New Balance FuelCell Rebel V4 First Run Review: A Lighter, More Stable Plateless Trainer

Introduction

The Rebel has always been New Balance’s lightweight, fairly low-stack, plateless trainer aimed mainly at tempo runs and faster days, with enough versatility to handle a fair bit of other training. The FuelCell Rebel V4 is the fourth edition of the shoe, and it brings significant changes compared to the V3: a new blend of midsole foam, a higher stack, a wider base, and a slightly higher price at $140, up $10 on the previous version.

We took it straight into a road warm-up followed by a track session with mile reps and 400 meter repeats, which is exactly the kind of mixed-speed training this shoe is built to cover. Here are our first impressions.

Specs and Key Changes

In a UK 9.5 / US 10, the Rebel V4 weighs 219 g (7.7 oz) with a 6 mm heel-to-toe drop, a 30 mm heel stack, and a 24 mm forefoot stack. Compared to the V3, the weight has not changed much, but the stack is higher and the base is noticeably wider, which you can see and feel immediately when you run in the two shoes back to back.

The midsole uses a new version of New Balance’s FuelCell foam. FuelCell has been the brand’s best foam for a while, and with this latest generation New Balance has introduced PEBA foams for the first time. The SC Elite V4 uses an entirely PEBA-based midsole, while the Rebel V4 uses a blend of EVA and PEBA. That should feel lighter and bouncier than the previous FuelCell foam, though it is not a full PEBA midsole.

The upper is a lightweight, open mesh with minimal padding, particularly at the heel. The outsole has quite a lot of exposed foam in the middle and at the back of the shoe, but a good, fairly thick layer of rubber at the heel with good forefoot coverage, which should bode well for durability.

Sizing and Fit

We tested a UK 9.5, half a size up from our usual UK size with New Balance. In the past, the Rebel has tended to run short, and a US 10 has occasionally been too short for us in earlier versions. With the V4, that half size up worked well, but in hindsight the shoe does not feel particularly cramped, and going with your normal US size is likely the right call. If you usually go half a size up in New Balance shoes, that habit is worth keeping, but the V4 is a pretty normal-sized shoe, unlike the notably tight Rebel V1.

The lockdown around the front of the midfoot is not absolutely perfect and feels a bit wide, which is surprising for a shoe that has historically been tight and racy, but it was not a major problem on the run. The heel is not the tightest hold either, yet there was no slippage at all, and we never needed to heel lock the shoe. The open, minimally padded heel design is genuinely comfortable and does not put extra pressure on the achilles area, which anyone with achilles irritation will appreciate.

First Run Impressions

The test session was a controlled one: a road loop warm-up, then mile reps around 5:25 per mile pace and 400 meter reps at 80 and 75 seconds, finishing with a 68-second rep to turn the legs over a bit faster. That is not an all-out session, but it is the kind of training you would want a versatile plateless trainer to handle comfortably.

The shoe felt very controlled at every pace. It does feel quite different to the V3 on first showing, though not so much in the foam, which perhaps has a little more spring. The bigger change is the platform: the shoe feels much more grounded and stable and noticeably wider on the foot, without losing its pep. The instability of the Rebel V3 was something some runners did not enjoy, so a more stable platform is a welcome change.

How It Handles Speed Work

The 400 meter reps were easy to cruise through at sub-80 and 75-second pace, and the faster closing rep felt smooth. This is probably around the top end of the speeds we would run in this shoe. For a really hard track session or a very hard long run, a plated trainer or a super shoe would still be our pick, but the Rebel V4 comfortably ticks off a lot of speed work alongside easier runs.

Cushioning is comfortable without being soft. The foam is not sinky or squishy, and it is not as soft as the full PEBA foam in the SC Elite V4, but it has a nice level of cushioning, plenty of resiliency, and a good bit of pop that helps you turn your feet over quickly. The 30 mm stack feels higher than it is when running, and the shoe remains remarkably light.

The trade-off is some loss of nimbleness. The narrower, more agile V3 was great for very fast reps where you pick your feet up quickly, and the wider, more stable V4 gives up a little of that agility. In exchange, it should be a better shoe for slower runs and longer runs, with more comfort than the V2 and V3 offered for general easy mileage.

Buying Advice

If you want a fast, plateless trainer that can handle tempo runs, speed sessions, and a good chunk of everyday mileage, the Rebel V4 makes a strong case. It sits naturally as the main training partner to the SC Elite V4 thanks to its similar angular geometry, or as a speedy day shoe in a rotation that includes plated options like the SCD Trainer V2.

We would recommend going with your normal US size. The front of the shoe is not cramped, and the fit is happiest there. The thick heel rubber and forefoot coverage suggest good durability, and the $140 price point is reasonable for what the shoe delivers. At this early stage, no real negatives have emerged beyond the slight loss of agility, and we will report back on longer runs in the full review.

Conclusion

The New Balance FuelCell Rebel V4 is a great shoe: really fun to run in, lightweight, comfortable, and well priced. It is a lovely option for runners who do not want to use plated trainers all the time but still want something fast. The new foam blend adds a touch of bounce, the wider platform adds welcome stability, and the extra comfort makes it more suitable for longer runs than the V3. This is an improvement on a shoe we already liked, and it is a very strong start for the Rebel V4.