New Balance FuelCell Rebel 5

BITR calls the Rebel v5 a major step up over the v4 with a much better upper, more cushion, and improved outsole — a near-perfect lightweight daily trainer that will be one of the best shoes of 2025.

Best for: A lightweight do-everything daily trainer from easy to tempo pace, including lifestyle wear

The first Rebel in the series that finally clicked for the reviewer — a very soft, bouncy, responsive shoe that he plans to run a half marathon in.

A softer, bouncier lightweight trainer that excels at easy runs with some uptempo, with a roomier fit but less stability than the Endorphin Speed 5.

Best for: Easy runs with some uptempo for neutral runners who want a softer, bouncier lightweight trainer with more forefoot room

A plush, nimble and lightweight daily trainer with a bouncier FuelCell midsole and stiffer forefoot than v4, versatile across paces with an excellent lockdown.

Best for: Versatile lightweight trainer skewing toward tempo, long runs, and workouts, though capable across easy paces and races

Matt says v5 is a bigger update than the spec sheet suggests — softer, bouncier, more flexible and more secure fit — a polarizing evolution that some Rebel fans will love and others will not.

Best for: Runners who want a softer, bouncier lightweight trainer with more secure lockdown

A significant upgrade over v4 — the better-fitting upper finally lets the soft FuelCell midsole shine, producing a versatile, fun, stable-feeling shoe Ed scored 11.2/12 after initial runs.

Best for: Jack-of-all-trades daily trainer for runners wanting a soft, fun, versatile ride across recovery through tempo and short reps

Kofuzi is more excited about the Rebel v5 the more miles he puts in; it's a fun, fast, pace-versatile daily trainer that holds up well at 100 miles and is one of his favorite shoes of 2025.

Best for: Recovery runs during marathon training, daily training, and pace-versatile runs including fartleks and intervals

Kofuzi says the Rebel v5 keeps the essence of the v4 while adding cushion and confidence for longer runs; it's an excellent, versatile daily trainer that got a little better.

Best for: Daily training, recovery, and long runs that can also handle fartleks, threshold work, and marathon-effort long runs

Best for: Beginners looking to improve pace; training + race-day versatility

A stable, comfortable lightweight daily trainer that excels at easy and long running but is less snappy than the Puma for faster paces.

Best for: Easy runs and long runs; beginners or runners who want extra stability and width in a lightweight daily trainer.

Standout do-it-all daily trainer — simple, fast, easy, comfortable, light. About 50g lighter than the Novablast / Clifton 10 / Pegasus at the same price. Not a speedwork shoe but makes the case for covering everything else.

Best for: Primary daily trainer — replaces cushier shoes in rotation

An impressively light and versatile daily trainer with enough cushion for ultras yet snappy enough for fast training; both testers preferred it over the Novablast 5 unless you specifically want max cushioning.

Best for: All-around daily trainer for runners who want a lighter, lower, more agile ride that still handles long runs — including ultra distances

A remarkably lightweight but very stable daily trainer that excels for easy and long running, skewing more toward comfort than speed compared with the Evo SL.

Best for: Easy and long runs; heavier, newer, or stability-conscious runners wanting a lightweight but cushioned daily trainer.

Performed exactly as needed over 90k of the Comrades Marathon — light, stable, cushioned, protective, and comfortable on steep downhills; an excellent road-ultra and long-run training shoe.

Best for: Road ultras like Comrades and long mixed-pace training runs where stability, cushion, and comfort over many hours matter more than carbon-plate efficiency.

One of the best New Balance shoes the reviewer has tested in 12-18 months — a capable, versatile, value-priced daily trainer with a happy balance of comfort, protection, and energy.

Best for: Versatile daily training, easy and long runs; runners who want one lightweight, cushioned, and stable shoe to do most of their mileage.

A simple, well-balanced, lightweight daily trainer that carries forward what worked about the V4 while adding a bit more comfort and softness — versatile enough to be a one-shoe option and even a road-ultra candidate.

Best for: Versatile daily training across easy, long, and progression runs; a candidate for long races including ultras thanks to balance, cushion, and stability.

Lighter, cheaper, and more ground-connected than the 1080 V15, but has drifted from a snappy speed shoe toward a comfortable lightweight daily cruiser.

Best for: Lightweight cushioned daily miles at easy-to-steady paces; versatile enough for long runs and even ultras.

A lightweight, soft, versatile daily trainer that excels at easy and long runs but lacks the energy return and pop for faster sessions.

Best for: Runners wanting a soft, lightweight, comfortable daily trainer for easy and long runs.

The lighter, livelier and more versatile of the two daily trainers; preferred by most testers as the better all-round shoe despite a less bouncy foam and exposed outsole wear.

Best for: Lightweight daily trainer for easy-to-tempo miles and runners who want a versatile shoe with a bit more pop.

A comfortable, stable, lightweight cushioned daily trainer that shines at easy and relaxed paces and is cheaper than the Speed 5, but lacks the snap, rocker, and plate to be a true do-it-all fast trainer.

Best for: Runners who want a lightweight, cushioned, stable daily trainer for easy and steady paces, and who value comfort and a roomier fit over outright speed.