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The New Balance SC Rebel v1 might just be the best New Balance running shoe we’ve ever tested, and it’s certainly one of the most exciting new launches of 2026 so far. It’s a lightweight, speed-focused plated training shoe that can do a bit of everything, but excels during tempo and interval workouts.
It rivals our top picks in this category like the Asics Megablast and Adidas Adizero Evo SL, and offers a far faster and springier ride than the standard New Balance Rebel v5. It’s also a clear upgrade on the plated trainers the brand has made in the past in the SC Trainer line.
The price is high and some might find the SC Rebel too wobbly for easier daily training runs, but we loved our fast miles in the shoe and it’s worth considering if you do like to use a plated trainer for hard sessions.
Check out our complete guide to the best running shoes.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £180/$200
- Weight: 224g/7.9oz (men’s UK 9)
- Drop: 4mm (40mm/36mm)
- Upper: Lightweight mesh
- Midsole: Infinion foam (aliphatic TPU) with carbon-infused Pebax plate
- Outsole: PU rubber on forefoot and heel
New Balance SC Rebel v1 Review
How’s The Fit?
Like many of New Balance’s fast training and race shoes, the SC Rebel v1 is a little snug and there’s a case for going up a half a size. It’s not as tight as the New Balance SC Elite v6 though, and if you’re at the smaller end of your size, you should be OK with your normal running shoe size.
The Run Test: Likes
Plated fast training shoes are becoming less common thanks to the rise of plate-free super-trainer like the Asics Superblast 3 and excellent cheaper options like the Dynafish Xiaonian, but the SC Rebel v1 shows the benefit of having a plate with it’s efficient, propulsive ride.
During fast runs it performs at close to the level of a full carbon plate racer, and we loved using the SC Rebel for workouts with either short of long reps, and long steady runs holding a decent pace. It’s light and nimble, but still packs a lot of foam underfoot to cushion the ride during long training runs.
The Infinion midsole foam is the best we’ve seen from New Balance yet, delivering a fast, springy ride that isn’t so soft and squishy as to feel too wild in a training shoe like the SC Rebel. The shoe isn’t very rockered, but still pushes you onto your forefoot quickly and bounces you on your way.
We also enjoyed using the SC Rebel for easier efforts and it has a fairly wide base that means it’s not too unstable, though some might still find it a bit too aggressive to use day-in, day-out on easy runs.
The Run Test: Dislikes
The SC Rebel v1 is not quite as versatile as some of the best super-trainers because it isn’t as supportive and stable for easier runs, which might mean that some runners can’t use it as an all-rounder, only as a fast workout shoe.
It’s also a pretty expensive option, especially when compared to the raft of excellent running shoes available for around £130-140/$140-$150, including two other excellent fast workout shoes in the Adidas Evo SL and Dyanfish Xiaonian, and lightweight daily trainers like the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro.
Verdict And Alternatives
The New Balance SC Rebel v1 might just be good enough to resurrect the plated super-trainer scene, which seemed in danger of dying out. It outperform past top options in this area like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 and Hoka Mach X3 thanks to being lighter, more propulsive, and more fun for fast runs.
For interval and tempo workouts, and even for racing, it matches or outdoes our favourites in the fast training category, like the Megablast, Evo SL and Xiaonian, but that trio of shoes does have some advantages over the SC Rebel. The Megablast is more versatile and better for easy runs, while the Adidas Evo SL and Dynafish are both much cheaper.
Some runners might also want a more stable and supportive daily trainer too, in which case cheaper shoes like the Puma Deviate Pure or Hoka Mach 7 might be a better fit.
The SC Rebel v1 is certainly the best fast trainer New Balance has made though, being far more energetic than the Rebel v5 and SC Trainer v3, and if you’re someone who does two or three testing workouts a week and doesn’t want to use a full carbon super-shoe for those, the SC Rebel might well be worth the outlay.