ShoeGeometry

ASICS Magic Speed 5 vs New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5

Two popular shoes in the same category, compared on measured geometry. Each cell carries a provenance badge; open a shoe for sources.

heel boneASICS Magic Speed 5: heel 36 mm, forefoot 29 mm (drop 7 mm); toe rocker 36 % of length, radius 37 % of length; heel bevel 9 % of length, 22 mm high at the back, ending behind the heel bone (only the back edge is rounded).ASICS Magic Speed 5: toe rocker 36 % of lengthNew Balance FuelCell Rebel v5: heel 35 mm, forefoot 29 mm (drop 6 mm); toe rocker 36 % of length, radius 44 % of length; heel bevel 12 % of length, 22 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5: toe rocker 36 % of length
  • ASICS Magic Speed 536/29 mm · toe rocker 36 % · heel bevel 9 %
  • New Balance FuelCell Rebel v535/29 mm · toe rocker 36 % · heel bevel 12 %
Illustrative profiles, not photographs: drawn from published stack heights and photo estimates of the unloaded shoes on a common length (300 mm), heels aligned, toe to the left; dots mark where each toe rocker starts; the dotted vertical line is under the heel bone (12 % of length), so a heel curve reaching past it is a bevel in front of the heel bone. Dotted lines use typical values where a shoe has no measurement. Exact values are in the table below.

Which suits you

If you wantPickBecause
A smoother roll at toe-offAbout the same35.7 vs 36 % toe rocker
More cushioning under the heelAbout the same36 vs 35 mm heel stack
More under the forefootAbout the same29 vs 29 mm forefoot stack
A lower dropNew Balance FuelCell Rebel v57 vs 6 mm drop
Less weightASICS Magic Speed 5196 vs 215 g

From the values below, with differences inside measurement noise shown as about the same. This describes the shoes, not what is right for your feet; comfort in the first few runs decides.

MetricASICS Magic Speed 5
Tempo · Road
New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5
Tempo · Road
Heel-to-toe drop7 mmStated6 mmStated
Heel stack36 mmStated35 mmStated
Forefoot stack29 mmStated29 mmStated
Weight196 gStated215 gStated
Toe rocker36 %est.36 %est.
Rocker radius37 %est.44 %est.
Rocker rise angle30 degest.30 degest.
Rocker angle at toe61 degest.61 degest.
Toe tip over ground44 mmest.44 mm*est.
Visible rocker lift onset77.9 %est.72.4 %est.
Toe spring (relative)20.5 %est.19.9 %est.
Heel bevel length9.1 %est.11.5 %est.
Heel bevel height22 mm*est.22 mm*est.
Midsole width (forefoot)110.1 mmMeasured—
Midsole width (heel)78.1 mmMeasured—
Toe box shape—78 %*est.
Interior forefoot width95.1 mmMeasured—
Toebox width71.9 mmMeasured—
Longitudinal stiffness27Derived—
Midsole firmness25Derived—
PlateCarbon plateNo plate
Primary foamFF Leap top / FF Blast Plus bottomFuelCell (PEBA/EVA blend)
List price$180$140

Key differences

  • ASICS Magic Speed 5's heel-to-toe drop is 7 mm, 1 mm higher than New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5's 6 mm.
  • ASICS Magic Speed 5's heel stack is 36 mm, 1 mm thicker than New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5's 35 mm.
  • Forefoot stack is about the same: 29 mm for ASICS Magic Speed 5, 29 mm for New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5.
  • ASICS Magic Speed 5's weight is 196 g, 19 g lighter than New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5's 215 g.
  • Toe rocker is about the same: 36 % of length for ASICS Magic Speed 5, 36 % of length for New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5.

Read more about both shoes

We measure the shape. For how they feel over many miles, and for lab tests of cushioning, grip and fit:

ASICS Magic Speed 5

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5

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ASICS Magic Speed 5 details · New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 details · Add more shoes