New Balance Women's FuelCell Rebel V2 Speed Running Shoe

Product Information

With 30 mm of soft FuelCell foam underfoot, the Rebel v2 offers runners ample protection from the impact of the roads. As a lightweight trainer, this shoe is not necessarily the best long-distance companion, but our testers are confident that runners will comfortably enjoy distances around the half-marathon mark. The new NDURANCE outsole also gives the Rebel v2 improved traction that should instill a lot of confidence while out on the roads. We’ll probably recommend another rotational strategy when the updated (and hopefully more durable) Rebel 3 is released. But for now, we can think of the Fresh Foam 1080 V11 as a reliable muncher of long miles and such. Its upper is soft, and the midsole delivers a cushy ride. Like most things running-related, the PF soreness isn’t persistent and will go away once the body adapts to the unstructured midsole. The Rebel v3 now has a long rubber strip which extends from the heel all the way to the midfoot on the medial side. This is the best update of the Rebel v3 and it improves outsole durability drastically.

It was a risk for New Balance to introduce another lightweight, tempo trainer into their performance running lineup. You don't necessarily recognize the FuelCell Rebel v2 as a New Balance shoe at first glance. It is also not one of the classic lifestyle sneakers from the traditional American brand, but one of their running shoes that feature sport-specific material technology. Nonetheless, the FuelCell Rebel v2 is also clearly oriented towards one style. This is less of the typical 80s design, as is the case with the sneakers from the Lifestyle collection, but rather the shoe looks rather futuristic with its sweeping lines, the narrow, bulged collar, and the asymmetrical lacing and color distribution. Explosive Suspension Our initial reservations about the grip quality were dispelled by the on-road performance. The flat lugs offer excellent traction, including damp roads. The Nike Mayfly was designed to be the original disposable running shoe. Named after the Mayfly – an insect that lives its full life in 24 hours – the Nike shoe was supposed to last a marathon and self-destruct. Or at least, that was the idea. Nike is always good at story telling.

New Balance Men's FuelCell Rebel

Developed to meet the ever-evolving demands of serious distance runners, the New Balance FuelCell collection is the perfect combo of speed, rebound and energy return. Showcasing an exciting array of cutting-edge performance-driven technologies, it promises to propel you to the next level. The core component of FuelCell running shoes is our nitrogen compound FuelCell foam technology - game changing midsole cushioning that delivers radically improved energy return performance. In a pair of New Balance FuelCell running shoes, you’ll feel the benefits with every propulsive stride.

As for the flap material, the raw edges are soft and completely distraction-free – as is the rest of the upper. PROS AND CONS

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DPT/Footwear Science: A (Midsole and outsole integration really well thought out. Bevel and midfoot done well. But even the outsole has perforations and cuts in it which I think make it slightly more bouncy.) So where do we see the Fuelcell Rebel V2 fit into a shoe rotation? Can this be the one shoe to do it all? It certainly has the potential, so its fragile build quality is disappointing. The wear pattern on the Rebel v2 is really interesting. Normally I see the most wear on the outer lateral side of the heel but with the Rebel v2, most of the wear is on the medial side.