New Balance SuperComp Rebel v1 First Run: A Serious All-Rounder Contender

Introduction

The New Balance SuperComp Rebel v1 is an all-new shoe, but it borrows its identity from two established lines. The Rebel name points to New Balance’s popular lightweight trainer family, while the SuperComp badge signals a plated shoe built primarily for fast training. Think of it as a successor to the SC Trainer v3, merging features from the Rebel and the SC Trainer into one do-it-all package aimed at the same space as shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Speed line.

Pricing sits at £190 or $200, and the headline numbers are impressive: 224 g / 7.9 oz in a UK 9 (US 9.5), with a 40 mm heel stack, 36 mm forefoot, and a 4 mm drop. That is a lot of foam for such a light shoe, which is exactly what makes it interesting.

First Impressions

The first run was a demanding one: the second workout of a double day, 24 repetitions of 60 seconds on, 30 seconds off, targeted around 3:10 per kilometre in hot London conditions. Around 10k of the session took place on the track, and the reps came out on pace, hitting roughly 3:02 to 3:08 per kilometre throughout.

The shoe felt nimble, fast, and bouncy, with a lot of foam pop. Sustaining high speeds is where plated, efficient shoes earn their keep, and the SC Rebel handled it comfortably. Even the warm-up and cool-down felt good: stable while jogging at easy pace, not wobbly, and still bouncy and fun during a cooldown that usually feels like staggering. That bodes well for the shoe’s pace range.

Fit and Sizing

Fit was a pleasant surprise. In a UK 9 (US 9.5), the tester’s normal size, the SC Rebel delivered a genuinely good fit with no problems on length. The classic New Balance trait of running a touch tight around the toes is present but mild, and the shoe felt far roomier than the original Rebel in the same size.

Stick with your normal New Balance size. UK runners should remember New Balance scales up half a size for US sizing, unlike some brands where a UK 9 equals a US 10. The upper balances speed-focused construction with just enough padding for general runs, so it is not at all uncomfortable.

Under the Hood: Foam and Plate

The SC Rebel marks New Balance’s move away from FuelCell and Fresh Foam X toward the new InfiniOn midsole foam, believed to be the same supercritical aliphatic TPU used in the SC Elite v6 racing shoe. In other words, New Balance’s best current foam sits under this trainer.

Above that foam sits the carbon-infused Pebax Energy Arc plate, which appears to sit quite low in the shoe, especially under the forefoot. The upper is a lightweight, racy-feeling mesh that should breathe well, with light padding at the rear and an internal heel counter for stability. The PU outsole offers extensive forefoot coverage in a reasonably thick rubber layer, plus large sections at the heel.

On the Run: Track Session Impressions

Short reps are where the SC Rebel shone. It felt lighter and poppier than the SuperComp Trainer v3, which was already a good shoe but lacked the same level of foam excitement. Compared with the SC Elite v6, the Rebel feels almost bigger and bouncier, where the Elite is more direct, snappy, and efficient in its turnover.

Around 15k was covered in that first session, with just over 5k at an easy warm-up and cool-down pace. It never felt unnatural or clanky at slow speeds, which is not always the case with full carbon shoes. The shoe felt smooth and natural all the way up to top-end paces, hovering just over 3 minutes per kilometre.

The Price Question

The biggest hurdle is the £190 / $200 price tag. The SC Rebel is priced in line with rivals like the Megablast, Hyperion Elite, and Cloudmonster Hyper, but faces a killer row of cheaper competitors: the ASICS EvoRide, Puma Deviate Pure, Dynafly Speed, and the Saucony Endorphin Speed all cost noticeably less now.

The Rebel appears to offer a bit more top-end speed than some of those alternatives, but several of them, like the EvoRide and the Endorphin Speed, are genuinely fast in their own right. Whether the SC Rebel is a big enough step up to justify the premium is the question longer runs and sustained faster efforts will need to answer. From the first run alone, though, it comes across as a super versatile, genuinely fun shoe.

Conclusion

The New Balance SuperComp Rebel v1 makes a strong first impression: very light for its stack height and width, bouncy with real foam pop, stable at easy paces, and quick on the track. It looks like a versatile addition to the New Balance range and, on early evidence, more exciting than the SuperComp Trainer v3. The main reservation is the premium price in a market full of excellent, cheaper plated trainers. If you want New Balance’s best foam and a true do-it-all plated trainer, this is one to watch closely as longer-run testing continues.