage.