New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 review

After testing the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 in the lab and on the road, we concluded that:

• Owners of previous Elites will find a clear upgrade, with lower weight and better energy return.
• Runners who need a high-drop super shoe should go for it.
• Those with narrow feet that prefer a more classic racing fit will love what New Balance has done here.
• Marathoners who struggle with sweaty feet should check this one out, as it delivers exceptional breathability.

Despite shedding some weight compared to its predecessors, the Elite v6 still has some catching up to do. If a lightweight super shoe is a top priority for you, we'd suggest the ASICS Metaspeed Edge Tokyo or Nike Vaporfly 4 instead, as both come at a similar price.

We also think the unstable heel could be a deal-breaker for some runners. Instead, we'd recommend the Nike Alphafly 3 if you want a more stable, set-and-forget feel, especially for marathon racing.

When it comes to shock absorption, we found in the lab that the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 has a very different character depending on the part of the shoe.

The heel is highly-protective, scoring 148 SA, while the forefoot is considerably less cushioned at 101 SA. Therefore, forefoot strikers may find it better suited to short-distance events than marathon races.

It took a bit longer than we hoped for New Balance to make the move and ditch FuelCell from their top shoes, but now we have Infinion*, an aliphatic TPU material that really delivers.

In the SC Elite v6, we found very solid numbers that are close to the best super shoes available today: 75.3% in the heel and an impressive 79.4% in the forefoot. Definitely a step forward!

*In typical New Balance fashion, they use the same foam name for very different compounds. This is not the same Infinion used in the 1080 v15, which is a mix of TPEE and EVA.

Most marathon shoes are built around the 40-mm stack-height limit imposed by World Athletics, and we proved in the lab that the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 is no exception to the rule.

At 38.5 mm, it gets dangerously close to that limit and offers tonnes of cushioning in the heel. You can also see in our video the purposeful cutout that New Balance created in the midfoot, allowing the Energy ARC plate to compress and spring back in the curved section that transitions from heel to forefoot.

New Balance states that the forefoot has a thickness of 32.0 mm, and we measured exactly that... but in the midfoot area, far away from the forefoot point marked by World Athletics.

However, when measuring exactly at that point, we found just 24.6 mm, meaning there’s significantly less stack up front.

And that also means a monster 13.9 mm drop, so you'll get a ride reminiscent of high-drop super shoes like the Nike Vaporfly 4%. For runners who need such a high drop because of their Achilles tendons or simply because it works better for them, this will feel fantastic.

On the flip side, those who expect the flatter ride that's a design choice in some recent super shoes may be disappointed. However, we can't say we're surprised, as the Elite v4 measured 9.3 mm in our lab (NB stated 4 mm!), while the Elite v5 already went over 10 mm.

The new Infinion foam won't disappoint FuelCell lovers when it comes to softness, as the underfoot feel is almost identical.

We pressed our digital Asker C durometer against the foam and got a reading of 30.5 AC. That's clearly below the lab average, and the thin outsole used on the Elite v6 further enhances that soft feel.

Like most shoes with a carbon plate, the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 features a rockered midsole that helps offset the high stiffness and improve running economy.

Only shoes with a plate positioned very low in the forefoot, such as the Vaporfly series, can get away with a less pronounced rocker, but that's not the case here.

New Balance may have ditched FuelCell, but they continue to push their Energy ARC plate design, which aims to squeeze out marginal gains over a traditional flat plate.

In terms of shape, the plate doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, and instead follows the usual spoon-shaped curvature in the forefoot to roll runners forward and boost running economy.

The Elite v4 had carved out a niche for runners with wide feet who needed a roomy super shoe, but that's now gone. With the Elite v5 and even more so with the Elite v6, we're back to a full-racing fit.

New Balance still offers a wide version of this model, making it one of the few brands to do so with a super shoe, but don't expect miracles. In the regular D width for a US 9, we measured a very tight 90.7 mm.

We also noticed a tapered toebox width of 71.4 mm, making it the second measurement in a row to fall below the average.

To finish our fit measurements, we checked the toebox height and found 26.8 mm.

That's a smart design choice, as it maintains a secure fit while still allowing good air circulation around the toes.

Traction is not a problem for the SuperComp Elite v6. New Balance promotes extraordinary grip in its marketing, and we found it to be very good, although still one step below the best in the game.

That said, a coefficient of friction of 0.70 on wet concrete is a very positive result that clears any concerns about using the shoe in a rainy marathon.

