Since it was founded in 1906 by English-born William J Riley, New Balance has always smashed convention and innovated at pace.

From its first ever running shoes back in 1938, to the groundbreaking, high-performance Trackster that ripped up the rule book in 1961, to the iconic 320 and 620s that reshaped running in the 1970s and 1980s, NB has always led from the front.

And now with FuelCell, the ultimate in speed for every runner, its doing it again.

FuelCell isnt just a shoe, though. Its a system built to deliver speed on your runs, when you need it most. In development since 2017 starting with revolutionary 5280 the aim of the FuelCell project was to help runners everywhere find their fast, whether theyre pushing top pace on the track or flying through the long miles in marathons.

...the aim of FuelCell was to help runners find their fast

Designed for victory, refined in the lab and proven on the roads, FuelCell was created using real athlete data. New Balance Innovation Design Studio experts microanalysed the biomechanics of top athletes down to every 10th of a second and identified three key areas for improvement: impact, pivot and takeoff. From there they were able to develop optimised shoes that support form, shape and efficiency at speed.

At the heart of the innovation is the newly developed FuelCell performance EVA foam, which delivers New Balances highest energy return ever with a minimum of 55% rebound, despite being lighter than traditional foams. The ability of the material to maintain rebound across different levels of hardness is unlike anything New Balance has used before.

Based on that versatility, along with elite athlete data and insights from wear testers, the super-responsive foam has been expertly incorporated into a range of shoes beyond the 5280, trickling the technology for speed down to every runner.

The FuelCell line-up features four shoes that help runners go in search of speed across a huge range of runs, from the fast milers to the road marathon.

Want to unleash your fastest fast, but not sure which FuelCell fits your needs best? Heres how each shoe stacks up on the run.

For shorter distances, where seconds count.

Named after the number of feet in a mile, the 5280 delivers speed without spikes. Built from the ground up, this is the fastest of the super-fast for elite runners and PB-chasers everywhere and is best suited for runs up to 5K and 10K.

The super-lightweight shoes combine the highest-rebound FuelCell midsole foam to date with a multidirectional carbon fibre plate that delivers punchy toe-off propulsion and puts speed in every step. Up top, theres a lightweight and highly functional Hypoknit upper for support where you need it most.

For tempo workouts, long runs and races.

Inspired by Team New Balances fastest road-racing athletes, the lightweight Rebel optimises energy return in each step with high-rebound FuelCell foam. It responds with power when you want to kick things up, but also stays comfy for the long ride. The outsole traction pattern is tailored to give mid and forefoot strikers grip where they need it, and the Jacquard-weave uppers provide ultimate comfort.

For every runner on the everyday run.

Whether youve got a fistful of marathons under your belt or youre starting out on the couch-to-5K journey, FuelCell Propel is all about energy return for those everyday runs.

Lively and springy underfoot, FuelCell foam is used in the midsole to deliver speed for anyone chasing a personal best. A comfortable Trace Fiber upper provides zonal support, and a lightweight solid rubber and NDurance outsole finishes off a fast shoe with some excellent durability.

For runners who wear their shoes beyond the run.

Theres no rule that says you cant be fast and stylish. And for those times when you want the flexibility of being able to wear your running shoes even when your miles are done, the Echo is perfect.

A full-length FuelCell midsole delivers speed with support, while a lower profile, streamlined silhouette brings the style. Throw in a TPU heel counter for performance lockdown and youve got a great shoe thats a bit more stealthy about speed.

Run faster than your fast with new and improved FuelCell foam technology. Discover the range at newbalance.co.uk

Excerpt from:

Building speed: The evolution of New Balance FuelCell - Runner's World (UK)