I have several pairs of New Balance sneakers, including Classic 574. I bought these to replace a pair of nearly 5-year old Asics I’ve only used at the gym that are finally starting to show their age, and that I wasn’t that impressed with from the get-go. Initially I was shocked at how lightweight these MRL574 are, especially compared to the Classic 574. Unlike the 574, however, these feel cheap and plastic-y. The "sonic-welded synthetic leather" is extremely hard, and seems to resist being flexed. There was an audible “pop” when walking around the house to try them out from what must be the material snapping back into place. The shoe is also thinly constructed throughout, likely to reduce weight, but results in it feeling a bit too big. I usually wear size 13, but I’m closest in size to 12.5, a fact that’s moot as few manufacturers make half-sizes after 12. So most size 13 shoes already feel a little big. These felt way too big though, a problem for sure given that I would wear these to workout in and that they’ll likely stretch out a little. If I liked the shoe otherwise, I’d expect size 12 to fit a bit better. The idea of a lightweight, technical 574 really appealed to me. Overall, I really liked the styling and color of the shoe. I’m not a fan of this latest fluorescent color trend in athletic shoes, which sadly New Balance has succumbed to (see the other two colors of this shoe), so I had high hopes for these, but this shoe misses the mark, and I’m returning them. In the meantime, I’ll probably buy one or two pairs of the Classic 574, which I know fit well, even for my odd size, are comfortable, will wear well and look great.