I'm sorry you have to hear me whine. It's really none of your business, but I had a really bad day last week. I knew this day would come sooner or later, and now I unfortunately couldn't delay it any longer. It was time to retire my beloved New Balance SuperComp Elite v4.
Luckily for me, an unbelievably brand-new version arrived shortly after. Uptivupti, New Balance was again on my feet when I had to test the limits of my 35-year-old legs. These legs deserve some luxury, and they get it when the SuperComp Elite v5 is fastened securely on my feet.
New Balance SuperComp Elite v5
- Type: Race/Competition
- Midsole: FuelCell (PEBA)
- Drop: 8mm
- Weight: 210 g (men US 9.5)
New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 - History lesson
New Balance SuperComp Elite v4 became a fan favorite for its very accommodating design. It was a running shoe that newer runners could easily slip into on race day and experience some of the magic that running shoes with superfoam and carbon have to offer. SuperComp Elite v5 has been slightly trimmed, literally, so read on to find out what it means for you.
As with many other things in life, it's a good idea to have an understanding of the past to understand the present. Quote Jakob Gade Pedersen (and perhaps some of my other philosophical colleagues).
As with so much else, it is useful to understand the past to understand the present. v4 was popular, but not necessarily the obvious choice if you were looking for the absolute fastest shoe on the market. New Balance has changed that.
In v5, the wide platform is gone, and it has been replaced by a narrower, lighter version. Especially under the midfoot, material has been cut away, which both pushes you forward faster and reduces weight. The FuelCell midsole is still 100% PEBA, but the structure has been adjusted, so the shoe feels more snappy and aggressive. Meanwhile, the carbon plate has been made stiffer, providing even more propulsion.
The upper resembles the predecessor: breathable, comfortable, and with more structure than often seen on other racing shoes on the market. A clear plus for longer distances, where comfort means a lot.
The outsole has also changed. New Balance has drawn on experiences from the first version and given v5 a rougher outsole with better grip – perfect for challenging conditions, such as a rain-soaked half-marathon.
New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 - The Midsole
In v5, the wide platform is gone, and it has been replaced by a narrower, lighter version. Especially under the midfoot, material has been cut away, which both pushes you forward faster and reduces weight. The FuelCell midsole is still 100% PEBA, but the structure has been adjusted, so the shoe feels more snappy and aggressive. Meanwhile, the carbon plate has been made stiffer, providing even more propulsion.
The upper resembles the predecessor: breathable, comfortable, and with more structure than often seen on other racing shoes on the market. A clear plus for longer distances, where comfort means a lot.
The outsole has also changed. New Balance has drawn on experiences from the first version and given v5 a rougher outsole with better grip – perfect for challenging conditions, such as a rain-soaked half-marathon.
New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 - Over & Under
The upper of New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 is true to its predecessor and really comfortable. It is, of course, a breathable upper, as a racing shoe should be, but it has a lot of comfort and structure that many of the other racing shoes on the market have cut away. For me, it's a definite plus. I can understand that as runners, we typically want as light a shoe as possible, but if you're running a marathon, I'm sure you'll appreciate the extra comfort that SuperComp Elite v5 offers. In this way, the shoe inherits some of the accommodating features that made its predecessor so popular.
When we turn the shoe over, we find another significant change. I've been lucky enough to own this shoe since version 1, and it became known as a shoe you could also run fast in on more challenging terrain. It had quite a rough outsole. New Balance has gone back to the archives and drawn inspiration from the first version and given SuperComp Elite v5 an outsole that resembles it. I happened to be at a half-marathon in Copenhagen this weekend, and I think there were many who wished for an outsole like on SuperComp Elite v5. It was soaking wet.
New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 - Conclusion
All in all, New Balance has made some changes that have made SuperComp Elite v5 much more competitive on the market. It has clearly taken a slight turn towards being a real speed machine, but it is still in a very simple way that makes it extremely pleasant to run in. There's no excessive rocker or overly experimental upper, just solid choices throughout. So if you're looking for a safe choice and a shoe you can use for both fast training and competitions across all distances, then New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 could be a really good option for you.
