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It’s fair to say the New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes are very popular. Made with an ultra-light PEBA/EVA foam blend midsole, the Rebel v4 Running Shoes should feel dynamic and agile. New Balance states the Rebel is the most versatile model in their line-up, and suitable for tempo runs and daily miles.
SS25 sees the launch of two brand new colourways for men and women - which are both available at Run4It.
If you’ve not run in the New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes, you might find the remainder of this article helpful. We’ll break down the tech, how the cushioning performs, how the upper fits, and suggest what the Rebel are best suited for.
New Balance Rebel v4 Tech
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Men’s approximate weight: 197 grams
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Women’s approximate weight: 158 grams
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Forefoot stack height: 24 mm
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Rearfoot stack height: 30 mm
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Drop: 6 mm
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Midsole: FuelCell foam (PEBA/EVA foam blend)
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FantomFit upper
Midsole construction
It’s well known that New Balance’s FuelCell foam varies from model to model. The Rebel v4 Running Shoes’ midsole is 20% PEBA and 80% EVA. This is designed to deliver an ultra-light and energetic underfoot ride.
One of the most notable features of the midsole is the distinct shaping. While a New Balance designer could likely provide an in-depth explanation of why the foam is shaped this way and the specific benefits, the basic takeaway is that the design aims to enhance energy return and stability. Notably, the base nets are fairly wide, which enhances the inherent stability.
Interestingly, the stack height of the midsole isn’t that high. While there’s still plenty of foam beneath your feet, it's relatively lower compared to the trend in many modern running shoes. One of the main benefits of the lower stack is that it helps keep the weight down.
Upper construction
Following on from the previous point, the New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes’ upper is exceptionally light. The Fantomfit design is transparent in certain areas, and offers amazing breathability.
The tongue is also very thin, but the gusseted design should improve lockdown and reduce tongue migration. As you’d expect, the heel counter doesn’t have lots of structure, but it feels relatively substantial considering the weight.
Outsole construction
There’s quite a lot of New Balance’s Ndurance rubber on the outsole. This is surprising, as this is one of the heaviest components of the shoe.
The rubber on the lateral edge of the heel area feels slightly different from the rest. We might be wrong, but this is hopefully a more durable rubber that makes the outsole more durable for heel strikers.
New Balance Rebel v4 Test Runs
As the New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes are regarded as being ultra-versatile, we tested this model at a variety of paces - which also included a specific treadmill test. The following image shows some examples of the easy and steady runs performed in the Rebel.
Easy effort/pace run performance
Even though the midsole feels comfortable and bouncy, it doesn’t perform at its best at easy paces. In comparison to typical everyday mileage running shoes, the Rebel v4 midsole feels flatter and less forgiving.
In reality, it feels a waste to use the Rebel v4 Running Shoes for easy runs. Yes, you can definitely wear this model for your slower efforts, but you’re not getting the benefit of the ultra-light midsole. The New Balance 1080 Running Shoes are a much better option for this type of intensity.
Steady effort/pace run performance
This is when the New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes’ midsole comes alive. The cushioning feels bouncy, agile, and exceptionally light. As a result, it makes it easier to maintain your pace.
Even though the midsole stack isn’t that high, it doesn’t bottom out. This means it feels very protective and responsive. The following image shows the splits from a light build run - where the midsole simply felt better and better as the pace got faster.
In comparison to everyday mileage running shoes, the Rebel v4 Running Shoes are likely to feel much better at this type of intensity.
Faster effort/pace run performance
A treadmill protocol was used to test the Rebel v4 Running Shoes’ performance at faster paces. The main set of the session was 3 x 10 minutes - where the pace built from around LT1 to LT2. If you’re not up to speed with these terms, the pace built from a hard, but very sustainable pace, to a hard, unsustainable pace. The middle 10 minutes was performed at around marathon pace. The speeds are noted below:
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10 minutes at 16kph (3.45 minute/kilometre pace)
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10 minutes at 17kph (3.31 minute/kilometre pace)
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10 minutes at 18kph (3.20 minute/kilometre pace)
As you’d expect, the midsole felt great at light tempo pace (16kph). The light and energetic foam feels comfortable and responsive - exactly what you want. It’s fair to say the midsole should feel good for relatively long efforts at this sort of intensity too.
The midsole continued to feel good at marathon effort. However, if you’re used to plated running shoes, you’ll definitely notice a difference in effort. The midsole feels very responsive, but it doesn’t propel you forward in the way that a super-shoe will. As a result, the effort level is higher.
Finally, the midsole can cope with a hard threshold pace, but it doesn’t feel great for prolonged efforts at this sort of intensity. 10 minutes - at the end of a 30 minute session - felt too long. A plated super-shoe feels much more fluid and economical.
Having said all this, the midsole performed impressively well across the paces. It’s also important to note that using the Rebel v4 Running Shoes for some faster-paced sessions is likely to result in you noticing a greater benefit when you opt for a carbon-fibre plated model. You may also reduce the likelihood of overuse injuries.
How do the Rebel v4 Running Shoes fit?
We’d recommend going up half a size in comparison to your normal running shoe size. The fit comes up a bit small, and you’re likely to feel your toes at the end if you don't go up. Although, choose your normal size if you prefer a neater fit.
The upper material feels great. It’s light, ultra-breathable, and didn’t cause any rubbing - despite the fact that my toes were hitting the end. Some reports suggest the heel counter lacks lock-down. It actually feels as if it offers good support in the heel area, especially given how light the upper is.
New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes summary
The New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes are ideally suited for steady runs and tempo efforts. While they can be used for easy runs, as mentioned earlier, it doesn't feel quite right to use a shoe designed for speed during those easier sessions.
The Rebel v4 Running Shoes are also unlikely to offer the same durability as a typical everyday mileage model, such as the New Balance 1080 Running Shoes. Saving the Rebel for your steady runs and tempo sessions should help you get the most life out of them.
While you can definitely use the Rebel v4 Running Shoes for some fast-paced sessions, you’ll probably want to keep the session construction relatively short. For example, 10 x 1 minute at 10k race pace. We wouldn’t recommend using this model for 10 x 1 kilometre at threshold pace.
In summary, the Rebel v4 Running Shoes are a great option for runners who rotate between different models. To explain further, if you do your fast-paced workouts in plated shoes, your easy miles/long slow runs in everyday mileage shoes, the Rebel v4 Running Shoes are suitable for everything in between.
Of course, if you’re looking for one pair of light and bouncy running shoes that can cover a wide range of paces, the New Balance Rebel v4 Running Shoes are also a good choice for that. There’s no doubt this model offers exceptional versatility, and we're very impressed.
