New Balance SC Rebel v1 Review: Making Fast Feel Fun

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

There’s something special about pulling on a pair of my fastest shoes for a tough workout and soaring through my splits. I try to save my carbon-plated shoes for race day when it really counts, but what can I say? Sometimes it feels good to rebel.

The SC Rebel v1 is a plated version of New Balance’s bestselling Rebel franchise, and the brand claims it brings race-day power to everyday training through a carbon-fiber-infused plate uniquely designed for daily running.

Mandy and I put that statement to the test during hard training days, as well as some easy runs, to see how the SC Rebel v1 holds up. Here’s what we found.

My first run in the SC Rebel v1 was an easy six-miler with a couple of friends. While this shoe is intended for harder efforts, I wanted to test the shoe out in a low-stakes environment in case they didn’t work for my feet. Thankfully, I had no issues on the run and the bouncy underfoot feel had me excited to wear them for some faster paces.

I was a big fan of the SC Trainer v1, v2 and v3, but I felt like each version got progressively less bouncy. While the first version felt like running on pogo sticks, the third version felt flat. Thankfully, the SC Rebel v1 provides a middle ground. It delivers a perfect blend of responsiveness and stability that you need when you’re trying to run fast.

The shoe’s first true test was 6 x 1-mile repeats at the UNC Track. It was also my first true fitness test as I begin my marathon build, and I wasn’t sure how my body would respond. The shoes felt peppy and light, and I completed the entire workout without once thinking about them. A great thing when you’re trying to focus on your reps, not so great when you need to write a shoe review afterwards!

“The SC Rebel delivered the perfect blend of smooth and bouncy, making every step feel light, effortless and fun,” Mandy agrees. “Even during a six-mile run in the sweltering heat, I felt like I was skipping through life. The responsive cushioning gave me plenty of energy without sacrificing comfort, creating a ride that felt playful yet controlled.”

The shoe’s carbon-fiber-infused PEBAX plate helps deliver that energetic yet comfortable ride. Just like a carbon-fiber plate used in a racing shoe, it flexes in conjunction with the midsole foam every time you land and rebounds as you take off, returning energy with every step. But, unlike a racing shoe, using PEBAX as the primary material makes it much less stiff than pure carbon-fiber. The positioning of the plate within the midsole is unique, too — it sits closer to the bottom of the midsole instead of sandwiched between layers of foam which creates a softer underfoot sensation.

The only time this shoe didn’t rise to the occasion? Gravel runs. While Mandy and I both know this is a road shoe, we encountered circumstances that required a bit of off-roading. The warm-up loop at the UNC Track is all gravel, and I begrudgingly ran it with my coworker in the pitch black. The first few steps felt completely out of control, and I was sure I would twist an ankle (thankfully I didn’t).

The shoe’s Energy Arc — a hollow channel through the middle of the midsole — is great for pavement runs but can be problematic if you encounter stray rocks or pebbles. The Energy Arc acts as a void for the carbon plate to flatten into during landings and rebound out of during take-offs. The result is increased energy return, and potentially needing to clear out the channel with a swipe of your finger every so often.

The bottom line? Be smart and only use your running shoes for their intended purpose — road shoes for pavement runs and trail or gravel shoes for off-roading.

Good news for Rebel v5 lovers — the SC Rebel v1 fits exactly the same. New Balance uses the same FANTOMFIT technology, a fusion of two thin pieces of engineered mesh that provide lightweight, lockdown support. A thin, stretchy tongue holds your foot in place while a lightly padded heel collar delivers gentle comfort.

The shoe fits true-to-size on me, and I was able to removable the thin sockliner and put in myCurrex RUNPRO insoles (although the sockliner has some light glue on the bottom, so I had to do this carefully.) I always try to wear my insoles, aside from race day, so having a speedy trainer that can handle workouts while keeping my arches supported is a huge win. I did notice that the shoe felt significantly less roomy with the insole versus the sockliner, but it still fit well and I had no issues on the run.

Mandy, who has narrow heels, wasn’t as pleased with the fit. “My heel slipped slightly with each step even after I used the second lacing eyelet, but the shoe was also surprisingly difficult to get onto my foot. It failed my ‘busy mom who’s always in a hurry with a cup of coffee in my hand trying to get out the door’ test.”

Curious about the width of your heels or the height of your arches? Your best bet will be to head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height. You can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there!

We took a look at some comparable shoes to see how the SC Rebel v1 stacks up. Here’s what we found:

By thoughtfully designing the plate construction to maintain comfort and flexibility, New Balance almost delivers their promise to bring race-day power to everyday training. However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say the SC Rebel is good for everyday training. I’d still prefer to save this shoe for hard workouts while using a traditional trainer, like the Ellipse, for truly easy paces.

I’ll continue to wear it for workouts when I want to run fast but still feel comfortable and supportive (shoutout to my insoles). It would work well for race day, too, especially for runners who want something more durable and less expensive than some of the premium racers on the market.

“I’ll reach for the SC Rebel v1 on speedwork days, really hot days and mornings when I just need a little extra motivation to get out the door,” says Mandy. “It's light, bouncy ride makes faster efforts feel fun, while the breathable upper is especially welcome when the temperature climbs. Sometimes the best running shoe is simply the one that makes you excited to run, and the SC Rebel v1 certainly does that.”