New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 Review
This week we’re going to asses why the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 seems to have hit a sweet spot (certainly based on popularity since launch!) in our Rebel v4 review. The New Balance Fuelcell Rebel v4 is a fast and responsive shoe designed to be versatile enough to be used as an everyday training shoe. There are a lot of differences between the New Balance Rebel v3 and Rebel v4. As with all changes, these will be good for some runners and not for others.
FantomFit Upper & Heel
The fit has gone from a snug fitting racing shoe to a more relaxed everyday trainer feel. There is slightly more width and depth in the upper that gives your toes more wiggle room. The toe box still has a straight big toe line to allow for a strong push off but your feet are less restrained in the shoes. For those that like a very locked-in feel, the Rebel v4 might not be the shoe for them, as although the upper pulls the shoe in around the midfoot you can’t reduce the volume in the toe box. For those that prefer room for their toes to wiggle the Rebel v4 offers that space. The upper is what New Balance call FantomFit. This consists of a very thin mesh outer that is tough, with internal underlays that are attached to the base of the shoe to pull the upper in around the foot. The tongue is thin but very soft. It is gusseted and has a tab for the laces to thread through to stop it from moving when running. The heel cup has a half-plastic cup to give it some structure but is still pliable and so able to take the shape of your heel when the laces are tied. The padding at the heel is light but adequate. I found the fit to be good but if you do need to pull in the heel cup then there is an extra lace hole that you can lace the laces through or use to butterfly lace the shoes.
Midsole/Outsole
The midsole and outsole have also changes considerably on the Rebel v4. The Rebel v3 midsole used an EVA based foam, which was responsive and very soft. This gave the Rebel v3 a very soft and cushioned ride. The drawback with this was that after a period of time (about and hours running for me) the midsole got softer and you lost some of the rebound. This transformed the shoes from; one that helped you run with good posture, some propulsion and at higher speed with similar effort, to one that was noticeably harder to run in. To fix this issue, the midsole of the Rebel v4 is a blend of EVA (the foam used in most everyday training shoes because it is durable, comfortable and the rebound is consistent during a run) and PEBA (a soft foam that’s responsiveness helps you run quicker and is therefore in a lot of speed shoes). This gives you a durable midsole that is cushioned, stable, responsive and feels fast.
The base of the midsole is also broader. This has made the ride feel more stable. Particularly because there is very little cut away at the arch. This reduces any twist in the midsole and stops it from collapsing at the midfoot. This gives you more propulsion as the shoe isn’t compressed or bottomed out just before the rocker or curved shape to the midsole helps speed your foot through transition.
Softness & Stack
The New Balance Rebel v3 was so soft and the rocker was almost undetectable that it was a surprise that the shoes helped you run quicker for the same effort. The rocker and propulsion in the New Balance Rebel v4 are a lot more noticeable. I find that at moderate-to-quick paces on the flat they feel a lot smoother and I effortlessly cruise along. This is a complete contrast to the Rebel v3 that didn’t quite work with the fit and feel of a road racing shoe but with a soft midsole.
The stack height of the midsole is 30mm in the heel and 24mm in the forefoot. This is an increase of 3mm in the stack height. The heel to forefoot drop is still 6mm, which is a versatile height that works for most midfoot and heel strikers. The Strobel board (the material that is stitched between the midsole and the upper) is still a thin piece of nylon, so the insole goes straight onto the midsole. This gives you more feel for the ground, which helps your feet function better. In shoes with firmer midsoles the Strobel board is often on top of a soft EVA to enhance comfort.
The outsole rubber offers a good level of traction the same as on the previous Rebel. This outsole rubber has also been durable enough to cope with lots of miles.
The Rebel v4 despite its extra midsole volume is about the same weight as the previous version (men’s UK8 212g which is 3g heavier than the Rebel v3. Women’s UK5 is around 167g).
Can it be ‘Fast’ & ‘Everyday’ at the Same Time?
It is very difficult to make a shoe that is comfortable and durable enough for use on everyday easy type runs and have the modern go faster feel and performance for your faster sessions. The New Balance Rebel v4 feels firm and unresponsive at slow paces. At slower paces I tend to land a little further back on the shoe. It feels like I am landing on the curve that is in the midfoot of the shoes. So, if you land more on your heel this might not be an issue for you or if you are always on your forefoot then you are likely to land beyond this point and therefore have a different experience. At slightly quicker speeds. Steady runs/Zone 2 I land on my midfoot and the Rebel v4 feels nice and smooth. It is also responsive enough to run fast in. I am aware of the stack height which might be because of the stable feel of the ride or the width of the midsole at the base. This isn’t detrimental, I am just aware of it. I find that in some shoes with a 30mm stack height I am aware that the midsole is quite thick and in other I aren’t.
