The New Balance FuelCell SC Elite series has changed a lot with each generation, and the SC Elite v4 is a major update to the 3, with new midsole foam and redesigned geometry. It’s heavier than previous models, but the new foam offers more bounce and the SC Elite v4 is undoubtedly a fast shoe.
However, it’s hard to say where it ranks among the best carbon slab running shoes. The SC Elite v4 is an excellent marathon running shoe and its high level of comfort may make it more attractive to slower amateur runners than other super shoes. But in pure performance, I rate other racers higher, including the Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly 3.
New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v4: Price and Availability
The New Balance SC Elite v4 will be released on February 1st and will cost $250 in the US and £260 in the UK. It’s a bit more expensive than the SC Elite v3 and costs more than some notable carbon shoes like the Nike Vaporfly 3.
How I tried this shoe
I’ve run 30 miles in the SC Elite v4: a 90-minute long run, a track session doing mile threshold repeats, and a 10-mile progression run. I have also tested the three previous models of the shoe and most of the best carbon plate running shoes available from all brands.
Design and implementation
Although still called FuelCell, the foam in the midsole of the SC Elite v4 is different from the FuelCell found in previous versions of the shoe and throughout the New Balance range in general. It is a Peba based foam which is the material used in most of the best racing shoes and is lighter and more dynamic than the foams used in the SC Elite range before it.
The shoe has a full-length carbon plate running through the midsole and a rocker profile to accelerate your forefoot transition with every step—though this rocker felt less dramatic to me than that of the New Balance SC Elite v3.
As with most carbon shoes, the stack height of the SC Elite v4 is 40mm at the heel, the maximum allowed in road racing under World Sport regulations. The stack is 36mm in the forefoot for a 4mm drop, which is lower than most super-shoes, although the rocker in the shoe meant the drop was a bit higher for me.
At 8.6oz/243g, the SC Elite v4 isn’t a heavy shoe, but it’s a bit heavier than many carbon racers. It’s also heavier than previous versions of the shoe, perhaps because New Balance increased the amount of foam underfoot.
The upper is made from a lightweight, breathable mesh. The collar and tongue have minimal padding, so I’m concerned that the heel collar has the potential to rub. I locked the shoe with the heel because it felt loose in the rear on my first run and haven’t had any problems since. Otherwise, the shoe fit well in my usual running shoe size.
There’s a deep cut running along the middle of the bottom of the shoe that shows off the carbon plate, but other than that there’s pretty good rubber coverage on the outsole, with stripes on the rear and most of the forefoot covered. I found the SC Elite v4 gripped well in the rain, even on a greasy track surface.
Running performance
The SC Elite v4 performs the way you’d expect a chunky carbon super shoe to. It’s bouncy, and while it’s not the lightest, once you’re up to race pace, you’re comfortable holding that pace for long periods thanks to the springy foam and propulsion from the board.
On my first run I did 14 miles in 90 minutes, including a five mile climb at a pace of about 5min 50sec/mile. I was running with tired legs after an XC race the day before and the shoe felt comfortable and helped me push to faster paces.
It felt like a big shoe though, especially when running into the wind. It doesn’t land on your toes as quickly as other carbon shoes, with the rhythm coming from the bouncing foam. It’s also not the most nimble of shoes, instead it shines on long straights on flat tarmac and then feels cumbersome when rounding corners at speed.
For me the speed sweet spot in the shoe was half marathon to marathon pace and I enjoyed using it for a track session running six mile repeats at 5min 30sec/mile pace with a 400m recovery in 95sec. The session ended up being 7.8 miles in total where I calculated my average marathon pace to be around 5min 42sec/mile. The shoe felt brilliant throughout, helping me cruise through the reps and maintain a good pace on the float recoveries.
It was also comfortable for a long warm-up after that session, which isn’t always the case with carbon shoes. I think the SC Elite v4 is one of the most comfortable carbon races and more accessible for slower runners than shoes like the Vaporfly. This was also true of the SC Elite v2, which had a softer, less aggressive ride than the SC Elite v3.
For pure speed over close distances, I prefer the rockier ride of the SC Elite v3 and indeed the SC Elite v1, although the SC Elite v4 is the most dynamic version of the shoe to date and the fastest for longer races. I found the shoe to grip well in wet conditions, having had the misfortune of doing most of my runs in the shoe in the rain. It’s not too unstable despite the high stack of soft foam, with the center cut on the underside of the shoe helping you hold in the center instead of rolling to each side.
Is the New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v4 worth it?
Competition in the super shoe market is fierce, and since most runners are unlikely to buy more than one or two expensive carbon fiber running shoes, it’s hard to recommend buying a shoe that I don’t rate as highly as others.
The New Balance SC Elite v4 is a fantastic running shoe, especially for the marathon, but I would use the NIke Vaporfly 3 or the Nike Alphafly 3 before that. I also think other shoes like the Asics Metaspeed Sky+, Saucony Endorphin Elite and Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro are more impressive runners.
However, a lot comes down to personal preference, and the SC Elite v4 will undoubtedly help you run fast in races. It’s a more comfortable option than most carbon shoes and, like the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3, it’s a shoe I’d recommend as a first carbon choice if you’re worried about shoes like the Vaporfly being too aggressive and unstable.
Overall, my first recommendation to most runners looking for a competitive shoe would be to try one from Nike, especially since the Vaporfly is cheaper than the SC Elite v4.
