New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5
£130
UK RRP
Midsole to scale · mm · red dashes mark the 40mm road limit
- Weight
- 225 g
- men's US 9
- Stack
- 35 / 29 mm
- heel / forefoot · drawn above, against the 40mm line
- Drop
- 6 mm
- Plate
- none
- Foam
- FuelCell PEBA blend
- Stability
- balanced
- Competitive life
- ~550 km
- before the foam stops giving it back
- Built for
- 5K · 10K · Half
Verdict
The cheapest genuinely fast shoe here. No plate, but a light PEBA blend that makes easy runs and tempo work feel the same amount of effort.
■ Caution
The upper is the first thing to go — it scored poorly in abrasion testing. Expect the midsole to outlast the mesh.
Straight answers
- Is the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 legal for road racing?
- Yes. The New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 measures 35mm at its highest point, 5.0mm inside the World Athletics 40mm road limit. The limit only binds Applicable Competitions; most club and local races apply no shoe rule at all.
- How much does the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 weigh?
- 225g in a men's US 9 (UK 8), by the manufacturer's stated figure. Weight moves roughly 3.5% per UK size step, so a UK 11 weighs materially more than the spec sheet says.
- What is the stack height and drop of the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5?
- 35mm at the heel and 29mm at the forefoot — a 6mm drop. There is no plate; the midsole is FuelCell PEBA blend.
- How long does the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 last?
- We estimate roughly 550km of competitive life — the point at which the foam has degraded enough that you are no longer getting the benefit you paid £130 for, not the point at which the shoe falls apart. Spread over race cycles, that is what the cost-per-race figure on this page is built from.
- Is the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 good for a marathon?
- It is not built for one. The New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 is a 5k, 10k and half marathon shoe. The upper is the first thing to go — it scored poorly in abrasion testing. Expect the midsole to outlast the mesh.
Legality by event
FuelCell Rebel v5 at 35mm · every panel drawn to one scale
Road racing
40mm · 5.0 clear
Track events
20mm · 15.0 over
Field events
20mm · 15.0 over
Cross country (spiked shoes)
20mm · 15.0 over
Cross country (non-spiked)
40mm · 5.0 clear
Race walking
40mm · 5.0 clear
Mountain and trail
no limit
Drawn from the manufacturer’s stated stack height, which is not the measurement World Athletics takes — the rule is measured on a men’s US 8.5 sample, and larger sizes may legally exceed it. An indication, not a ruling. Limits bind Applicable Competitions; most club and local races apply no shoe rule at all. What that means in practice.
Reading — what would the FuelCell Rebel v5 save you?
Time bought back
−0:06 – 0:14
Off 22:00, that lands you at 21:46 on the optimistic end.
- Per race
- £1.77
- ~73.3 races in the foam
- Per second
- £0.18
- whole-life basis
- Sticker
- £130
- UK recommended retail
Economy gain 1.5–2.6% v. a traditional flat, adjusted for pace and your current shoes. Full method.
Manufacturer-stated specs unless marked estimated · last reviewed 2026-09-04 · prices are UK RRP; check the retailer for the live figure.