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New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 Review

A great option for runners who want a performance-oriented trainer without a plate, this shoe is light, bouncy, and fast
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New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 Review
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Price:  $140 List
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Manufacturer:   New Balance
By Nathaniel Bailey ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jun 5, 2024
70
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 25
  • Cushioning and Landing Comfort - 25% 8.5
  • Responsiveness - 25% 7.5
  • Stability - 20% 4.0
  • Upper Comfort - 15% 6.0
  • Weight - 15% 8.8

Our Verdict

The New Balance Rebel v4 bucks the plated shoe trend, offering the most bouncy and responsive ride of any non-plated shoe in our lineup. The low weight and racier upper suggest the Rebel is intended for faster running, but we found it to be very enjoyable at relaxed paces too. The FuelCell foam utilizes a PEBA/EVA combination to insulate the legs on long efforts and bounce you along during workouts. The wider platform and toe box are easy to dial in, and although it runs a bit short, we think this is an excellent choice for any runner who values speed and versatility, and perfect for those who don't want a plated shoe for their workouts.
REASONS TO BUY
Fun and bouncy ride
Well-cushioned
Very light
REASONS TO AVOID
Lightweight upper sacrifices some comfort
Not as fast as some other options
Runs a tiny bit short in fit

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Bottom Line Bouncy, responsive and well-cushioned, this shoe is performance-oriented but still versatileAn all-around standout that can handle easy days as comfortably as hard workoutsA daily trainer that can handle most runs, the Novablast 4 is fun and extremely comfortableA daily trainer that blends comfort and versatility at a reasonable priceA great combination of responsiveness and plush comfort
Rating Categories New Balance FuelCel... Saucony Endorphin S... Asics Novablast 4 Puma Velocity Nitro 3 Puma Deviate Nitro 2
Cushioning and Landing Comfort (25%)
8.5
8.0
8.3
8.0
7.0
Responsiveness (25%)
7.5
8.0
7.0
7.0
7.5
Stability (20%)
4.0
5.7
7.0
6.0
6.0
Upper Comfort (15%)
6.0
7.5
8.0
7.0
7.0
Weight (15%)
8.8
7.1
5.9
5.3
6.2
Specs New Balance FuelCel... Saucony Endorphin S... Asics Novablast 4 Puma Velocity Nitro 3 Puma Deviate Nitro 2
Sizes Available 7-16 US, regular & wide 7-15 US, regular 6 - 15 US, regular 7 - 14 US, regular 7 - 15 US, regular
Style Daily Plated daily Daily/cushioning Daily Plated Daily
Measured Heel Stack Height 36 mm 38 mm 43 mm 39 mm 36 mm
Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop 5 mm 6 mm 7 mm 10 mm 8 mm
Plate Type None Nylon None None Carbon
Rocker Angle 19.5 deg 25.0 deg 22.5 deg 18.0 deg 19.5 deg
Rocker Apex Location 62.18% 67.74% 66.53% 66.67% 69.17%
Measured Weight 7.98 oz 9.73 oz 9.76 oz 10.07 oz 9.58 oz
Upper Engineered mesh Engineered mesh/knit Engineered woven/knit Engineered knit Engineered mesh
Midsole FuelCell PWRRUN PB FF Blast + Eco Profoam NITRO/NITRO Elite
Outsole Rubber Rubber AHAR Lo PumaGrip PumaGrip ATR
Heel Tab Type None None Finger loop None None

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Rebel has been many runner's favorite shoe for years, and this version keeps the same ethos while adding a bit more bounce and versatility. We love this shoe for faster long efforts, and think many runners will find it thrives as an uptempo option they can use most days.

Performance Comparison


new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - we love the rebel v4. it thrives as a daily trainer with an uptempo...
We love the Rebel v4. It thrives as a daily trainer with an uptempo focus.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Cushioning and Landing Comfort


The star of the Rebel v4 show is the FuelCell foam. New Balance's PEBA/EVA blend provides lots of bounce and comfort. Underfoot, the foam feels softer than average, closer to pillowy than firm. In our lab-testing, we measured 36mm of foam in the heel and 31mm in the heel. The Rebel has a below average drop of 5mm, although it doesn't feel abnormal for a daily trainer.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - the best part of the shoe is the fuelcell foam that is bouncy and...
The best part of the shoe is the FuelCell foam that is bouncy and responsive.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Landings are well damped, and on firmer surfaces the PEBA content of the foam is very noticeable. The Rebel v4 has a lot of bounce. We never experienced any bottoming out of the cushioning, something some users reported having issues with in the previous version. In fact, the Rebel v4 quickly became our choice for 90+ minute runs that had faster sections, thanks to the plush feeling underfoot and light weight.


Like many of New Balance's offerings, this shoe has a pretty wide platform; it's actually one of the widest shoes in our whole lineup, measuring 4.9 inches at the widest point in a US M10.5. That wide base helps to stabilize the soft foam and provides confidence on landings. The Rebel is rockered, but feels much for natural than some of its competitors. We think the Rebel is a great option for runners who want a natural-feeling, energetic ride with lots of cushion.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - the rebel v4 is rockered, but feels more natural than many other...
The Rebel v4 is rockered, but feels more natural than many other options.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Responsiveness


We've already mentioned how bouncy the FuelCell foam feels. At slower paces, it makes for an enjoyable and insulated ride. At faster paces, we found that the resilient foam helps the shoe turn over. When combined with the low overall weight, the Rebel can handle uptempo running easily. While it isn't as responsive as some other shoes with plates, it can hold its own.