The outsole uses exposed foam with yellow rubber patches in the forefoot and heel, while the middle section has large areas of exposed foam around the Energy ARC cutout. From our perspective, the coverage is actually good for a super shoe, and we think it should also work well for runners who want to use it for tempo runs.

Like most carbon-plated super shoes, the New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 is a very stiff shoe, and we proved it in our lab. We flexed it to 30 degrees, and it took a massive 23.7N of force!

The SuperComp Elite v4 was a heavy super shoe, but the v5 already brought a good improvement, and now NB takes it another step forward. 

At 6.7 oz (190g), we found that it's still not among the lightest competition shoes, and there's more work to do, but we think the weight is no longer a major drawback and New Balance proved it.

If we still see some room for improvement with weight, we can't say the same for breathability. The whole shoe seems engineered to keep your feet as dry as possible, with the FANTOMFIT upper playing a major role here.

After a long 3-hour test in our lab, we found a world-class breathability score of 107 BR!

We also measured how much moisture the Elite v6 was able to remove from the shoe itself, and it released 54% of the added weight. That's not bad, although it's not as impressive as the previous result.

From our rides and lab test, tThe SuperComp Elite v6 is only suited to neutral runners with polished mechanics, as its ultra-narrow heel and soft foam really limit stability. Although there is better support under the forefoot because now it's broader than before, we don't recommend it for runners with any level of pronation.

The midsole sculpting and hollow channel in the Elite v6 allow for a bit more flex than in other super shoes, as it scored just 13.4 Nm for torsional rigidity. As a result, it feels a bit more forgiving than some of its competitors.

However, the heel is designed to stay out of the way and offers virtually no support against lateral forces. It scored just 1/5 in our manual assessment!

We told you earlier about the broader heel, and now it's time to prove it. The Elite v5 measured just 107.0 mm in this area, while the new, lighter, A-TPU-based Infinion foam allowed NB to widen the platform without adding weight, resulting in a measurement of 114.9 mm.

This is a clear improvement for runners looking to use the shoe for marathons, as the previous version was too narrow in this area and better suited to shorter distances.

The heel also got broader, now measuring 76.1 mm instead of 71.6 mm. That said, it's still a highly-aggressive design that some runners will love, while others may not enjoy it.

The FANTOMFIT upper is one of the thinnest and most impressive we've ever seen, and to be fair to New Balance, a 2/5 result here is not bad at all considering how thin the material is.

The heel lining used by New Balance should hold up well over time, as our Dremel caused very little damage, earning it a 4/5 score.

Outsole durability was also satisfactory at 1.1 mm, especially considering that brands sometimes choose materials that prioritise grip over durability in this area.

However, this is not an outsole built to last, and we found here another area where some of the weight savings over previous models came from. While the Elite v5 had 3.5 mm of rubber, we found only 1.1 mm here, which is less than one third as much.

The advantage is a lighter shoe with a more direct and fun ride, but at the expense of having less rubber to wear through...

The insole is just 3.1 mm thick. That's thin by running shoe standards, but not unusual for a super shoe.

If the purpose of the shoe wasn't already clear, the removable insole included by New Balance leaves little room for doubt.

The new Infinion foam is based on A-TPU here in the Elite, and it's a material that performs really well in cold temperatures. After spending 20 minutes in our freezer, we found only an 11% change in softness.

The New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 is one of the few super shoes to feature reflective elements, and we really appreciated this detail.

The lacing system uses a simple setup with punched eyelets, although we really missed seeing some sawtooth laces here. Almost every other brand is including them, and they feel almost mandatory for a super shoe nowadays. On the positive side, we liked the tongue's double loop, which helps keep it centred.

Where the NB SC Elite v6 shines compared to its rivals is tongue comfort, as New Balance decided to accept some extra weight to provide 3.1 mm of padding, which is slightly more than usual for competition shoes.

The tongue is not gusseted, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has read a few super shoe reviews here at RunRepeat. It's the usual setup we see in this category.

The heel features a simple design with the NB logo and the aforementioned reflective detail, which also covers the stitching for a more premium look.

The sixth version of the Elite is by far the most expensive one, marking a 10% increase over its predecessor.

From a specs-based standpoint, we think it's fully worth the extra bucks, but at the same time, we believe New Balance should've been more aggressive with pricing. In our view, brands like adidas and ASICS currently have a stronger position in the super shoe category, and at the same price, they're likely to attract more buyers.