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The New Balance Rebel v5 is one of the best running shoes for daily training thanks to its lightweight but cushioned and stable design. It doesn’t have the speed and nimble feel of early models of the Rebel, but has more comfort and stability and works well for a wide range of runs.
Compared with the Rebel v4, there’s a little more foam underfoot and the Rebel v5 feels like it’s been pushed more towards the comfortable daily trainer category than its predecessor, but the new shoe still retains some speed. It’s a lighter alternative to the Asics Novablast 5, and a more stable option than the Adidas Adizero Evo SL, though not as fast as the Evo SL.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £140/$140
- Weight: 225g/7.9oz (men’s UK 9 / US 9.5)
- Drop: 6mm
- Upper: Lightweight mesh
- Midsole: FuelCell EVA/PEBA foam
- Outsole: Rubber covering forefoot and sides of heel
New Balance Rebel v5 review
How’s The Fit
Nick and Kieran tested out the Rebel v5 for our review and both found that the shoe fit well in our normal running shoe size. New Balance shoes can sometimes come up a little small, including the early models of the Rebel, but the Rebel v5 has a roomy toe-box that’s similar to the fit on the Rebel v4.
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The Run Test: Likes
The Rebel v5 is a rarity of a running shoe in that it’s exceptionally light given not only the height of its midsole stack, but also the width. Like the Rebel v4, the Rebel v5 has a very wide base through the length of the shoe, with little narrowing at the midfoot, and this creates a stable ride.
This width and the extra foam in the midfoot make it the best Rebel yet for easy and long runs, because of the comfort and support you get from the shoe. Kieran even found it worked well for the 56-mile Comrades Marathon.
Despite this more comfort-focused design, we still found that the Rebel v5 had enough pace for faster runs too, mainly because of its lightweight design. it’s not an out and out speedster, and not as nimble as narrower shoes, but still has some pace and is more versatile than many cushioned daily trainers.
The Run Test: Dislikes
The extra girth and comfort of the Rebel v5 does tone down its ride for speedwork, and it doesn’t have a particularly aggressive ride owing to the lack of a big forefoot rocker. You can do short intervals in it well, but it doesn’t help you sustain fast paces as much as a more rockered or even plated shoe.
This relative lack of speed is also partly down to the version of FuelCell foam used in the shoe, which is not the 100% PEBA material found in shoes like the New Balance SC Elite v5. The PEBA/EVA blend in the Rebel v5 is comfortable and deadens the impact of running, but isn’t that springy or responsive.
Verdict And Alternatives
The New Balance Rebel v5 is a great running shoe that offers a lot of versatility at a reasonable price. It’s not as fast or rebellious as it once was, but the extra comfort and stability you get with the newer Rebels makes them better options for most runners to use for daily training.
There is a softer feel to the shoe than the previous model, but the Rebel v4 is also a great all-rounder and you might find it reduced in the sales now the Rebel v5 it out. Those seeking a firmer, more rockered lightweight daily trainer will find it in the Hoka Mach 6, while the Adidas Adizero Evo SL is a faster, springer shoe than the Rebel v5, if less stable.
It is perhaps now best compared with cushioned mid-range daily trainers like the Asics Novablast 5, Hoka Clifton 10, or Nike Pegasus 41. The Rebel v5 is not quite as cushioned as these shoe, and might be less durable too, but still has plenty of foam underfoot and is about 50g/1.8oz lighter and more versatile.