The New Balance Rebel v5 is a shoe runners need to know about. For me, it outperforms wildly popular shoes like the Nike Pegasus 41 and Hoka Clifton 10 as a daily trainer thanks to its comfortable, versatile ride.
It’s not an exceptionally fast shoe, but even there it works well enough owing to its lightweight design, and it’s also highly stable for such a light shoe.
Overall it ticks almost all the boxes, and its reasonable price also helps to make it one of the best running shoes available.
Unless you want a speedier daily trainer like the Adidas Adizero Evo SL, or even more cushioning from a shoe like the Asics Novablast 5, then the Rebel v5 should be at the top of your list.
New Balance Rebel v5 review: price and availability
The New Balance Rebel v5 launched in May 2025 and costs $140 in the U.S. and £140 in the U.K., which is about par for a daily trainer and in line with its main rivals like the Asics Novablast 5 and Adidas Adizero Evo SL.
New Balance Rebel v5 review: design and fit
The New Balance Rebel v5 is currently available in eight colors including the ‘angora with earth shadow and sea salt’ design I tested.
I found the shoe fit me well in my normal running shoe size. It has a comfortable fit with a fairly wide toe-box, and there’s a wide version of the shoe available if needed.
The shoe has a midsole stack height of 35mm at the heel and 29mm at the forefoot for a 6mm heel-to-toe- drop. It has a higher midsole than the Rebel v4 to increase the underfoot comfort, and a wide base to ensure it’s a stable shoe.
Despite the considerable amount of foam underfoot, the Rebel v5 is still a very lightweight shoe at 7.9oz in my US men’s size 9.5 — that’s a lot lighter than rival daily trainers like the Asics Novablast 5 and Nike Pegasus 41.
Upper
The Rebel v5 has a thin and breathable upper that has a little padding around the collar but is more focused on being lightweight than a very plush feel.
I still found the upper comfortable on long runs, and the fit is secure during faster efforts. It’s a great, simple upper that breathes well in hot conditions.
Midsole
The FuelCell midsole foam in the Rebel v5 is made from a blend of PEBA and EVA materials, as opposed to the full PEBA version of FuelCell used in New Balance SC Elite v5 — the flagship carbon plate racing shoe in the range.
This blended foam is less springy than the full-PEBA FuelCell, but it still has a little bounce and delivers a comfortable ride that protects the body well from the impact of running
Outsole
The forefoot and heel of the Rebel v5 are covered with a pretty thick layer of rubber, and while there is exposed foam in the midfoot I have no concerns about the durability of the shoe so far, with no wear and tear even after running on light trails in the shoe.
It has also gripped well for me during testing, though I have been using it in the summer and haven’t had to tackle any runs in wet or icy conditions.
New Balance Rebel v5 review: running performance
It’s rare for a shoe as light as the New Balance Rebel v5 to also be as stable and comfortable as it is, and as a result it’s a highly versatile shoe.
I found it comfortable enough for cruising through easy and long runs, where the wide base gives a secure and stable feel to the ride.
Max-cushioned shoes like the Asics Novablast 5 have even more foam underfoot, which some runners might prefer, but the Rebel v5 is certainly soft and comfortable enough for the long haul.
It’s also light enough for faster workouts, though I’d say the design lends itself more to easy and steady runs rather than all-out speedwork
That’s because the foam in the midsole isn’t that springy, it feels more like it’s designed to soak up the impact of running rather than be very responsive.
The wide midsole also detracts from how nimble the Rebel v5 feels during faster runs, and it doesn’t have a very aggressive rocker like the Adidas Adizero Evo SL, or early models of the Rebel line.
It certainly can handle tempo runs and interval sessions and if you want one running shoe to do it all it’s one of the better options on the market, but if you have a running shoe rotation I’d pair the Rebel v5 with a more speed-focused shoe myself.
Should you buy the New Balance Rebel v5?
The New Balance Rebel v5 is a great daily trainer and it will suit a wide range of runners thanks to its comfort and versatility.
There are faster daily shoes like the Adidas Adizero Evo SL and Hoka Mach 6, but they are not as comfortable and stable as the Rebel v5.
Similarly you can get a more cushioned daily trainer for extra comfort, like the Asics Novablast 5 or Hoka Clifton 10, but they aren’t as lightweight and speedy as the Rebel.
It is more comfortable than the Rebel v4 thanks to the higher midsole stack, though if you spot the older shoe in the sales I still think it’s worth considering because it does have a similar ride to the Rebel v5.
