REASONS TO BUY
Ultra-lightweight
Responsive
Very breathable upper
REASONS TO AVOID
Moderate stability
Upper textile is scratchy
Lacks structure
New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 - Women's Review
This shoe offers strong responsiveness and an ultra-lightweight ride
We aren't sold on the upper of the Fuelcell Rebel v4.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
By Ally Arcuri ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ November 3, 2024
RELATED: Best Running Shoes for Women
Our Verdict
The New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 is a geometrically designed shoe that will see you through your uptempo training. Weighing in at a light 6.00 ounces for a women's size 6.5, this 8 mm drop shoe boasts incredible underfoot functionality. The PEBA and EVA foam midsole is springy, adding that coveted pep to your step. The double-layer upper overlay keeps the weight low and helps this shoe feel even lighter as you push your paces. Runners seeking a truly comfortable and versatile running shoe might not enjoy what the Rebel offers. But if you are in the market for a tempo run-focused shoe designed for shorter runs, this one could make a great addition to your quiver.
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 This Product
New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  Best Overall |  | |||
| Price | $109.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $150.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $94.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $70 List $64.95 at Amazon | $70 List $69.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A geometrically-designed shoe that is great for uptempo runs when a lightweight shoe is what you need | Even with a few minor updates, this shoe shines as one for runners seeking a do-it-all road running companion | Affordable and minimally-minded, the updated Kinvara is a great everyday shoe that is suitable for a myriad of running situations | This affordable, low-profile running shoe is a good choice for beginners, offering a moderate stack, traditional drop, and a touch of bounce | While not suited for specified running, this shoe offers versatility and reliability for daily activities and moderate workouts |
| Rating Categories | New Balance FuelCel... | Asics Novablast 5 -... | Saucony Kinvara 15... | Asics Gel-Contend 9... | New Balance Fresh F... |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5%) | |||||
| Specifications | New Balance FuelCel... | Asics Novablast 5 -... | Saucony Kinvara 15... | Asics Gel-Contend 9... | New Balance Fresh F... |
| Sizes Available | 5 - 12 US, regular & wide | 5 - 12 US regular, wide |
5 - 12 US, regular |
5 - 12 US, regular | 5 - 12 US, regular & wide |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 31 mm | 40 mm | 27 mm | 30 mm | 26 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 8 mm | 9 mm | 3 mm | 9 mm | 8 mm |
| Plate Type | None | None | None | None | None |
| Rocker Angle | 24.0 deg | 26.5 deg | 25.0 deg | 28.0 deg | 26.5 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 66.7% | 61.9% | 64.7% | 58.7% | 54.5% |
| Measured Weight | 6.00 oz | 7.30 oz | 5.44 oz | 7.26 oz | 6.90 oz |
| Upper | Mesh | Jacquard mesh | Mesh | Jacquard mesh | Mesh |
| Midsole | PEBA/EVA Fuelcell | FF BLAST MAX | PWRRUN | AMPLIFOAM+ | Fresh Foam |
| Outsole | Rubber | AHAR LO | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | None | Finger loop | None | Finger loop | None |
Our Analysis and Test Results
At only 6.00 ounces (women's size 6.5) with an energetic foam midsole, the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 is an uptempo shoe designed with quick leg turnover in mind.
While it may not have our favorite fit, a few specific parts of the Rebel v4 are impressive.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Landing Comfort
With a PEBA and EVA Fuelcell midfoot, the comfortable bounce of the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 makes for a fun and rather soft ride. While not a shoe built for long-distance road runs, its slightly gentle nature makes it a comfortable choice for speedy runners looking to up their MPH in comfort. By no means a plush runner, the 31 mm stack (as measured by our in-house testing team) provides a comfortable landing pad without feeling mushy. The responsive build of this shoe lends itself well to a comfortable underfoot bounce that many runners will enjoy.
