The Propel V5 is New Balance’s entry-level shoe in the Fuelcell lineup. Like the Rebel V4, it uses the brand’s Fuelcell foam to provide a balanced ride that combines cushioning with versatility – although New Balance does tend to tweak Fuelcell to provide a different ride across the range.
Along with the foam, the shoe also features a TPU plate to deliver a snappier ride and allow for picking up the pace, and a well-structured upper design built for comfort and support.
Tom took the shoe out on a first run to get some early thoughts.
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Hey Tommy from the Run testers in this Video I'm going to be doing a first run Review of the New Balance fuel cell Propel V5 lovely [Music] Stuff the New Balance fuel cell Propel V5 costs £120 or $119.99 it weighs 265 G or 9.3 o for men In a size 8 and the drop is 6 mm The Propel V5 is new balan's entry-level Shoe in the fuel cell lineup like the Rebel V4 it uses the Brand's fuel cell Phone to provide a balanced ride that Combines cushioning with versatility Although New Balance does tend to tweak Fuel cell to provide a different ride Across the range along with the foam the Shoe also features a TPU plate to Deliver a snappier aride in a laow for Picking up the pace and a well Structured upper design built for Comfort and support the outsole design Is similar to that found on the rebel V4 With a generous layer of rubber to Protect the soft to fuel cell foam and Provide plenty of [Music] Grip fit for me in the Propel V5 I'm a Size eight in the UK this is a size Eight I found it to be a very Comfortable shoe but what I would say is That in comparison to some other shoes That New Balance has it does seem to be
A little bit more restrictive so there's A little bit less space before the big Toe than is something like the New Balance Rebel V4 and around the side of The foot as well I didn't have any Problems on that first run I actually Like my shoes to be a little bit more Restrictive than aot lot of you do um But for some of you you're probably Going to want to size up half a size in This shoe I didn't have any problems on That first run though so it was Absolutely fine I would also say that The uh there's plenty of padding around The heel section I don't have any heel Slippage or anything like that um the Upper is quite uh structured it's quite A thick upper um and when you combine it With that more restrictive fit uh it Does give you a really good lock down But itth it might be a little bit Restrictive for some people so you might Want to size up half a size So this is the first time that I have Run in a Propel shoe um I really enjoyed That first run I did a 6K I wouldn't Normally just do 6K I'd normally go at Least 10K but I'm a bit injured at the Moment so I'm taking it a little bit Easier um the run that I did uh combined Uh my base pace so about 5 minute 15 km Uh but I also picked up the pace to About 4 minute 40 km in that run um what I found about this shoe is it's it it's
A really interesting uh affordable shoe So this is like the entry level version Of the fuel cell range from New Balance And um having not tried it before I Didn't really know what to expect from It it looks very much like the the new Bands Rebel V4 which I have here so There's a lot of similarities between These two shoes the Mida foam the outsa Looks very similar uh and the foam Itself so fuel cell is a bit of a funny Foam um because there are lots of shoes In the fuel cell range R and they have Been over previous versions of the shoe Um and sometimes the fuel cell is Different in different shoes new bers Tends to tweak the the foam regardless Of the fact that it's called fuel cell And it's quite hard to find a bit any Information about what the difference is In those in those Foams um so when you Press these two Foams you've got uh the New Balance Rebel V4 and in the Propel V5 they feel very very similar the the Midsole is quite soft um and I expected The ride to be to be pretty similar um What I found about the uh propeller V5 Is that um it does feel quite soft when You land on the heel section there's a Nice little bit of softness little bit Of bounce back from it as well um but it Also has this TPU plate in it which adds This layer of um bit more sturdier Rigidity to it that you don't get in the
New Bal Rebel V4 um and as a result it's Quite a nice balanced feeling to it um As a daily shoe which I think this is Essentially it's what it's designed to Do it's a daily shoe that's affordable Uh that you can just check up all your Miles training in without using your Really expensive shoes um but it's it's Very good at the easier Pace felt very Comfy I very much enjoyed it over that 5 Minute 15 uh kilometers um but there's a Little bit of Versatility in the shoe as Well I think that Mido foam uh in Combination with the TPU plate does give You a little bit of uh propulsion it's Definitely a nice bit of softness in it As well I think it's a really really Good shoe um and uh for the price I it's It's one I'm really looking forward to Testing because it's not often that I we Find shoes that are that cheap um that Deliver some the sort of Versatility That I think we're going to get from This shoe I've only done one run it so Far so I'll um hold a lot of my thoughts Until the full review um but it Definitely feels like there's something About this shoe that um I wasn't Expecting of of the back of that run um So as I say when you land on the Hill Section you can feel the softness in That fuel cell mid cell phone there's a Little bit of softness in the forefoot As well not as much as in that heel I
