Eleanor: I liked the colour combination of the female shoe, hopefully the slightly darker orange means they don’t become too dirty over time. I think my v3 shoes have similar wear to my second pair of v2s (with similar total mileage), but it’s less noticeable to the eye because of the rubber pattern. This, coupled with their light construction make them an easy choice for threshold sessions where I am looking to get moving but don't want to beat up my legs. The black is the most dense and durable, while the red and yellow rubber patches seem softer, optimised for grip and traction.

Derek : The Rebel 3 updates are a bit of a mixed bag for me, which to be fair says more about the Rebel 2 than the Rebel 3; The Rebel 2 was one of my favorite short interval shoes and I just loved how the thin upper wrapped my foot like a track spike. The Fuel Cell (sic) family is our line of performance, speed and rebound driven shoes but contrary to popular belief is not a midsole compound thus the vastly different rides of different shoes within the family. v=1672678365"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":42875533951204,"title":"9. I think the lower stack makes it less noticeable and it is unlikely to cause as much stability concerns as say the NB Fuelcell TC did.Despite a softer midsole compound than its predecessor, it somehow feels both faster and more responsive to the effort you put in. Built for the runner looking to do anything from an uptempo pace run to a long run, Rebel V2 will provide the perfect run, and with it's bold aesthetics you'll look good doing it too. The heel is normal width to slightly narrow with a flexible heel counter present for mild reinforcement. To me, the Rebel v2 doesn’t feel like a tempo trainer because of how soft the midsole is and how flexible the forefoot is. Additionally, there is a "rib" of foam through the midfoot which creates a subtle but noticeable different in the compressability through the midfoot, where the lateral aspect compresses more than the medial.

Liam: First thing I noticed with the shoe was how light they were, which immediately makes you want to get moving in them. The v1 was one of the first New Balance shoes to feature the flared midsole design on the lateral edge. It just is a little unstable through uneven terrain, but if you are good with that and don't need much stability the shoe provides a very fun and bouncy ride. One thing to mention as well, the ankle collar is soft and flexible (2 out of 5 on our stiffness scale with 5 being the stiffest), much more so than typical daily trainers, but with a touch of padding for added comfort and form. New Balance layered the Rebel with its FuelCell foam midsole, which provides a plush landing and a peppy response.

As far as fit, the NB Fuelcell Rebel 2 fits true to size in length, but it is more narrow than the first version. I initially thought they made the last narrower, but a cursory comparison of v2 and v3 showed that the midsole widths are not all that different. I remembered how much fun the Rebel 2 was and hoped v3 would maintain the nimble underfoot feeling with slightly more midsole foam.

We know how challenging it can be when you're used to one brand and their sizing, and then you switch brands and it's completely different. Wearing these is like strapping on fluffy angel food cake to your feet, and you just don’t want to ever take them off.Follow myself and the select few who contribute on our journey to help you understand your body and the shoes you wear.

While the flange already wasn’t very present in v2, taking it away and opting for a more traditional geometry has made the ride even more natural and enjoyable for me.With the new rubber outsole pattern and the compound used, I am cautiously confident that durability will be better. A thin, breathable mesh upper keeps weight to a minimum, and the low-profile silhouette gives it a speedy look. My shoe shed is filled with maximalist shoes that are more reminiscent of sponges rather than trampolines.