New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 review: finally a true race day shoe
Infinion foam and a stiffer Energy Arc plate turn New Balance's flagship into a genuine marathon racer: lighter, snappier, and surprisingly stable.
The SuperComp Elite has always been New Balance's flagship racer, but it never quite felt like one.
The SuperComp Elite v5 ran more like a highly elevated performance trainer than a race-day weapon, and it left the door open for lighter, snappier competitors.
The v6 slams that door shut. A complete foam switch, a redesigned plate, and a serious weight drop have turned this into New Balance's strongest and most competitive Elite yet.
I have been testing the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 through workouts and race-pace efforts, and it's a very good, genuinely accessible carbon-plated racer that a lot of runners are going to enjoy. Here's my full review.
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Key specifications
- Price: $275 at newbalance.com
- Weight: 6.5 oz (184 g) in my tested men's US 9
- Drop: 8mm | Stack height: 40mm heel / 32mm forefoot (near the World Athletics maximum)
- Upper: Hyper-translucent single-layer engineered mesh with FANTOMFIT bonded overlays, a thin non-gusseted tongue, and a light, counter-free heel
- Midsole: Infinion foam (replacing the v5's FuelCell PEBA) with a redesigned full-length Energy Arc carbon plate that's thicker and stiffer in the forefoot, plus strategic midsole voids and cutouts
- Outsole: Ultra-thin (~1mm) lightweight rubber with strategic high-wear placement and exposed midsole foam through the midfoot
- Extra attributes: Available in standard (D) and wide (2E) widths, with a flared, relatively wide forefoot for landing stability
Sizing and fit
The SC Elite v6 runs snug all around, and I think most people will prefer going up a half size for comfort and volume, especially over longer races, and if you know you want more volume in general, go with the Wide version.
True to size works for me in providing a fully locked-down race fit but its on the edge being too small. There's also plenty of cushioning around the collars.
The toe box offers reasonable length and height, the FANTOMFIT midfoot and heel lockdown is secure and glove-like, and heel slippage is noticeably reduced from the v5.
Wide widths are available for higher-volume feet.
One small quirk is that the thin, short, non-gusseted tongue can fold as you put the shoe on, so it needs a moment of attention when lacing up.
New Balance SuperComp Rebel v1 Review: Great Foam, Bad Fit
New Balance’s SC Rebel has brilliant Infinion foam and a plate that works well. The fit is what made it a miss for me.
Alastair Dixon
Performance review
This is where the v6 separates itself from SuperComp Elites that came before it.
Infinion changes everything
The headline update is the foam; Infinion is New Balance's lightest, highest-energy-return foam in the SuperComp series, and it replaces the v5's FuelCell PEBA entirely.
Underfoot it's softer, bouncier, and more resilient than what came before, with mild compliance and high rebound. If you want the deeper materials science on why these supercritical compounds behave the way they do, my PEBA foam explainer on Trail & Kale covers it.
The foam works together with the redesigned Energy Arc plate, which is thinner toward the heel and denser, thicker, and stiffer in the forefoot.
Add the midsole voids that expose the plate through the midfoot and you get a dynamic spring effect with real toe-off snap.
Propulsive, efficient, and built to last the full 26.2
The ride is propulsive and efficient with noticeable snap, but transitions stay smooth and rolling rather than aggressive or opinionated.
At marathon and half marathon paces it's protective and efficient, and the energy return holds up late into long efforts, which is exactly where the v5 faded. This shoe's strongest territory is half marathon to marathon racing.
It's more versatile than most pure supers too. It handles easier paces with a comfortable roll rather than punishing you, and at 5K to 10K efforts it delivers quick turnover and strong responsiveness.
There's some ground feel through the midfoot thanks to the cutouts and a firmer character there, but overall this remains a high-stack, protective platform.
Very stable for a super shoe
This is the trait that stood out most to me; the v6 is very stable for a racer.
The flared, relatively wide forefoot gives you a reliable landing platform, and the geometry drives you forward without the side-to-side wobble that plagues many narrow, aggressive plated racers.
It's more consistent and approachable than most of the category.
The heel area is still fairly narrow (wider than the Elite v5 however), so pronounced heel strikers, or anyone plodding at very easy paces, may notice a little instability there. At race paces with neutral mechanics, it's rock solid.
A breathable, glove-like race upper
The hyper-translucent mesh is really nice on the run; it's ultra-light, and breathability is excellent, keeping feet cool deep into hard efforts.
FANTOMFIT bonded overlays do the structural work, providing secure midfoot and heel hold without bulk or stiff materials. There's no traditional rigid heel counter, just overlays and light padding, and Achilles clearance is good.
For a racing shoe, comfort is impressive; no major pressure points once you're locked in, just that fold-prone tongue to mind when donning.
A race-day tool, not a daily beater
The ultra-thin outsole grips reliably on roads, including in the wet, and the rubber sits exactly where wear happens.
But at roughly 1mm thick with exposed midsole foam through the midfoot, this is not a shoe for high cumulative mileage because it will run down fast.
Early wear shows up in the expected places but sooner than expected pointing to a less than average durability rating.
Save it for race day and key workouts. That's the brief for every shoe in this category, and the v6 is no exception.
My verdict
The SuperComp Elite v6 is a clear upgrade over the v5 in almost every race-relevant metric: around 20-24 g lighter, far more responsive foam, a more propulsive plate, better lockdown, and better breathability. The trainer-like Elite is gone; this is a true race shoe.
I really like it; it's not as easy and natural to run in as the Topo Specter Elite, and it's certainly not as fun and bouncy as the Saucony Endorphin Elite 3. But it's stabile, breathable, and has solid propulsion in a package that doesn't demand and extreme adaptation.
At $275 it sits in the standard super-shoe price band, and the weight drop plus foam upgrade make the value case much stronger than the v5's, even though outsole durability has taken a small hit.
If you want a carbon-plated marathon racer that's fast, stable, and genuinely approachable, this is one of the best options you can buy right now. Just go up a half size.
Who should skip it: runners chasing maximum bounce and playfulness (that's Endorphin Elite 3 territory), anyone wanting the easiest, most natural ride (look at the Specter Elite), and anyone hoping to log daily training miles in it.
For the full field, my best carbon plate running shoes roundup ranks every racer I've tested.
The Best Carbon Plate Running Shoes For Race Day, Right Now
Fast, premium, and efficient running shoes designed for racing, speedwork, and pushing the pace with every stride.
Alastair Dixon
For my complete rankings across every category, see my guide to the best running shoes right now.
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