After a few years when the Nike Vaporfly was the only show in town, every major brand now has a carbon plate racing shoe, and most of them release a new generation every year. In 2022 there were several new additions to Coach’s best carbon plate running shoes round-up and nearly every brand had launched their new top shoe by autumn.
New Balance, however, kept us waiting for the successor to the Fuelcell RC Elite V2, and even now the Fuelcell SC Elite V3 has only launched in limited quantities as a special edition for the New York Marathon, with general release set for February 2023.
I love the RC Elite V2, but its well-deserved reputation as an incredibly comfortable and “friendly” carbon racer is both a strength and a weakness. The RC Elite V2 is a great marathon racing shoe, and actually works well as a fast and comfortable daily trainer too, but lacks the raw speed of carbon rivals like the Vaporfly.
With the SC Elite V3, New Balance has aimed to create a more aggressive racing shoe, and after one run I would say it has succeeded. The SC Elite V3 is still comfortable, but has a faster transition and a firmer ride that make it feel quicker and racier than the RC Elite V2.
The SC in the new shoe’s name stands for SuperComp, a new line of shoes that also includes the New Balance Fuelcell SC Pacer short-distance racing shoe and the New Balance Fuelcell SC Trainer, a training shoe with a very high stack.
Some of the significant updates to the SC Elite V3 are taken from the other SuperComp shoes. The EnergyArc carbon plate and rocker design combine with a large midsole cut-out that runs down the middle of the shoe to create a fast transition from heel to toe and ensure maximum energy return.
The SC Elite V3 is also wider at the heel than the RC Elite V2 but narrower at the forefoot, to create stable landings but a more agile feel. Interestingly the SC Elite V3 also has a 4mm drop, much lower than the 10mm of the RC Elite V2. The weight stays around the same at 8oz/228g for the SC Elite V3 compared with 7.9oz/225g for the RC Elite V2, both in my UK size 9.
In my first run wearing the SC Elite V3 I tackled four one-mile reps, increasing the pace from 6min/mile on the first rep to 5min 20sec/mile on the fourth. The shoe is noticeably more aggressive than the RC Elite V2, tipping you forward onto your toes rapidly, and the toe-off is more powerful and propulsive than on its predecessor.
The foam underfoot also feels firmer, especially when landing at the heel, and I would say the drop doesn’t feel like it’s 4mm when you’re running. Before looking at the specs I would have assumed this was an 8-10mm drop shoe – the pronounced rocker makes it feel higher than 4mm.
It’s only one run but I was impressed by the changes made to the SC Elite V3, which make it feel more like other top carbon racers like the Nike Vaporfly and Saucony Endorphin Pro 3.
The upgraded shoe does come at a higher price though. The NYC special edition of the SC Elite V3 is on sale now and costs $250/£220 (opens in new tab), up from $225/£210 for the RC Elite V2.