New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 Review: More Versatile with Improved Propulsion

A cushioned, lightweight daily trainer that’s more versatile than you’d expect — that’s the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 in a nutshell. Released in June 2025, it’s the latest addition to a series that has earned a loyal following among recreational runners. This review covers everything you need to know before buying: ride feel, propulsion, traction, sizing, durability, and the workouts it handles best.

At ¥16,940 (approximately $110 USD), it sits at an accessible price point for a performance trainer. I purchased a pair on release day and have put it through a range of paces — here’s my honest take after real use.

Product Specs

Item	Details
Model	FuelCell Rebel v5
Brand	New Balance
Price	¥16,940 (approx. $110 USD)
Stack Height	Forefoot: 29mm / Heel: 35mm / Drop: 6mm
Weight	228g / 8.0 oz (US 9.5, measured)

Why I Bought the FuelCell Rebel v5

I was a big fan of the FuelCell Rebel v4 — not for its propulsive feel, which was modest, but for its stability and consistency. It ran true and predictable across a wide range of efforts.

While I didn’t use the v4 for easy jogging, it became my go-to for moderate runs, long runs, and interval training. Its wide outsole contact area gave it exceptional stability, and it delivered just enough push to make hard training sessions productive.

The one thing that nagged me about the v4 was its limited propulsion at faster paces. When I set ambitious pace targets, I found myself reaching for other shoes instead.

When the v5 launched, its actual performance was still an unknown. But given that it was an upgrade, I expected improvements — enough to justify buying it on day one.

Real-World Performance Review

This review is based on three sessions after purchase. I plan to keep updating it as I log more miles.

I ran at paces ranging from 8:51/mile (5:30/km) down to about 6:26/mile (4:00/km) for easy efforts, with strides at approximately 4:50/mile (3:00/km). My marathon pace is around 5:55–6:10/mile (3:40–3:50/km), and my race paces from half marathon to 5K fall between 5:38/mile and 5:06/mile (3:30–3:10/km) — so I’m looking forward to testing the v5 across those ranges as well.

From the first slow jog, I noticed that the underfoot feel is dramatically different from the v4. The previous model had an ultra-soft landing — cushioning that compressed and stayed compressed as you pushed forward. The v5 still has plenty of cushion, but it feels springier. There’s a noticeable rebound after each footstrike, and the propulsive feel is slightly higher than before.

That said, the propulsive feel fades as pace increases. Like the v4, you still need to generate your own forward momentum at faster efforts. This makes the v5 an honest shoe for building form — without mechanical assistance, your technique has nowhere to hide.

Running strides at around 4:50/mile (3:00/km) felt smooth. The shoe’s light weight means you can push the pace further than the stack height would suggest.

I also had a chance to run on wet pavement after rain. Traction was underwhelming — more on that in the section below.

Upper and Outsole Design

The upper uses the same mesh material as the v4 — not a knit, but soft to the touch with a comfortable feel against the foot. The lacing area is well-reinforced, which bodes well for long-term durability.

The shoe tongue is noticeably thicker than on the v4. The heel and overall construction feel more substantial as well.

Placing the v5 next to the v4 makes the difference in tongue and heel thickness immediately obvious.

The midsole shape has also changed, though I can’t say precisely how much that geometry contributes to the ride difference. What I can say is that the ride feels noticeably different — suggesting that both the midsole material and structure play a significant role.

The outsole is substantially redesigned compared to the v4. Side by side on new pairs, the rubber coverage on the v5 is visibly larger, and both the compound and tread pattern appear to have changed. Whether that translates to improved traction is something I’ll continue to track.

Traction on Wet Surfaces

As mentioned above, the outsole design changed significantly from the v4. Wet-surface traction was a known weakness of the v4, so I was keen to see whether the new outsole fixed it.

Running on slick pavement after rain, the v5 slipped noticeably. Despite the redesigned outsole, traction in wet conditions showed no clear improvement over its predecessor.

Brands known for wet-surface traction include ASICS (ASICSGRIP), Adidas (Continental rubber), and Puma (PUMAGRIP). The FuelCell Rebel v5 doesn’t match that level — something to keep in mind if you run in rainy conditions regularly.

Sizing

I wear US 9.5 (27.5 cm) in virtually every running shoe brand — Adidas, Nike, ASICS — regardless of manufacturer.

I went with US 9.5 for the v5 as well, though I had some hesitation. The v4 ran noticeably short — thick socks caused my toes to press against the front of the shoe. The v5 has the same tendency: length feels slightly compressed, while the width is generous enough that there’s no lateral squeeze.

When I tried to buy US 10 (28.0 cm), it was already sold out at release. I ended up with US 9.5, and found the fit acceptable — as long as you’re wearing thin socks.

That said, during summer months most runners wear thin socks, so the snug length won’t be an issue until cooler weather arrives.

Durability and Lifespan

I’ll update this section as I accumulate mileage. The data below reflects what I’ve observed at each checkpoint.

Out of the Box

Midsole condition

Outsole condition

At 350 km (217 miles)

At 350 km, the midsole shows visible creasing, but cushioning remains clearly intact. The shoe still feels supportive underfoot.

A significant portion of those miles were logged on a treadmill, which explains the relatively modest outsole wear.

Weight

Measured on a US 9.5 (27.5 cm) pair: 228g (8.0 oz). That’s impressively light given the generous stack height.

Recommended Use Cases

The v5 brings a slight propulsion upgrade over the v4, though the improvement isn’t dramatic. Some runners report better stability as well — but since the v4 was already very stable, that difference is hard to feel in practice.

Where the FuelCell Rebel v5 shines is its balance: cushioning, propulsion, and stability coexist at a level that works across a wide range of efforts.

That balance makes it ideal for logging high-volume training at moderate intensity — the kind of sustained, consistent work that builds aerobic fitness without beating up your legs. High cushioning and stability with enough propulsion to run comfortably is the defining characteristic here.

Here’s how I personally use the FuelCell Rebel v5:

One thing I didn’t expect: the v5 feels more accessible at faster paces than the v4 did. I’m looking forward to testing it in threshold pace runs and VO2 max intervals to see how it holds up when the effort really ramps up.

Running Scientist covers reviews of many other running shoes. If you want to see which shoes I rotate through in my own training, check out the article below.