Could only really feel it majorly in That heel um but when you pick up the Pace it does have a little bit of pop in It as well it's a really interesting uh Daily shoe uh reminds me very much of Something like the Puma bosi Nitro 3 or The early versions of the shoe it's Almost similar in price to that shoe as Well so it's about10 more than the pum Velocity n 3 um and I think it's Delivering a very similar sort of thing Although it does have this TP TPU plate In here which does offer a little bit More rigidity when you're out running it So it's a really interesting shoe £1 1220 in the UK and it is definitely Something that uh there's not many shoes That come out at that price that offer This sort of interesting versatility That I'm getting from this shoe so um Other things I would say about it is That the upper it's quite a uh Structured upper uh it's quite thick so You're not getting that sort of stretchy Design you get in some shoes um it's Definitely a bit thicker than what you Get the New Balance Rebel V4 um and There's there's a nice um bit of padding Around it as well which is good if You're looking for a daily comfortable Shoe uh other things I would say is the Outs soole really like the outsole on it I'm a big fan of the outsole on New Balance Rebel V4 I'll show you it here
Very similar outsole on both of these Shoes um and grip seems to be absolutely Fine on that run I did I was running on Uh road but I also ran on some uh hard Compact mud paths a bit gravel stuff Like that and it felt absolutely fine Haven't had anywhere I have only done 6K In it um so overall that first run very Impressed by this SHO Um I had heard things about the previous Version I think the the previous version The V4 of this shoe is pretty similar to What you're getting here the design of It in terms of how it looks uh and the Outsole is a little bit different it's Been updated but overall I don't think There's any major updates to the shoe I Know the previous propells before the V4 Were very different than this I don't Think they had a plate in there TPU Plate in them either um so it's quite Similar to the previous version of this Uh but I really I really really enjoyed That running it I'm looking forward to Doing a lot more in it um and I think This may be a big player uh coming up uh This year so um when we do our budget uh Categories in best shoes things like That this is definitely a shoe that I Would say would fit into that I know It's not the cheapest shoe in the world But in comparison to a lot of the other Ones out there £1 1220 is very very good For a solid daily versatile trainer so
Very much looking forward to testing This out a bit more um and I think it's Going to be an interesting one um as I Get to the full review So my early verdict on the New Balance Propel V5 is that it's a really exciting Shoe and especially considering the Price uh it's a shoe that I think is Going to is going to be really um a Really fun one to test out because um Obviously there's a lot of shoes that Come out these days that are very very Expensive so it's really nice to find a Shoe that is relatively cheap I know It's not the cheapest shoe in the world But in the in the worlds of running Shoes at the moment it's definitely at The lower end of the premium level of Running shoe um it's got a lot in common With things like the new re V4 um it's Got TPU plate in it which adds a little Bit more support stability and a bit More rigidity so you can pick up the Pace a bit more and get a bit more Responsiveness um and all in all it's a Really solid feeling shoe um it's a Little bit heavier than what you're Going to get from something like the new Bandle V4 but it's a daily shoe it's a Shoe designed for clocking up those Miles it's probably not going to be your Race shoe but it is a solid shoe for Just just churning out miles and giving You a little bit of Versatility as
You're doing it so really really Impressed on that first run definitely Think this is shoe that I'm going to Enjoy testing and looking forward to Seeing if it really is good as I think It is based on that first run okay so That's it from me on this first run on The New Balance Propel V5 thanks a lot For watching don't forget to like Subscribe click the little bell and if You go into the catch below you can find A link to our podcast which comes out a Couple of times each month thanks lot For watching catch you next time [Music]