New Balance SC Elite v4.

The Gavler Review.

New Balance SC Elite v4 Review: The Stable Super Shoe for Marathoners Who Don't Count Grams

The New Balance SC Elite v4 sits at number three on our Best Running Shoes list with a 9.4, and it's there because it solved a problem the earlier SuperComp Elites never quite fixed: it's now genuinely one of the best race-day options in the category, not just New Balance's best attempt. Buy it if you want a stable, bouncy, wide-platform marathon shoe — especially if this is your first time racing in a carbon-plated shoe. Look elsewhere if you're counting grams: at roughly 8.1 ounces, it's among the heaviest premium racers on the market, nearly two ounces up on a Nike Vaporfly.

What it actually is

The fourth-generation SuperComp Elite is built around one headline change: a 100% PEBA FuelCell midsole, replacing the earlier version's less-consistent foam blend. Reviewers describe it as the most impactful update to the whole line — springy and bouncy where earlier versions felt comparatively flat — paired with a slimmer, rippled Energy Arc carbon plate. Stack height sits at the legal maximum of 40 mm heel and 36 mm forefoot over a 4 mm drop, and New Balance rebuilt the FantomFit upper to fix the fit complaints that dogged the v3, landing on a secure midfoot wrap with a roomier, more accommodating toe box.

The shoe's whole identity flows from that stack-and-plate geometry: a wide platform with the plate positioned for stability rather than maximum snap. That's a deliberate trade, and it's the single biggest thing to understand before buying this shoe over its lighter rivals.

In use

Believe in the Run, one of the most detailed voices in the running-shoe review space, didn't hedge on the midsole change: "The new Peba FuelCell is the best and most impactful update of this shoe. It's springy, and, paired with the slimmed-down carbon plate, provides a really fun, bouncy ride." That's a meaningful claim from a reviewer who has tested every generation of this shoe and watched it evolve from also-ran to genuine contender.

What separates the SC Elite v4 from the lighter Nikes and Sauconys on the same list is what that same outlet called out next: "The position of the carbon plate also offers a lot of stability to the SC Elite v4, making it something I'd recommend to a runner who hasn't tried a carbon-plated shoe before." That's an unusually specific and useful recommendation — most super shoes reward experience with the category; this one is explicitly framed as a good entry point.

Running Shoes Guru's read adds useful nuance to the personality of the ride: "To me, the SC Elite v4 feels like a long-distance cruiser rather than a speedy racer." That's not a criticism so much as a category placement — this is a shoe built to feel good and stay controllable across 26.2 miles, not necessarily the shoe that posts the single fastest 5K split.

Where it shines

• Genuine stability among super shoes. The wide platform and plate positioning make this one of the easiest carbon racers to trust on tired legs late in a marathon, and reviewers specifically point to it as forgiving for first-time carbon runners.
• A meaningfully better midsole than its predecessor. The 100% PEBA FuelCell reformulation is, by Believe in the Run's account, the single most impactful change in the shoe's four generations — springier and bouncier, not just a marketing refresh.
• A fixed, roomier upper. The FantomFit upper resolves the fit issues that held back the v3, with a snug midfoot and a toe box that gives your forefoot room to splay under load.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

This is a stable cruiser, not the lightest tool in the drawer, and the honest reasons to look elsewhere are specific:

• You're counting grams for a fast, flat course. At roughly 8.1 ounces in a men's 9 — and creeping past 9 ounces in larger sizes — this is among the heaviest shoes in the super-shoe category. Racers chasing the absolute lightest setup should look at the Metaspeed Sky Paris instead.
• You want peak propulsion over stability. The wide platform and plate position trade some top-end pop for security. If you're an experienced carbon-shoe racer who wants the sharpest, most propulsive ride available, the Alphafly 3's continuous ZoomX setup is built more single-mindedly for speed.
• You want a shoe built for shorter, faster efforts. Running Shoes Guru's "long-distance cruiser" framing is accurate — this shoe is at its best over half and full marathon distances, not necessarily 5K and 10K racing where a lighter, snappier shoe usually wins out.

How it compares

On its own list, the SC Elite v4 sits directly behind two of the lightest super shoes made. The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris at rank two is the featherweight specialist of the group — at 6.5 ounces it's the lightest mass-produced super shoe on the market, built specifically for forefoot and midfoot strikers who get faster by lengthening their stride, though RunRepeat noted it's "somewhat less stable than its predecessor." The Nike Alphafly 3 at number one takes the opposite approach to speed than the SC Elite v4 does to stability: a continuous ZoomX midsole and dual Air Zoom pods built purely for chasing a personal best, at the cost of comfort during easy-pace miles and a short, low-volume fit that demands careful sizing.

The SC Elite v4's case isn't that it's the fastest or lightest shoe on this list — it's that it's the most forgiving carbon racer here, the one you can hand to a runner who's never worn a plated shoe before and trust they'll come back liking it.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.4, tracking a 95/92 expert-to-community split that reflects strong enthusiasm for the PEBA FuelCell update tempered by the one consistent critique reviewers keep circling back to: weight. New Balance finally has a super shoe that belongs in the same conversation as Nike and Asics, and it earns its spot on Gavler's Best Running Shoes list by being the stable, approachable option in a category that too often rewards only the boldest and lightest. Buy it if you want a wide-platform, forgiving racer for half and full marathons — especially as your first carbon shoe; buy the Metaspeed Sky Paris or Alphafly 3 instead if shaving every possible gram is the priority.

Common Questions

Is the New Balance SC Elite v4 worth it in 2026?

Yes, especially if this is your first carbon-plated racing shoe. It ranks third on Gavler's Best Running Shoes list with a 9.4, and Believe in the Run called the new PEBA FuelCell midsole the line's most impactful update yet. The honest trade-off is weight — at roughly 8.1 ounces it's noticeably heavier than the Nike Alphafly 3 or Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, and that weight only grows in larger sizes.

Is the SC Elite v4 a good first super shoe?

It's one of the best. Believe in the Run specifically recommended it to runners who haven't tried a carbon-plated shoe before, because the wide platform and the plate's positioning add stability that lighter, more aggressive racers don't offer. Most first-time carbon runners find the ride forgiving rather than twitchy, which is unusual for the category.

New Balance SC Elite v4 or Nike Alphafly 3 — which should I buy?

The Alphafly 3 is the sharper race-day tool — about a full ounce lighter, with a continuous ZoomX midsole built for chasing a personal best, but reviewers note it's uncomfortable at easy paces and runs short and low-volume. The SC Elite v4 trades some of that peak propulsion for a wider, more stable platform and a roomier FantomFit upper that's comfortable across a broader range of paces. If you're racing flat-out for a PR and can size carefully, the Alphafly wins; if you want one shoe that's forgiving from warmup miles through the finish, the SC Elite v4 is the safer buy.

Is the New Balance SC Elite v4 too heavy for marathon racing?

Not in absolute terms — 8.1 ounces is still well within super-shoe territory, and Running Shoes Guru's characterization of it as 'a long-distance cruiser rather than a speedy racer' is a description of feel, not a knock on function. Reviewers agree the smooth geometry largely disguises the weight, but if you're chasing the lightest possible setup for a fast, flat course, the Metaspeed Sky Paris or Alphafly 3 will shave real ounces.