It was a risk for New Balance to introduce another lightweight, tempo trainer into their performance running lineup. The risk paid off handsomely and the first version of the Rebel was a hit: it was light, snappy and more bouncy than its lightweight Fresh Foam cousins. Runners also loved its radical design with a unique lateral “wing”. All in all, the shoe doesn’t suffer much from this fact. Overall it becomes a less aggressive shoe as a result, more suited to training than racing. Just as intended. The outsole is improved too. The new strategically placed NDURANCE rubber provides similar – if not better – traction with more flex for a smoother transition.

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2 review - RunRepeat

The Rebel earned a perfect score (5/5) on our breathability test. To be absolutely certain, we examined the upper under a microscope and discovered that New Balance went above and beyond to promote airflow and heat dissipation. Jacob: Fuel Cell is the name of the game here and I’m a big fan—it’s a single-slab of soft, flexible, bouncy, and energetic foam. This deployment of FuelCell minds me of the Propel v1 in it’s dramatically soft and flexible feel. There is a balanced level of cushion and foam in the Rebel v2 where it’s not tippy at the heel or sink-in-forever feeling like the TC so there is more stability and direct connection with the ground on toe-off. The forefoot has some firmness. However, it is well-cushioned and not harsh. Just like the Rebel v2, going true to size will be a really snug fit so I suggest going up a half size. This is one of the rare shoes I’ve tested which I needed to size up. Going up a half size will provide a spacious forefoot and toe box for long training runs.You don't necessarily recognize the FuelCell Rebel v2 as a New Balance shoe at first glance. It is also not one of the classic lifestyle sneakers from the traditional American brand, but one of their running shoes that feature sport-specific material technology. Nonetheless, the FuelCell Rebel v2 is also clearly oriented towards one style. This is less of the typical 80s design, as is the case with the sneakers from the Lifestyle collection, but rather the shoe looks rather futuristic with its sweeping lines, the narrow, bulged collar, and the asymmetrical lacing and color distribution. Explosive Suspension However, the extra foam in the midsole has certainly improved matters on this front. I did a hard hour in the shoe running around 16km and the midsole felt just as bouncy throughout. Although it’s definitely better than the v2, for runs over 25km I would want more cushioning than the Rebel v3 offers.

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2 Review | Running Shoes Guru

These are so small though and inconsequential compared to how much I enjoyed this shoe I almost left this section out, but I needed to get them off my chest. For a shoe that uses a soft midsole, it’s important that the foot – or more specifically, the Plantar Fascia ligament – is supported during the gait cycle. Most runners would attest to the merits of this shoe, so the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel V2 ended up being the surprise break-out hit of 2021-22.

Michael: Is this our biggest review ever and the one with the one testers? There’s a reason so many of our runner-testers want to put down words about the Rebel v2 - it’s simply awesome. Find out more! What we’re about to say next may come as a surprise. But when we try to compare the Rebel V2’s ride character with other shoes, the Rebel V1 isn’t the first shoe that comes to mind. Despite not having a lot of rubber on the outsole, the Rebel v3 gripped well for me on wet pavements and even during one run on a slightly muddy trail. I haven’t seen any undue signs of wear on the outsole, but with the soft midsole foam and limited outsole coverage, I wouldn’t expect the Rebel v3 to be the longest-lasting shoe. Is The New Balance Rebel v3 Worth It?