New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v5
£250
UK RRP
Midsole to scale · mm · red dashes mark the 40mm road limit
- Weight
- 213 g
- men's US 9
- Stack
- 40 / 32 mm
- heel / forefoot · drawn above, against the 40mm line
- Drop
- 8 mm
- Plate
- carbon fibre
- Foam
- PEBA FuelCell
- Stability
- stable and forgiving
- Competitive life
- ~250 km
- before the foam stops giving it back
- Built for
- Half · Marathon
Verdict
The best super shoe for wide feet, and one of the most stable at full stack. A broad platform makes it unusually forgiving late in a marathon.
■ Caution
At 213g it is heavy for a current super shoe, and that weight is the price of the platform. Do not race in it untested.
Straight answers
- Is the New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v5 legal for road racing?
- Yes. The New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v5 measures exactly 40mm — precisely on the World Athletics 40mm road limit, legal with no margin. The limit only binds Applicable Competitions (championship, elite and record-eligible fields); most club and local races apply no shoe rule at all.
- How much does the New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v5 weigh?
- 213g 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 SC Elite v5?
- 40mm at the heel and 32mm at the forefoot — a 8mm drop. A carbon-fibre plate runs through PEBA FuelCell.
- How long does the New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v5 last?
- We estimate roughly 250km of competitive life — the point at which the foam has degraded enough that you are no longer getting the benefit you paid £250 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 SC Elite v5 good for a marathon?
- Yes — the marathon is one of the distances it is built for (half marathon and marathon). The best super shoe for wide feet, and one of the most stable at full stack. A broad platform makes it unusually forgiving late in a marathon.
Legality by event
FuelCell SC Elite v5 at 40mm · every panel drawn to one scale
Road racing
40mm · 0.0 clear
Track events
20mm · 20.0 over
Field events
20mm · 20.0 over
Cross country (spiked shoes)
20mm · 20.0 over
Cross country (non-spiked)
40mm · 0.0 clear
Race walking
40mm · 0.0 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 SC Elite v5 save you?
Time bought back
−2:52 – 4:13
Off 3:45:00, that lands you at 3:40:47 on the optimistic end.
- Per race
- £63
- ~3.9 races in the foam
- Per second
- £0.30
- whole-life basis
- Sticker
- £250
- UK recommended retail
Economy gain 3.3–4.5% 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.