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New Balance’s Ultimate Classic Dad Shoe Is Now Even More Affordable

Now’s the time to scoop up the budget-friendly sneaker at an even lower price.

Close-up of black and gray New Balance sneaker with white laces and mesh fabric on a green-yellow gradient background.New Balance
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Ethan Brehm

By Ethan Brehm

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Right now, New Balance’s 574 Core is priced at just $75, down from $100.

The sale runs across all six available colorways currently available, making this the perfect chance to pick up one of the brand’s most classic silhouettes.

Welcome to Shop Smarter: A series dedicated to highlighting not just what’s on sale, but why it’s worth owning. Discover more here.

Pair of black and white New Balance sneakers shown from the back with "new balance" text on the heel tab.
New Balance’s 574 Core colorways are currently offered at a 25% discount.
New Balance

Inexpensive ideology

Affordability has been central to the 574 lineup since its debut in 1988. 

In-house designer Steven Smith wanted to establish a practical alternative to the premium running shoes the brand had become known for. It took elements from its predecessors in the 500 series, like the suede and mesh construction and overall design language. 

Light gray New Balance sneaker with suede and mesh upper, white laces, and gray ENCAP midsole.
The 574 debuted in 1988, taking elements from the 576 and 577 but with more accessibility.
New Balance
Pair of black and gray New Balance 574 sneakers with white midsoles and gray laces on a white background.
The sneaker was designed to be a more affordable, practical sneaker than other running shoes on the market.
New Balance

The 574 simplified the upper of the 576 and lifted the sole unit of the then-new 577 to create an entirely new, budget-friendly shoe. Encap cushioning was thrown into the mix as well for supreme underfoot comfort.

Even at full price, the 574 hovers around the $100 mark, unless you’re talking about limited-edition drops (e.g., the Salehe Bembury “Shark Skin” collab hit over $2,000 on the secondhand market shortly after its 2021 release).

Pair of black New Balance Classic 574 sneakers with gray laces and blue insoles viewed from above.
There have been so many iterations of the 574 over the years that the brand has designated its year-round colorways as the Core collection.
New Balance

In fact, so many 574 models have been released over the years that New Balance started labeling their evergreen, year-round colorways as the “Core” variants over a decade ago.

Reinventing the dad shoe

The 574 wasn’t a technological breakthrough by any means. But how it combined existing elements into a versatile silhouette remains an innovation in its own right. It was so accessible and comfortable that, quickly, runners started using the 574 as their everyday sneakers as well. Pretty soon, non-runners started wearing these as well.

Navy blue and gray New Balance sneaker with suede and mesh upper and gray laces.
This navy blue variant is also on sale but is going much quicker than its counterparts.
New Balance
Pair of gray New Balance 574 Classic sneakers with white laces and black soles.
Runners have always loved how they can wear the 574 as their everyday sneakers as well.
New Balance

Concerning itself with practicality over looks, the 574 didn’t invent the dad shoe but it helped define what people think of when they hear the term. 

Person wearing gray layered long-sleeve shirt, dark denim pants, and gray New Balance sneakers sitting on a bench next to a skateboard.
While it didn’t invent the dad shoe, the 574 certainly helped define how we think of the category today.
New Balance

Availability and pricing

The 574 Core sale is still up and running for all six colorways, with most sizes still available — save for the navy blue variant, which is disappearing quickly. 

Nevertheless, New Balance has all of these at $75, which is 25% below the sticker price.

About the Author: Ethan Brehm is an associate editor at Gear Patrol writing about footwear, watches, spirits, EDC and more. When he’s not shopping for his next G-Shock, he spends his time watching movies and planning a future road trip with his family. He firmly believes CDs sound better than vinyl.

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