New Balance SuperComp Rebel Review | A Super Trainer That Feels Race Ready

The New Balance SuperComp Rebel V1 is fun. I mean seriously fun, but maybe that’s because it’s not a Rebel at all. Naming conventions are becoming a problem with brands. Listen we know that you love the Rebel, we love the Rebel. But you also have an entire SuperComp line up and now the two are meeting and it’s confusing. Nike going to verticals like 3 versions of the Vomero which are ALL meant to be cushioned shoes makes more sense.

Having said that once you step in to the Rebel SC you know it’s ready to go fast and you can’t help but pick up the pace.

So let’s look at where this fits in the line up, who’s going to love and who should probably pass on this model.

Bottom line: The Rebel SC super trainer is a shoe that’s going to result in some PR’s for the middle of the pack and some great training days for the front of the pack.

New Balance Rebel SC Overview

I went into testing expecting a lightweight super trainer, but the amount of bounce and propulsion immediately made this feel like something more. For a lot of runners, I think this is going to be less of a training shoe and more of an affordable race day option.I tested the SC Rebel across a pretty wide range of runs, including easy miles on flat and hilly routes, strides and some goal pace work. Almost every time I put it on, I found myself wanting to run faster than planned. The shoe is light, energetic and has that kind of bounce that makes turning over your legs feel easier.

New Balance is using its Infinion foam here (remember that from the big 1080v15 change?!), a supercritical ATPU foam that is bouncy. There’s a lot of softness and rebound underfoot, but it’s paired with a carbon infused Pebax plate rather than the more rigid carbon fiber plate in top tier racing shoes. The result is a shoe that still feels propulsive, but a little more flexible and approachable.

You’re also getting a substantial amount of shoe underfoot with a 40mm heel and 36mm forefoot for a 4mm drop. That combination of stack, soft responsive foam and the plate gives the SC Rebel a distinctly super shoe feel.And that is worth talking about if you haven’t spent much time in recent carbon plated racing shoes.

I’ve been out of speed shoes for a little while as I’ve worked my way back from an injury, and putting the Rebel SC on was a good reminder of just how different these highly responsive foams can feel. Luckily this supertrainer has quite a few features designed to create guidance and stability, including heel sidewalls, a broad platform through the middle, medial sole flare and a central groove.

But all that bounce can still initially feel a little unstable, especially at slower paces or if you’re coming from a traditional daily trainer.

Interestingly, I noticed the instability more on easy runs than when I picked up the pace. Once I was moving faster and loading the shoe the way it seems designed to be used, everything felt more natural.

That’s also why I wouldn’t call the SuperComp Rebel a true do it all shoe.

Sure, you could run easy miles in it. But I think it’s simply more shoe than most runners need for everyday mileage. There are plenty of comfortable daily trainers that will feel better cruising along without giving you this much rebound underfoot.

Instead, I see the SC Rebel as a workout shoe, long run shoe when you want to add pace, and potentially a race day shoe for a huge number of recreational runners.

At $200, it’s also meaningfully less expensive than many of the $250 to $300 carbon plated racing shoes. If you don’t need the most aggressive elite racing shoe available, the Rebel gives you a lot of that fast, bouncy experience for less money.

Personally, I’d feel very comfortable recommending it through the half marathon for runners who enjoy this softer, high rebound feeling. Beyond that distance, I’d want to know that the runner feels really comfortable with the amount of movement in the foam and doesn’t need additional stability late in a race.

What impressed me most is that New Balance managed to make this feel legitimately exciting without building a shoe that only makes sense for the fastest runners.

It feels like a super shoe made for the masses.

For our video lovers, a quick comparison of the Rebel Vs the SuperComp Rebel and the SuperComp Elite from Coach Amanda.

Where does the SuperComp Rebel Fit in the Line Up?

This feels like one of the first questions I needed to answer for myself to help describe the shoe.

• NB SuperComp Elite V6 – Top tier, fastest racing shoe they have available for the marathon
• NB SuperComp Pacer V2 – Top tier, fastest racing shoe with less cushion for the 5k to maybe half
• NB SuperComp Rebel – Super trainer with a PEBAX plate that is bouncy and fast for up to half marathon
• NB FuelCell Rebel V5 – Lightweight, moderate cushion, not as fast as previous models, but still light
• NB Ellipse – Another new shoe they introduced this year, that’s well cushioned (37mm), but a little firmer daily trainer
• NB 1080 V15 – Max cushioned (40mm) daily trainer, very soft and bouncy, long run shoe
• NB 880 V15 – Daily trainer with same amount of cushion as 1080, but not bouncy and may feel more stable

New Balance Rebel SC vs Rebel Vs SuperComp Elite

For a more direct comparison, here’s a quick overview of the key comparables from New Balance.

NB Rebel SC Fit

Length: True to Size
Width: Narrow
Toe Box: Narrow
Arch: Average
Volume: Low

The SuperComp Rebel has a more race oriented fit than a daily trainers, which is because it’s veering towards that super shoe racing fit, but not quite as tight or hard to pull on as many.

The FANTOMFIT upper is lightweight and relatively low volume, with a snugger feel through both the forefoot and midfoot. I had no issues with rubbing or pressure points, but runners who prefer more room are probably going to want the wide version.

Thankfully, New Balance actually offers one.The thinner gusseted tongue does a great job of helping secure the midfoot. I didn’t need to crank down on the laces to get good lockdown, and once everything was tied the foot felt very secure.

I also really liked the heel cup. It holds the back of the foot in place without feeling overly padded or bulky, which fits with the overall lightweight, faster feel of the shoe.

Overall, I’d say it fits true to size in length but runs on the more fitted side in volume and width. If you’re between widths or already know you prefer a little additional forefoot space, take advantage of the wide option.

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