The New Balance FuelCell Rebel V5 Is a Darn Comfy Running Shoe

The upper helps with that disappearing act, too. It’s the type of upper I wish every daily trainer had; padded where it needs to be (around the ankle) but thin and breathable over the midfoot and forefoot. It feels soft and secure without squeezing anything. The tongue is thin yet still padded, and it lays flat and doesn’t budge.

This shoe can handle a range of paces: I took it for a six-mile recovery run through Prospect Park and then followed up with a progressively faster 5k (starting easy and ending on a little faster than tempo pace) on the treadmill. And the traction is also great. There are leaves all over the sidewalks here in Brooklyn right now, and after a fresh rain, this rubber gripped fine and I didn’t slip once.

It’s No Longer The Best Speedy Daily Trainer

The Rebel V4 (the predecessor of the V5) had a cult following for speed days. I tested them nearly two years ago and liked it, too, but I couldn’t comfortably go past 10K in it so I stuck with it for fast runs. This new version feels softer and a touch less snappy—and has an additional five millimeters of foam added to the midsole—so it’s not as good at those top speeds.

That’s why you may find divisive reviews for this shoe; it’s a pretty big deviation from the last model but New Balance is still marketing them as “built to look and feet fast.” This category of running shoes—speedy daily trainers—has also exploded in the past two years, so for this model to get softer but still carry the same fast-day marketing means the expectations don’t exactly align with the experience on foot.

Understandably, some people are annoyed about that. If you loved the V4 for poppy intervals, you might miss that edge. I get it. But for me, the trade-off is worth it: I can wear the V5 for more kinds of runs and would happily wear it for long runs, and potentially even a marathon.

Verdict: Is The New Balance FuelCell Rebel V5 Worth It?

As long as you know what you’re in for—a daily trainer that picks up the pace moderately well—then you’ll be happy with this shoe. It’s definitely earned a place in my shoe rotation and I’ll probably wear it for mid-distance cruising because it’s so damn comfy underfoot. If you’re a casual runner who just wants to head out the door and not overthink things, or a gear person who wants a reliable daily trainer option in the lineup, this one fits that slot really nicely.

New Balance

FuelCell Rebel v5