Customer Reviews New Balance MW749

I was looking for a sturdy work/hiking shoe with the lightness and support of a running shoe. The 749 is a good middle ground, very comfortable, durable, and light. In my case the shoes run narrower than advertised but not longer. I normally wear a narrow 9.5, tried a few variations, and ended up buying the 9.5 Wide (2E) which feels right. I tried the Lowa Renegade at twice the price, but did not like it as much.

I took advice from previous purchasers and went up one half size in length and one letter in width from my normal size and I'm glad that I did. These New Balance MW749 fit fine.

First, I'd like to echo reviews of others. This shoe is NARROW and a little short. I generally wear an 8 EE. I tried 3 different fits before I found the right one. Size 8.5 4E worked for me. I wore an MW575 before this with an SL-1 last and they always felt perfect. This shoe fit "ok" once I found the right size, but I wished the toe box were a little bigger. I felt as if I was walking on the inside of my feet. Instead of hitting the ground with the outside of my heel I'd strike it with the middle and roll through the arch. I needed a new inner sole before this shoe felt really good. With the new insert, these feel fine. I absolutely love the style. That's the only reason I spent the time with these to get them to fit right. I couldn't find anything else on the market that had the look I wanted. I feel comfortable wearing these to the office with khakis or in shorts during the summer. Kudos to New Balance for offering such a wide variety of sizes. I couldn't find anything similar in a wide width from any other brand.