For runners who don't do well with plated options, or prefer to log their miles without a plate, this is a perfect option. We think you could race in it as well, but it wouldn't be our first choice. We'd go for something a little snappier.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - some runners who don't want a plate, but want soft and resilient...
Some runners who don't want a plate, but want soft and resilient foam might find the Rebel v4 to be a solid race shoe.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

We think this trainer works best between threshold effort and easy effort. While it can turn it over faster, the overall softness of the shoe starts to get counterproductive. During our testing, we ran a workout that started at 10K pace and worked down to 3K pace. The Rebel feels fine at 10K pace, but once we started pushing harder, we felt as though we were losing energy to the compression of the shoe. It also felt like the bounce of the foam was just a little too slow for those paces. However, the Rebel has become our shoe of choice for long runs that include faster segments of roughly threshold effort. The takeaway? If you're a runner who prefers a little firmness underfoot at fast paces, and hit those efforts regularly, you may not love the Rebel. Otherwise, we think it's an excellent choice.

We love the soft and bouncy ride of the Rebel.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Upper Comfort


The upper is lightweight, comfortable and breathable. Made of synthetic mesh, it's not quite as pared back as a race shoe, but it's close. The tongue is well padded and gusseted. Even with having to snug up the lacing on the midfoot, we didn't experience any issues with hotspots during long miles.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - the synthetic mesh is highly breathable.
The synthetic mesh is highly breathable.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

We mentioned earlier that the midsole of the Rebel is wide. That trend continues to the toe-box, with plenty of room for runners with high-volume feet. We don't think runners with narrower feet will have issues here either; even if you have to snug up the laces significantly, the upper is still comfortable and provides excellent lockdown.


The material around the heel cup is firmer, and while we didn't experience any rubbing during our testing, we think it's worth noting. Also, the shoe definitely runs a touch short in the toe-box. We experienced some slight pressure on our big-toe, and other users have noted the same thing. Runners who's feet are on the longer side of their shoe-size might benefit from going up a half-size.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - the rebel v4 does run a little short, but we found it to still be...
The Rebel v4 does run a little short, but we found it to still be comfortable.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Lateral Stability and Support


We'd classify the Rebel v4 as a neutral daily trainer, but it does lean towards being unstable. The wider platform does a great job of adding lateral stability. Similarly, the shoe has significant sidewalls that help provide some support.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - the rebel v4 has a very wide platform.
The Rebel v4 has a very wide platform.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

However, there is still a high stack of very soft, compliant foam. Runners who need or value lateral support or guidance will likely find that this shoe can be pretty wobbly.


We also noticed slightly more calf/lower leg soreness after fast efforts in this shoe than in some other options. We chalk that up to two factors; first, the shoe is bouncy, but it's also soft. It requires a little more effort from the lower leg than stiffer, plated options that transfer the load higher up the legs. Second, we do a lot of running on broken asphalt or dirt roads where the surface isn't perfectly smooth. On that type of surface, the Rebel requires a little more energy to control thanks to the softness and stack height. It's a relatively minor complaint, though. We still love the shoe, and even after testing, we're still reaching for it on a variety of runs and surfaces.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4 - while we think the shoe doesn't have the same pop as other options...
While we think the shoe doesn't have the same pop as other options, it's still solid at pace.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey

Grip is excellent on pavement and decent on dirt. The outsole compound bites well in a range of temperatures, and we didn't have any issues on wet surfaces. The outsole also held up well, although we did observe some minor wear on the exposed portion of the midsole.

Weight


The Rebel v4 weighed in at 7.98 ounces in a US Men's 10.5. That's among the best in the test, on par with dedicated racers.


We don't have any complaints about how light this shoe is; it doesn't feel like New Balance skimped on comfort and we love the performance benefit. There are plusher performance-oriented shoes, but they sacrifice weight for a pretty minimal gain in comfort.

new balance fuelcell rebel v4
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Should You Buy the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4?


We think the Rebel v4 is one of the more versatile shoes in our lineup. It's intended as an uptempo trainer, but it's comfortable enough for long runs. We think this is the perfect shoe for runners who are chasing their next PR but are hesitant to train in a plated shoe. Similarly, this shoe would work well as the only option for runners who value speed over comfort. In fact, the only runners we wouldn't recommend the Rebel v4 to are those who need stability and guidance.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?


The Hoka Mach 6 is an extremely similar shoe to the Rebel. We prefer the bouncier ride and wider fit of the Rebel, but if you have narrow feet, the Mach 6 can do everything from easy running to workouts with ease. If you're after a versatile daily trainer and are okay with a plated option, check out our Editor's Choice Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 or the Adidas Adizero Boston 12. Both are perfect for uptempo efforts and have a bit more responsiveness than the Rebel.

Nathaniel Bailey