New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4.

The Gavler Review.

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 Review: A Featherweight Trainer Now Selling at Closeout Prices

The Rebel v4 is the rare running shoe light enough to double as a workout shoe without a carbon plate doing the work. At roughly 7.5 oz / 213g, it undercuts most plated racers on weight while running on a reformulated FuelCell midsole — now blended with PEBA — that reviewers widely call the bounciest the Rebel line has ever felt. It sits at rank 14 on our Best Running Shoes list with an 8.5. Buy it now, specifically: New Balance has already moved on to the Rebel v5, which means this genuinely good shoe is currently selling well below its original $140 price at retailers clearing inventory.

What it is

New Balance built the Rebel line around a simple idea: what if a daily trainer were light enough to race in without needing a carbon plate to justify the weight? Version 4 pushes that idea further by reformulating FuelCell into roughly a 20% PEBA / 80% EVA blend — a genuine step up from the all-EVA foam in earlier versions. Fleet Feet's own reviewer captured the appeal directly: "I would liken running in the New Balance Rebel v4 to gliding effortlessly across the pavement... They are my new favorite alternative to carbon-plated shoes for workout days."

The context that matters for a 2026 buyer: the Rebel v4 is no longer New Balance's current shoe. The company's own site now lists only the newer Rebel v5, which bumps stack height and continues the same PEBA/EVA concept. The v4 hasn't vanished — it's still in stock at retailers like Fleet Feet, now discounted as older-generation inventory, which is precisely the situation that makes it worth a serious look.

In use

RunRepeat's lab measurements put the v4 at 28.0mm heel / 21.5mm forefoot stack with a 6.5mm drop and a notably soft 23.7 Asker C midsole reading — softer than the 35.8 AC category average, which tracks with what testers describe as a bouncy, connected ride rather than a tall, perched one. Believe in the Run's Ryan Haines summarized the feel this way: "The Rebel v4 feels like a smooth rock and roller" — a description that lands closer to the plush, flowing character of earlier Rebel versions than to a stiff, race-focused platform.

Where testers diverge is fit, and it's worth taking seriously because it splits opinion even within the same publication. Doctors of Running ran two testers through the shoe with opposite conclusions. Matt Klein: "This is the best version of the Rebel I have experienced." Andrea Myers, testing the same shoe: "I really wanted to love the Rebel v4, but the geometry does not line up with my foot shape or my mechanics." RunRepeat's own review lands closer to Myers's read, calling the update "bold" but noting "this update has lost some agility and spark due to its wider dimensions," and listing the fit as "too wide" among its cons.

Strengths

Genuine featherweight performance without a carbon plate is the headline: at roughly 7.5 oz, it's light enough to handle tempo and workout duty that most cushioned trainers can't touch, while still cushioning easy miles comfortably. The PEBA-infused FuelCell midsole is a real material upgrade over the prior all-EVA formula, and reviewers across outlets credit it with the bounciest ride the Rebel line has produced. Versatility is the other strength worth naming specifically — Fleet Feet's reviewer using it as a carbon-plate alternative for workout days is a meaningful endorsement, since few non-plated trainers earn that comparison. And now that it's the outgoing model, the value case is stronger than it was at full price: clearance pricing around $110 against an original $140 list is a genuinely good deal for a shoe with this feature set.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

Fit is the shoe's real dividing line. The wider, boxier platform that RunRepeat and Doctors of Running's Andrea Myers both flagged is a meaningful change from the v3's more locked-in feel, and it's not a minor nitpick — it directly affects how secure the shoe feels underfoot, especially for runners with narrower feet who loved the previous version specifically for that lockdown. Durability is a secondary concern worth flagging honestly: with limited outsole rubber coverage in some areas, exposed foam wear can show up faster than on a more heavily armored trainer. And because it's now a superseded model, expect variable sizing and color availability as retailers work through remaining stock — this is a buy-it-while-you-can situation, not a shoe you can count on being restocked once it's gone.

How it compares

Two spots up this list, the Asics Magic Speed 4 takes the opposite approach to a similar problem — a genuine carbon plate at a value price, but with a stiffer, heavier ride that Doctors of Running found "uncomfortably stiff" on easy days. The Rebel v4 is the better choice for runners who want daily-mile comfort with just enough pop for tempo work; the Magic Speed 4 is the better choice for runners who specifically want plated propulsion and don't mind a firmer ride. One rank down, the Hoka Mach 6 competes as a similarly versatile daily trainer, though it leans on a supercritical-EVA foam rather than FuelCell's PEBA blend — reviewers describe the Mach 6 as the more cushioned, forgiving option of the two, while the Rebel v4 stays closer to the ground and livelier underfoot.

The Gavler verdict

An 8.5, backed by an 86 expert consensus against an 83 community score — the modest gap tracking exactly what the reviews above describe: the wider platform and durability questions show up more in long-term ownership than in a single test run. Buy it now while it's discounted as New Balance's outgoing model, especially if you want a genuinely light daily trainer that can flex into workout duty without a carbon plate. Skip it if you have a narrow foot that loved the v3's snugger fit, or if you'd rather buy the current-generation Rebel v5 at full price instead of a discounted previous version.

Common Questions

Is the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 worth it in 2026?

Yes, especially now. It sits at rank 14 on Gavler's Best Running Shoes list with an 8.5, and New Balance has since replaced it with the Rebel v5 — which means the v4 is selling at clearance prices at retailers like Fleet Feet (as low as $109.95 against its original $140 list) while remaining a genuinely light, bouncy daily trainer that can double as a tempo shoe.

Has the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 been discontinued?

It's been superseded, not pulled from shelves entirely. New Balance's own site now lists only the Rebel v5 ($144.99), but third-party retailers still carry v4 stock, generally at a discount. Treat it as a closeout buy: a great price on a shoe that was New Balance's current-generation trainer as recently as last year.

Does the Rebel v4 run wide, and is that a problem?

For some runners, yes. RunRepeat's own review flags it directly, noting the redesign 'lost some agility and spark due to its wider dimensions' and listing it as 'too wide' as a con. Doctors of Running's Andrea Myers echoed the same issue personally: 'the geometry does not line up with my foot shape or my mechanics.' If you have a narrow foot and loved the locked-in feel of the v3, try it on before buying — this is the shoe's most consistent criticism.

Is the Rebel v4 good for racing, or just easy runs?

Both, within reason. It has no carbon plate, so it isn't a race-day super shoe, but at roughly 7.5 oz / 213g it's light enough that Fleet Feet's own reviewer called it a 'new favorite alternative to carbon-plated shoes for workout days.' Use it for daily miles, tempo work, and shorter uptempo races; save a plated shoe for marathon-distance racing.