The New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 is a buy for runners with a standard width who are chasing a PB in the full marathon. At 198g in men's it is 17g lighter than the previous generation, and the foam changed to Infinion, which is said to keep its rebound longer. A carbon-plated race shoe released Aug 6, 2026.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
The reason to buy this shoe is the "8mm," not the lightness. Of the 10 carbon race shoes this site compared, 6 have a 5–6mm drop, so a runner who normally trains in shoes around 8mm has the tilt of the foot change just on race day. The Elite v6 stays at 8mm, so as a shoe nerd I pick it as the race shoe for people whose training shoes have a bigger drop.
Key points
- The v5 sole was FuelCell with 100% PEBA. The v6 pairs a new compound with Infinion, and FuelCell dropped out of the name
- Men's 25.0–29.0cm in width D only. 30.0cm is limited to the 1 LIME colorway
- The plate is a curved, full-length carbon. Paired with the cavity inside the sole, it produces rebound at the forefoot, the official explanation says
SuperComp Elite v6 weight and drop? The official numbers
Plenty of people choose carbon race shoes by lining them up in weight order. By that ordering the SuperComp Elite v6 does not stand out. At 198g it is around the middle of the 10 carbon thick-soled shoes this site compared.
This shoe sits at the end in a different column. The drop (the difference between heel and forefoot stack) is 8mm. That was the biggest number among the 10 shoes. First, the official numbers in a table.
| Item | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | Aug 6, 2026 | |
| Official price (Japan, incl. tax) | JPY 31,900 | JPY 31,900 |
| Weight | 198g | 154g |
| Width | D | B |
| Sizes | 25.0–29.0cm, 30.0cm | 22.0–25.5cm |
| Colors | 2 colors | 2 colors |
| Plate | Carbon (full-length, curved shape) | |
The announcement positions this shoe as a competition shoe for runners chasing a PB or record, and says it put weight on adaptation to the marathon.
Women's is 44g lighter than men's (198 − 154). As a share, that is a gap of about 22% (44 ÷ 198).
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
New Balance SuperComp Elite v6
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 28,710 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 284,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japanvs the Elite v5: what changed from the previous generation
The previous generation is the FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5, released Aug 7, 2025. It was replaced after 1 year(s). The easiest difference to see is that "FuelCell" is gone from the name.
The previous generation's announcement described the midsole (the cushioning layer) as "FuelCell with 100% PEBA." PEBA is a light, bouncy resin foam. The v6 announcement has no mention of PEBA and describes a new compound that delivers lightness and energy return, combined with Infinion technology.
Infinion is a name that first appeared on the 1080v15 in Jan 2026. It is technology for keeping rebound going longer. Many race shoes are "light but short-lived," so putting a durability technology into the v6 is the point of the story.
| Elite v5 | Elite v6 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release | Aug 7, 2025 | Aug 6, 2026 | About 12 months |
| Weight (men's) | 215g | 198g | −17g |
| Price at announcement | JPY 29,700 | JPY 31,900 | +JPY 2,200 |
| Price per gram | About JPY 138 | About JPY 161 | +about JPY 23 |
| Midsole | FuelCell (PEBA 100%) | New compound + Infinion | — |
| Colors at announcement (men's) | 1 color | 2 colors | +1 |
| Width | Men's D / women's B | Men's D / women's B | Same |
Weight came down about 7.9% and the price went up about 7.4%: nearly the same rate. What you pay per gram saved comes to about JPY 129 (2,200 ÷ 17).
The plate description changed too. The previous generation's announcement said the full-length carbon plate was tilted toward the forefoot to raise stiffness. The v6 announcement says a "curved full-length carbon plate" works paired with a cavity inside the sole to produce strong, fast rebound at the forefoot.
The upper carries over FANTOMFIT, made by bonding thin materials. For the v6, it is described as combined with a very thin, lightweight mesh. For the outsole, the maker says grip and abrasion resistance went up while keeping the weight down.
vs the sibling SuperComp Rebel
The SuperComp Rebel came out in the same announcement. Both use Infinion. The differences are the plate material and the use.
| SuperComp Elite v6 | SuperComp Rebel | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plate | Carbon | Nylon | — |
| Uses stated officially | Racing (marathon) | Speed training, tempo runs, daily training | — |
| Weight (men's) | 198g | 222g | 24g |
| Number of colors (men's) | 2 colors | 3 colors | 1 |
| Official price | JPY 31,900 | JPY 23,980 | JPY 7,920 |
JPY 330 per gram. That exceeds 2.5 times the about JPY 129 from the v5 to the v6 (330 ÷ 129 = about 2.6 times). The step from a nylon plate to carbon is higher than the step of moving up 1 generation.
