Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 vs New Balance Rebel V5: Two Fast Daily Trainers Head-to-Head

Introduction

Some shoes are built for one job. Others quietly cover almost everything in your training week. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 and the New Balance Rebel V5 both sit firmly in the second camp: fast-feeling daily trainers with enough range to handle easy miles, tempo work, and even the odd race.

Both shoes earned serious mileage in our testing, from 10K progression runs to slow recovery efforts, and both featured among the best running shoes of 2025. But despite the shared brief, they take noticeably different approaches. Here is how they compare.

Specs at a Glance

On paper, the two shoes are close on stack height but diverge on drop and weight. The Endorphin Speed 5 packs 36mm in the heel and 28mm in the forefoot for an 8mm drop. The Rebel V5 counters with 35mm in the heel and 29mm in the forefoot, giving it a lower 6mm drop.

Weight tells a similar story. In a men’s UK 8.5 (US 9), the Speed 5 weighs 8.7 oz (247g), while the Rebel V5 lands at 7.7 oz (217g) in a UK 9 (US 9). Pricing is another differentiator: the Speed 5 comes in at £180 in the UK and $170 in the US, while the Rebel V5 sits at £140 or $140, making it the noticeably cheaper option.

Midsoles and Uppers

The midsoles explain a lot about how these shoes differ. The Speed 5 uses Saucony’s PWRRUN PB foam, a beaded PE-based foam, paired with a nylon plate. The Rebel V5 uses a PE-EVA blend FuelCell midsole with no plate at all. That single structural difference shapes much of the ride character.

Both shoes feature engineered mesh uppers, though the execution differs. The Rebel V5’s upper is a little more enclosed and protective, while the Speed 5 uses a highly perforated, more open mesh. Both get gusseted tongues and medium-padded heel collars. Flip them over, and the Speed 5 has solid rubber coverage in the forefoot plus key impact zones, while the Rebel V5 matches that coverage with more rubber than the previous generation.

Fit and Sizing

These two fit quite differently, and the details matter. The Rebel V5 runs slightly shorter than expected in a UK size 8, leaving a little less room in the toe box. It also sits on the narrower side, so wider-footed runners may notice pressure along the sides. It remained comfortable over long miles with no rubbing, but if you like a thumb’s width of toe space, going up half a size in the Rebel is worth considering.

The Speed 5 is the roomier shoe of the pair. It has a bit more length in front of the big toe, feels more padded and relaxed overall, and offers a looser, more forgiving fit with secure lockdown. Interestingly, some testers found the Rebel V5’s forefoot more spacious overall, so sizing comes down to your foot shape and the fit you prefer.

The Speed 5 is also the narrower-fitting shoe in this comparison, so if a roomy, spacious upper is your priority, the Rebel V5 delivers that more naturally.

Ride Feel and Performance

Out on the road, both shoes share a midsole character that punches back without being overly cushioned, overly energetic, or wild. The ride is consistent and controlled across pace ranges with plenty of ground feedback. Where they split is at the extremes.

The Speed 5 is the snappier of the two. The nylon plate adds stiffness and pop when you attack a run, and the speed of return makes everything feel fast without being bouncy. It suits tempo work and tough workouts, performing not far off a full super shoe at speed, while still feeling natural at easy paces thanks to the fluid SpeedRoll rocker. Its main weakness is forefoot comfort: the foam under the forefoot is not the thickest, and it can feel a little firm over long distances when running hard.

The Rebel V5 is the smoother, more balanced ride. It feels light and agile on foot, sits closer to the ground, and offers impressive support and stability for such a lightweight shoe, thanks to a wider platform through the midfoot. It proved remarkably protective over very long distances, with a tester racing a 90K road ultra at the Comrades Marathon and using it for a large chunk of a 100-miler. Its trade-off is that the FuelCell foam is not the most responsive off the toe, so sustaining genuinely fast paces is harder than in the Speed 5.

Put simply: the Speed 5 has more range and more performance potential, while the Rebel V5 is the more relaxed, stable, and protective of the two, best at easy to steady paces.

Durability and Outsoles

Neither shoe covers its outsole in thick rubber, but both focus on the same high-wear areas: forefoot, heel, and exposed zones in between. The Speed 5’s outsole is particularly solid, grippy, and durable for its weight class, needing less rubber thanks to a firmer midsole.

The Rebel V5 has a good layer of outsole rubber but some exposed material in the midfoot, which showed light wear during testing. Its softer midsole also feels like it compresses more and may sag a bit over time. Expect middle-of-the-road durability from both, enough to handle a solid block of training mileage.

Which Should You Buy?

If you want the more versatile shoe, the better dedicated speed work option, or a trainer that could even step up as a racer up to half marathon or marathon distance, the Endorphin Speed 5 is the clear pick. It is the better all-rounder with a faster, more energetic ride, and it earns its higher price with the plate and more responsive foam.

If you want a lightweight, cushioned daily trainer for lots of easy miles, or a more stable and protective shoe for long runs where speed is not the priority, the Rebel V5 is the smarter, cheaper choice. Some runners even pair the two as a lightweight rotation covering both ends of the pace spectrum.

Conclusion

The Endorphin Speed 5 takes the overall verdict: more performance potential, more range, and a faster ride, at a higher price. The Rebel V5 counters with a softer, more stable, more affordable take on the fast daily trainer. Choose the Speed 5 if you run fast regularly; choose the Rebel V5 if comfortable daily mileage is your main goal.