The stack height, width of the midsole at the base and through the midfoot make the Revel v4 feel a lot less nimble than the previous version. It’s not quite as responsive when it comes to turning sharp corners and doesn’t adjust well to changes in cadence when you reach a steep up hill or downhill. This isn’t unique to the Rebel v4. These issues are even more the case with super shoes/carbon plated shoes. Essentially the shoes are designed to guide you through your gait. To do this effectively that are stiffened through the midfoot and you ride the curve of the shoes. If your route is flat with no sharp corners, then these shoes help you maintain your speed. They become less effective is the route is undulating or twisty. The New Balance Rebel v4 is no where near as un-nimble as a carbon plated super shoe but there is a notable difference between the Rebel v4 and the previous version or an everyday training shoe like the New Balance 880v14.
For fast intervals the Rebel v4 is far better than a versatile everyday training shoe as it helps you to maintain good posture and run quickly. There is however, a limit. If you are running really fast doing 200m or 400m reps then the midsole is a little bit too soft and become really aware of the bulk of the shoe. The depth of the midsole is also a problem when you’re trying to run fast up very steep hills. Essentially as you push off the midsole compresses too much. So, it feels like you’re running up a muddy hill. At more gradual gradients this isn’t as much of an issue.
It’s worth noting that I find because of the improved posture that I get from running in the Rebel v4 and the cushioning I found that I recovered from steady runs and sessions quicker than I would do if I used a regular everyday trainer. I found that the curve of the shoe stopped me overstriding and instead focused my attention on pulling my heels up which worked my hamstrings and glutes more. Not every shoe with a rocker promotes a heel lift some just take your straight leg backwards. Although shoes with rockers like this help me run faster they don’t leave me with fresh legs the next day.
Whether the New Balance Rebel v4 had become a shoe that could be used for almost any type of road run and whether it was an improvement on the Rebel v3 was really based on how it performed on the longer runs. I found that the Rebel v3 midsole got a lot softer after and hours running which then felt like it hindered me rather than helped me. I have done a number of runs of 2 hours or so in the Rebel v4 and noticed no difference in the softness of the midsole at the end of these runs. In one of these runs I ran the last 30 minutes at a steady pace (zone 2) and the shoes felt as smooth as they do on my shorter steady runs.
I noticed some soreness after long runs in the Rebel v4 initially. This is because the shoe guides you through the gait cycle making you more efficient, like all running shoes with a rocker try to do. What I found is that my glutes and hamstrings were more tired and my lower back was a bit stiff. This is because these areas had been kept engaged and worked for the whole of the 2 hours. In a shoe that doesn’t help you maintain posture most runners tend to slump down, lean at the waist and use their quads to push themselves forwards. As my muscles got used to working for longer the soreness quickly disappeared. Although the shoes are doing some of the work of your feet and lower legs they do help you re-educate the muscles to improve your gait. I found that when I switched to shoes with no rocker I felt like I was more upright and lighter on my feet than I was previously.
The New Balance Rebel v4 fitted the same as other New Balance shoes I have used. In my experience New Balance is one of the smaller fitting brands similar in length to Hoka, La Sportiva, Inov-8 or Karhu. If you use Brooks, Topo, Altra, Nnormal, Saucony or Hylo then I would suggest trying half a size larger to get a similar length.
In Summary the New Balance Rebel v4 is a more versatile road running shoe than the previous version making it a good option for 5km/10km pace, threshold, tempo, steady and some quicker easy running. The midsole is durable enough to offer cushioning and propulsion on longer runs without becoming soft and unresponsive.
Other Considerations
Hoka Mach 6: A lovely smooth ride at steady/zone 2 paces and versatile enough for quicker running but I find these hard to run slowly in. The shoe takes over and moves up the pace. I felt a lot more in control in the Rebel v4. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-mach-6-review/
Topo Cyclone 2: A much thinner more flexible and nimbler shoe. Not controlling so you can jog really slowly in these. Good for fast intervals and hills too. Designed to be cushioned enough to be used everyday but I find that my feet work quite hard in them which is great for developing stronger feet but I need to give my feet a rest by wearing something else for my easier runs. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-cyclone-2-review/
Brooks Launch 10: Available in a neutral and mild pronation support version (GTS). The EVA midsole is less lively and responsive than the Rebel v4 midsole. The Brooks Launch is more of an everyday training shoe that you can run fast in where as the Rebel v4 is a fast shoe you can run slower and longer in. The Brooks Launch is available in two width men’s and women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-launch-10-launch-gts-10-review/
Hoka Mach X: More versatile then the Mach 6 in that you can run slowly in them but they don’t feel as smooth at tempo pace and above. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-mach-x-review/
Brooks Hyperion Max: A softer feel then the Rebel v4 but the foam doesn’t get too much softer on long runs. So, they are versatile. I find them a little too soft on slow runs so they aren’t quite as versatile. They do feel lighter and nimbler. Similar in feel to the Rebel v3. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-hyperion-max-review/
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