New Balance Rebel v5 After 100 Miles: A Daily Trainer That Gets Better With Miles

Introduction

Some shoes feel great out of the box and slowly fade from there. The New Balance Rebel v5 is the opposite: the more miles we put into it, the better it gets. After 100 miles, it remains one of the most enjoyable everyday trainers of its generation, holding on to the fun, peppy ride that made such a strong first impression.

This long-term look covers how the shoe has been used, how the foam and upper are wearing, what to know before buying, and two strong alternatives worth comparing: the Adidas Evo SL and the Puma Velocity Nitro 4.

How the Rebel v5 Fits Into a Training Week

The ideal use case for the Rebel v5 is deceptively specific: it shines on the days when you feel a little beat up, deep into a marathon training block, and want a recovery shoe, but still have a lot of miles to cover and do not want them to drag on forever. In that role, it is exactly the shoe you want to lace up.

More broadly, it works as a fantastic daily trainer with an impressive amount of pace versatility. It handles regular everyday runs, midweek long runs, weekend long runs, and even slower, easy efforts without complaint. It is also light and peppy enough for fartleks and road intervals, even though it is probably not the shoe for the biggest, toughest key marathon workouts.

How It Has Held Up After 100 Miles

At the 100-mile mark, the PEBA-based midsole is holding up exceptionally well. There is a common assumption that PEBA foam is fragile and short-lived, but the formulation here still feels great underfoot. It no longer feels brand new out of the box, but it also does not feel close to dying. The cushioned, fun, peppy ride from the first few miles is still very much present.

There is some visible creasing in the foam, mainly noticeable in the orange painted sections where the contrast makes it easier to see. It suggests the shoe has been getting good use, but it is not a real concern at this mileage.

The upper tells a similar story. Not a single stitch or overlay is fraying or peeling. The one cosmetic note is a crescent-shaped crease forming over the forefoot and toe box, something also seen in the Rebel v4, which uses very similar materials. The generous volume in the upper and the way the front rocker becomes more pronounced over miles both contribute. It has no effect on performance.

Outsole and Grip

Durability where it matters is strong. The thin rubber coverage on this shoe is holding up well, and it does not look like a 100-mile shoe. The one spot taking wear is the right outer heel, where the etchings in the rubber are fading and that small corner is becoming slightly slick. The left shoe shows no comparable wear, and other high-wear zones look nearly untouched.

The exposed midsole foam on the bottom of the shoe shows a little scuffing, which is expected as the foam compresses into the ground on foot strike. At this point it is purely cosmetic. The only other flaw worth mentioning: the shoe holds on to some sweat odor from hot-weather summer miles, though it is far from the worst offender at this mileage.

Buying Advice and Pricing

The Rebel v5 is a fun and fast daily trainer with excellent pace versatility, and it has maintained that character over 100 miles. It currently retails for $145, which feels a touch expensive, with tariffs largely to thank for the price bump. The New York City Marathon edition drops that to $128, which is a genuinely lovely price for a shoe that ranks among the favorites of 2025.

Alternative: Adidas Evo SL

The Adidas Evo SL is another standout daily trainer of 2025. It uses Lightstrike Pro, an older version of it, rather than the EVA-style foams found in many traditional trainers, along with a small plastic shank to keep the shoe from getting too flexible. It is a straightforward, really fun daily trainer with the same kind of pace versatility as the Rebel v5.

The main difference is underfoot feel. The Evo SL is a slightly more dense experience, while the Rebel v5 feels airier and more squishy. Both can be used in very similar ways. The Evo SL retails for $150, but some colorways can be found on sale for $120, which undercuts even the discounted Rebel v5. At those discounted prices, either is an easy pickup if you like a modern, bouncy, slightly squishy daily trainer.

Puma Velocity Nitro 4: The Firmer, Sure-Footed Pick

The Puma Velocity Nitro 4 is a shoe that also rewards mileage, using aliphatic TPU foam, a material increasingly found in both daily trainers and racing shoes. The shoe is fun, well cushioned, and bouncy, but it is a firmer experience than the Rebel v5.

On a firmness spectrum, the Rebel v5 is the airiest of the three, the Evo SL sits in the middle, and the Velocity Nitro 4 lands on the firmer end. It has slightly less range than either the Evo SL or the Rebel v5, but for runners who do not want something too tall or too squishy and still want a modern, fun ride, it is a great choice. It retails for $140, a fair price for what you get, though it is not yet discounted anywhere, which puts it at a disadvantage versus the $120 Evo SL and the $128 Rebel v5.

Conclusion

After 100 miles, the New Balance Rebel v5 has only grown more appealing: the foam still feels lively, the upper is intact, and the ride remains fun across easy days, long runs, and light speed work. At $145, or $128 for the NYC Marathon edition, it earns its place as a favorite daily trainer of the year. Pick the Evo SL if you want a denser feel at a discounted price, or the Velocity Nitro 4 if you prefer something firmer and more sure-footed. Any of the three can be an excellent pickup depending on the ride you are after.