I ran 40 miles in the New Balance SC Elite v5 carbon plate racing shoe — here's my verdict

Tom's Guide

10 hours ago

With most of the best carbon plate running shoes, brands tend to make incremental updates with each new version to fine-tune their performance.
Not so with New Balance, who make sweeping changes every time they update their flagship racing shoe, once known as the RC Elite and now as the SC Elite.
The New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5, or SC Elite v5, is a lighter, narrower and faster shoe than the New Balance SC Elite v4, which makes it a better racer for me.
However, the SC Elite v4 drew fans for being a more stable and comfortable carbon shoe than most, and if you loved it, then the SC Elite v5 might not be the racing shoe for you.
In my New Balance SC Elite v5 review, I'll explain how it differs from the previous model and compare it with top racers on the market, like the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 and Nike Alphafly 3.
The New Balance SC Elite v5 will be available from 7 August 2025 and costs $250 in the U.S. and £260 in the U.K., the same price as the SC Elite v4. Its U.S. price is about par for a carbon plate racing shoe, but in the U.K., it's a little pricier than most.
The New Balance SC Elite v5 was used by elites at the London Marathon 2025 in the same white and red colorway I tested, which is likely to be the design available at launch in August.
It's a lighter shoe than its predecessor, with the SC Elite v5 weighing 7.4oz in my US men's size 9.5 compared to 8.6oz for the SC Elite v4. It's the lightest version of the RC Elite/ SC Elite yet.
The SC Elite v5 has a stack height of 40mm at the heel, which drops to 32mm at the forefoot for an 8mm offset. That's double the offset of the SC Elite v4, which had a 4mm drop; this, plus the fact that the SC Elite v5 is narrower, largely accounts for the drop in weight.
I found that the shoe fit me well in my normal running shoe size, but I have a narrow foot, and if you loved the wider design of the SC Elite v4, you might find the new shoe a little cramped around the toes.
New Balance usually offers wide-fit versions of its racing shoes, though, so that should be the case with the SC Elite v5 when it launches.
The SC Elite v5 has a thin mesh upper designed to be as light as possible while still holding the foot securely for fast running.
An important update is the reshaped heel collar, which has a little more padding and holds the back of the foot better. I was one of many runners who found the heel on the SC Elite v4 could rub and cause blisters on longer runs, but this isn't a problem for me with the SC Elite v5.
The SC Elite v5 has a midsole made from New Balance's FuelCell foam. However, New Balance calls several different foams "FuelCell," which is unhelpful. In this case, it's a 100% PEBA foam, the bounciest, lightest and best material in New Balance's range.
Running through this midsole is a scooped carbon plate, which is stiffer in the forefoot than the plate on the SC Elite v4 to create a more propulsive feeling when you spring off your toes.
As I've mentioned, the midsole is narrower than the SC Elite v4, with New Balance aiming for a nimbler, more aggressive ride at the cost of the stability offered by the SC Elite v4.
A thin layer of rubber covers the forefoot of the SC Elite v5's outsole, along with two strips of rubber at the heel. A cutout in the midfoot reduces weight and shows off the Energy Arc carbon plate in the midsole.
There are shallow triangular lugs on the forefoot to improve its grip, and I've had no concerns about its traction on roads and the track.
I've tested every model of the RC Elite/ SC Elite to date, and I've generally liked the odd-numbered shoes most.
That's because New Balance has alternated its approach to its flagship racer with each generation — the RC Elite v1, SC Elite v3 and SC Elite v5 all focused on being light and nimble, while the RC Elite v2 and SC Elite v4 were wider racers that seemed to prioritize comfort and bounce.
I prefer a lighter, more aggressive racing shoe myself, and so I love the updates made here. The SC Elite v5 is firmer and has a faster transition from heel to toe with a more propulsive feel than the SC Elite v4.
I've used it for a variety of hard runs, including 400m and 800m interval sessions and a tough tempo workout, and find it easier to run fast and maintain that speed in the shoe compared with the SC Elite v4.
It's almost a combination of the SC Elite v4 and New Balance SC Pacer v2, which is the lower-stack racing shoe in the range, and the SC Elite v5 is actually lighter than the Pacer v2.
However, the way New Balance seesaws with its super-shoe design might be off-putting to some, because if you loved the width, stability and bounce of the SC Elite v4, you'd be better off finding a deal on that shoe or looking elsewhere than going for the SC Elite v5.
The design is also now more similar to racers from other brands — light, narrow shoes with an aggressive forefoot rocker — whereas the SC Elite v4 stood out as one of the more accommodating and comfortable super-shoes available, which made it appeal to a broader range of runners.
If the New Balance SC Elite v5 were the best racing shoes available, this wouldn't matter, but for me, there are faster options with a similar profile, like the Puma Fast-R 3 and Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, so the New Balance risks getting lost in the crowd.
The SC Elite v5 is certainly a very good racing shoe, and I rate it as the best New Balance has ever made. I don't doubt it can help propel you to PRs pretty much as well as any shoe available, but it's not my top option overall.
I'd start by looking at the Puma Fast-R 3 or Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris — or wait for the upcoming Asics Metaspeed Tokyo series to launch. Those shoes are lighter and, for me, faster than the SC Elite v5, though personal taste will be a factor here.
Despite being a less impressive racer in my opinion, the SC Elite v4 might actually have had more going for it because it was something a little different from most carbon shoes, and worked well for heavier runners and those who wanted a more stable ride, especially for marathons.
If you want a bouncier, more accommodating carbon shoe to replace the Elite v4, the Diadora Gara Carbon 2 is a good option, or the Nike Alphafly 3.
The New Balance SC Elite v5 will not let you down on race day and it performed well in every run I did in it, but in a very competitive carbon plate running shoe market, it doesn't quite do enough to stand out as a must-buy.