The geometrically-designed sole infuses landing comfort with pep for a good underfoot feel.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Responsiveness
The New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 is a bouncy and responsive running shoe, which makes it a great tempo run trainer. It maintains a low weight because it does not have a propulsive plate, and the pep comes from the specified Fuelcell foams in the midsole and geometric architecture. Since the Rebel does not have a plate, it lacks the traditional snap of firmer shoes. However, its soft, compressible foams feel almost springy as you bound toward quicker leg turnover.
The responsiveness of this shoe's outsole is its crowning glory, but it seems like upper comfort features may have been neglected.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Stability
The Rebel v4 is not a stability shoe. This is evident from the moment you slip these lightweight kicks onto your feet. They have a slightly wide platform with an overall outsole width of 4.40 inches. This wide landing zone offers plenty of space for your toes to splay and your body to work with its own stability. The soft nature of the foam makes it easy to compress, which takes away from the overall stability of the outsole. The forefoot and upper are made of an engineered mesh that completely lacks structure. The lack of true composition can feel unstable as it allows your feet to move around more than many other running shoes do. The heel collar is tapered to fit well but lacks the rigidity that many runners may prefer — squeezing the lateral edges of the heel cup together takes very little effort and strength. Ultimately, this is not a shoe to buy if stability is on your radar. While this does not make it a bad shoe by any stretch of the imagination, it lacks the structure we prefer to recommend to long-distance runners.
The floppiness of the upper negates any feelings of stability with the Fuelcell Rebel.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Upper Comfort
The New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 has a unique upper. The upper is comprised of a stiff and slightly scratchy-feeling single mesh overlay. The mesh in itself is not uncomfortable, but its shape and fit feel a bit off. The heel cup feels shallow, and the length of the shoe runs a bit small, but the mesh overlay of the toe box provides more space than necessary. It feels a bit like runners with taller feet might fill out the toe box space a bit better and have more luck running in this shoe. To its credit, the upper of the Rebel is incredibly lightweight, and its sock liner upper is comfortably stretchy. Unfortunately, the tongue is a bit short and slips down during runs, cutting down on the Rebel's overall security.
The short tongue was difficult to position and annoyed us during our runs.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Traction
The updated outsole of the Fuelcell Rebel provides adequate traction and reassurance on wet and loose terrain. The exposed foam is likely to wear if worn on non-paved surfaces, which is something to consider when surveying the type of running you'll want to do the most. The outsole grips pavement well but definitely falls into the “wear in kind weather” category.
Weight
At only 6.00 ounces per shoe for a women's size 6.5, the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 is a lightweight shoe. There are shoes out there that weigh an ounce less, but for the average runner, this shoe will feel light. The light rubber outsole feels incredibly light underfoot, which makes the entire shoe feel nearly weightless as you run. Though this is a speed-focused shoe, it does not have a carbon fiber plate, which helps keep the weight low.
The Rebel is impressively lightweight. We would rather run in a shoe that is a bit heavier and offers more comfort and thoughtful features.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Should You Buy the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4?
The technology is here for this shoe, but its slightly ill-fit makes it difficult for us to recommend outright. The New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 offers many of the components that we desire in our running shoes, but it is not the highest-scoring speed shoe we've tested. If this shoe fits your foot and caters to the style of runs you enjoy executing, we think you will like it. If comfort and fit are your running shoe priorities, we have plenty of options, many of which are speed-focused, that might make better long-term training buddies.
Many runners enjoy what this shoe has to offer. If it checks your boxes, you might be able to join the ranks of runners who like the Rebel v4. We just aren't in that camp with this version.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
What Other Road Running Should Should You Consider?
For combined comfort and responsiveness, one of our top recommendations is the similar yet more powerful New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4. This plated shoe offers elements that are similar to the Rebelbut in a package that is slightly more comfortable, propulsive, and stable. If top speeds are your vibe, the infamous Nike Alphafly 3 is akin to strapping jet packs to your feet. At double the price, however, the Alphafly feels a bit exclusionary. For a neutrally fast but comfortable running shoe that offers a balanced combination of all of our metrics, the Asics Novablast 5 is an excellent choice.
—Ally Arcuri
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