New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3
£190
UK RRP
Midsole to scale · mm · red dashes mark the 40mm road limit
- Weight
- 278 g
- men's US 9
- Stack
- 41 / 35 mm
- heel / forefoot · drawn above, against the 40mm line
- Drop
- 6 mm
- Plate
- carbon fibre
- Foam
- FuelCell
- Stability
- stable and forgiving
- Competitive life
- ~650 km
- before the foam stops giving it back
- Built for
- Half · Marathon
Verdict
A plated super trainer that takes the Elite’s ideas and makes them durable enough to train in every week. Firmer and faster than the versions before it.
■ Caution
At 278g and 41mm of sole it is a training shoe, not a racer — above the road limit and heavy enough that you would not choose it on race day.
Straight answers
- Is the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3 legal for road racing?
- No — not for World Athletics Applicable Competitions. The New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3 measures 41mm, 1.0mm over the 40mm road limit. It remains fine for training and for the many races that apply no shoe rule.
- How much does the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3 weigh?
- 278g 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 SuperComp Trainer v3?
- 41mm at the heel and 35mm at the forefoot — a 6mm drop. A carbon-fibre plate runs through FuelCell.
- How long does the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3 last?
- We estimate roughly 650km of competitive life — the point at which the foam has degraded enough that you are no longer getting the benefit you paid £190 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 SuperComp Trainer v3 good for a marathon?
- Yes — the marathon is one of the distances it is built for (half marathon and marathon). A plated super trainer that takes the Elite’s ideas and makes them durable enough to train in every week. Firmer and faster than the versions before it.
Legality by event
FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3 at 41mm · every panel drawn to one scale
Road racing
40mm · 1.0 over
Track events
20mm · 21.0 over
Field events
20mm · 21.0 over
Cross country (spiked shoes)
20mm · 21.0 over
Cross country (non-spiked)
40mm · 1.0 over
Race walking
40mm · 1.0 over
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 SuperComp Trainer v3 save you?
Time bought back
−1:51 – 3:06
Off 3:45:00, that lands you at 3:41:54 on the optimistic end.
- Per race
- £18
- ~10.3 races in the foam
- Per second
- £0.12
- whole-life basis
- Sticker
- £190
- UK recommended retail
Economy gain 2.4–3.5% 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.