TEST: New Balance SuperComp Rebel – From FuelCell to SuperComp!

Ever since I started seeing the first small hints of the direction New Balance would take Rebel, I've been extremely excited to see and feel the results of the changes that were clearly coming to this shoe. Rebel v5 was a huge success, and the name alone signals a massive shift in expression. Out goes the popular FuelCell, and in comes SuperComp. In this case, it means both new foam and the addition of a plate. What a scoop!

Considering how successful Rebel v5 was, it requires being a true rebel to dare to change its expression as much as is the case here with New Balance SuperComp Rebel.

That said, Rebel is still fundamentally built for the same needs. It's for the runner seeking a light, versatile tempo shoe – the expression has just changed significantly. Rebel is this kind of hybrid shoe that can be used for quick intervals but also works well for your easy days. A true take-one-shoe-on-vacation running shoe.

New Balance SuperComp Rebel – Welcome to the SuperComp (SC) family

The Rebel series has historically been New Balance's light, fast everyday trainer, built on FuelCell foam and without a plate. An energetic and responsive shoe, but without the actual race technologies.

The SuperComp designation at New Balance signals a plate, and New Balance SuperComp Rebel is indeed a significantly different shoe than its predecessors. It is built from the ground up with the same Infinion foam found in SC Elite v6 – New Balance's marathon race shoe – combined with a carbon-infused Pebax plate and a FANTOMFIT upper.

Now that it has been welcomed into the SuperComp family, it means the shoe more than ever draws parallels to New Balance's race department. Where in the predecessor we could also pick up the pace, it is now even easier.

New Balance SuperComp Rebel – Goodbye FuelCell? Hello Infinion!

We've already seen the Infinion foam introduced in a few other New Balance models (1080 and Elite) with great success, so expectations were quite high to try New Balance SuperComp Rebel on a few different runs.

It quickly became clear to me that SuperComp Rebel now truly mixes in the "super trainers" category – training shoes that are particularly good for tempo but can also be used on easier runs. And even within that category, I think SuperComp Rebel places itself on the faster end of the scale.

Infinion foam is state-of-the-art. The A-TPU material that Infinion is made of is the hottest on the market right now. It feels secure to land on – you know exactly what you get with each step. Where FuelCell with its wildness could be a bit more unpredictable, I think Infinion (A-TPU) matched with Rebel is spot on. A reliable foam blend for a shoe that can do a bit of everything.

Infinion foam feels lighter than FuelCell and has a more responsive feel. The best way to describe it is that you don't sink as far into the midsole as you do with FuelCell. It gives you a feeling of constantly being on top of your stride. To support this feeling, you have a carbon-infused Pebax plate placed just 1 mm under the PU outsole on SC Rebel. This type of plate is not as rigid as the one you find in SC Elite v6, and therefore offers more a sense of stability than the more aggressive energy return you get from a pure carbon plate.

New Balance SuperComp Rebel – FANTOMFIT

What a name for an upper – FANTOMFIT. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's good. But it is. It's at least good enough! Again, I would say you can clearly feel that Rebel is now part of the SuperComp series. The upper is thinner and more race-oriented than its predecessor – perhaps less durable, but with a sleeker expression. The area around the heel is spacious, while the material is flexible. If you suffer from Haglund's deformity or other issues involving sore heels, this shoe can be recommended.

New Balance SuperComp Rebel – A true do-it-all running shoe

As you can probably sense, I'm quite enthusiastic about this running shoe. New Balance SuperComp Rebel is really just a running shoe that so many of you out there could use in your rotation. In a few weeks, I'm going to Mallorca, packing light, and I'm sure SuperComp Rebel will be packed in one of the bags. It simply covers so many of the needs I have for my training.

It's clear that when you try to be really good at everything, you can't excel in any of it. But SC Rebel doesn't have to. For that, you have SC Elite v6 for race day or 1080 for daily training. To use a somewhat tired expression: New Balance SuperComp Rebel is the Swiss army knife that can handle 90% of all your training – and in this case, the blades on the knife have become sharper than ever before.

If you choose to use it for daily training and jogs, my experience is that the pace will naturally be on the higher end. If you absolutely need to slow down, I would look towards one of New Balance's other options – the obvious choice here is New Balance 1080 or Ellipse v1.