Here is how I split them. If you can keep one pair just for a few races a year, the Elite v6. If you want to use it in pace-up training every week too, the SuperComp Rebel. The Rebel's intended uses go as far as "daily training," while the Elite v6's use is racing only.
If you are looking for a daily jogging shoe, neither fits. The plateless 1080v15 is the daily shoe with the same Infinion.
What I like
Let me dig into the 8mm drop. In the comparison of 10 carbon thick-sole shoes, the drop ranged from 5mm to 8mm, and 8mm was only the Elite v6 and PUMA's Elite 4, 2 shoes. ASICS' 3 METASPEED models and the On are 5mm.
The difference is 3mm (8 − 5). It looks small, but a difference in heel height directly changes the ankle angle when you stand. Runners whose usual shoes are around 8mm can race at that same tilt. That is something this shoe has that you can say from the numbers alone.
The 2nd is that drop and weight are written together on the official page. For someone who wants to choose a race shoe by numbers, having the material out in the open is straightforwardly welcome.
The 3rd is that durability technology went into a race shoe. The maker explains Infinion as technology to keep rebound going longer. How many races you can use an expensive race shoe for is what buyers care about most, and here the design puts an answer.
Things to watch
Width is one each: men's D and women's B. There is no 2E. Sizing too: men's 30.0cm is a single LIME colorway.
Per gram, the price is up about JPY 23 from the previous generation. For anyone who can find v5 stock on Rakuten, the remaining choice is whether to pay the difference for the 17g gap.
Who is it for?
There are 3 conditions: ① you can keep a pair just for racing, ② your width is standard, ③ your usual shoe's drop is on the larger side.
It suits: runners chasing a PB in the full marathon. Runners whose training shoes have a drop around 8mm and who do not want to change the tilt on race day. Runners who use the SuperComp Rebel for training and want to match the foam.
For wide feet or daily training, there are other ways to choose. If lightness is the goal, the comparison table has lighter shoes. If your v5 is not worn out yet, you have time to wear it out first (the difference is 17g).
Price and where to buy
| Model | Official price (Japan, incl. tax) | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| SuperComp Elite v6 | JPY 31,900 | JPY 28,710–284,800 |
| FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5 (previous generation) | JPY 29,700 (at announcement) | JPY 16,900–172,800 |
| SuperComp Rebel | JPY 23,980 | — |
In buying, decide size first, not color. Men's 30.0cm exists only in LIME, so runners with big feet cannot choose a color.
At Rakuten shops, the v5 and v6 are listed under the same "SuperComp Elite" name. Check that the product name has "v6" and has no FuelCell lettering, and you will not mix up the generations.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
New Balance SuperComp Elite v6
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 28,710 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 284,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japan
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5 (previous generation)
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 16,900 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 172,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanFAQ
How does the SuperComp Elite v6 fit?
There is only one width: men's D, women's B. The official lineup is men's width D in 25.0–29.0cm and 30.0cm (LIME only), and women's width B in 22.0–25.5cm. With one width, runners who wear 2E or 4E in other New Balance shoes have no width that fits. If D fits you, start from the same length.
The only Infinion shoe with a choice of widths among the 2026 new releases was the 1080v15.
How does the SuperComp Elite v6 differ from the v5?
The foam and weight changed. It moved from a FuelCell with 100% PEBA to a new compound and Infinion, men's is 17g lighter, and the price is JPY 2,200 higher.
Why did the FuelCell name disappear from the SuperComp Elite v6?
Because the way the midsole is described changed. The v5 announcement said "FuelCell with 100% PEBA," while the v6 announcement says "a new compound and Infinion technology." The FuelCell name itself remains on current models such as the FuelCell Rebel v5.
Where does the SuperComp Elite v6 sit among carbon shoes?
Weight is mid-pack, drop is on the largest side, and price per gram of about JPY 161 was the 4th lowest of the 8 shoes with weights listed. The table lining up 10 shoes is in the article comparing 10 carbon thick-sole shoes by official numbers. Weight size conditions differ by maker, so what you can compare directly is drop and price.
