New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5 vs New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v6:
Which to Choose

On paper these two look almost identical: both score pace 6/6, cushioning 5/6, responsiveness 6/6 and stability 2/6, both are neutral, and both run a full-length carbon plate. The differences are in the details that matter for a racer. The biggest is the foam — the v5 uses a 100% PEBA FuelCell midsole, while the v6 switches to New Balance's new "Infinion" supercritical TPEE/A-TPU blend. That change makes the v6's forefoot noticeably firmer and snappier, with quick rebound and a more insistent push-off, where the v5's PEBA feels a touch more giving underfoot. The stack also grows and reshapes: the v5 sits at 39mm heel / 29mm forefoot (about a 10mm drop), while the v6 goes taller and lower-drop at 40mm heel / 32mm forefoot (an 8mm drop), putting more foam under the forefoot and a flatter, more aggressive rocker beneath you. Both scoop out the midsole for weight and rebound — the v5 via Energy Arc voids, the v6 via a pronounced central midfoot cutout that leaves you running on two rails of foam and adds a little ground feel through the middle of the stride. The v6 is also the lighter shoe, and its upper is a big part of that: the v5's woven nylon/polyester mesh with a semi-gusseted tongue and a relatively roomy toebox gives way to an ultra-thin FANTOMFIT mesh on the v6 that prioritizes race-day weight and breathability over structure and long-term durability. In use, the v5's sweet spot is the marathon, with the half as a strong second; the v6 broadens the range down to the 10K and shifts its sweet spot to the half, making it feel the sharper, more speed-biased of the two. Neither is remotely a daily trainer — both feel like too much shoe at easy effort and reward a confident, efficient footstrike.