NEW BALANCE FuelCell SC PACER - First Impressions
Posted on April 14 2022
New Balance have just released the FuelCell Supercomp Pacer and we have had the opportunity to take it for a spin on a few runs, this is our first impression of this brand new shoe.
Its a completely new shoe and in some ways goes against the trend in super shoes we have seen of late. FuelCell is New Balance's superfoam and performs extremely well on shoes like the RC Elite v2 and the Prism. There you get a big stack height right up to the legal maximum for road marathon competition or in the case of the Prism, plenty of cushioning for a great all-round trainer.
The FuelCell Supercomp Pacer takes that great foam and applies it to a stripped down racing flat targeted at 5k to half marathon. Here you get about 27mm cushioning in the heel and with only 2mm of drop, 25mm in the forefoot. This feels a lot like the 1400/1500 earlier models from NB which were great race shoes.
What you might have observed if you have run in the higher stack height Fuelcell shoes is that, like most of the modern super foams, it is incredibly soft. Marshmallowy almost. While they bring lightness, this softness would not be great in a stripped down racing flat. That is where the full length carbon plate comes in.
The combinations brings a degree of stiffness and torsion to the midsole which improves that spring at toe-off.
This is a shoe that is designed to be light and fast and the upper is an extremely light and heavily perforated single knitted, very thin mesh. The men's shoe comes in at 204g and the ladies at an incredible 157g.
I personally love the fit, its snug in the midfoot and with just enough space in the forefoot to allow my toes to spread and the whole set up feels tucked in, sleek and fast. You can feel the softness of the fuelcell under a forefoot strike and the carbon plate keeps rigidity and structure in the shoe. It encourages you to run fast with such minimal weight. My first thought was this is a carbon slipper!.
Obviously we need to put more miles in the shoe but this fits nicely alongside the adidas Takami-Sen 8 as a low profile, carbon enhanced, racing shoe targeted at the 5k to half marathon distance. Light, fast, responsive.
CHECK IN OUT HERE
https://gone.run/collections/nb-supercomp-pacer
- FuelCell foam delivers a propulsive feel to help drive you forward
- Synthetic engineered mesh upper for breathability and a lightweight feel
- Sleek tongue construction and a thinner collar provides maximum heel lockdown
- Energy Arc
- Carbon Fiber Plate
- Adjustable lace closure for customized fit
- Overall low-stack design provides snappy ground feel for a faster feeling
1 comment
Hi!! I am a devotee of the NB 1400 and have been waiting for this shoe – do you know when it will be available??