New Balance SC Trainer v3
The SC Trainer has seen some major changes since v1, and in my opinion this is the best version of the shoe to date. From day one it has had a full length carbon plate, but isn’t a race shoe, it’s made for daily training.
Men: 9.2 oz
Women: 7.4 oz
Drop: 6 mm
MSRP: $180
The Breakdown
The Outsole
As this shoe is built for the roads, we see approximately 50% coverage of the shoe with outsole rubber. In general this is going to provide plenty of traction in most conditions. There is some exposed midsole material in the mid-foot but the fuelcell foam itself is very durable and there is enough rubber in key positions that you shouldn’t see any significant wear to the midsole through the lifespan of the shoe while avoiding the weight penalty of going with full coverage.
The Midsole
Fuelcell is one of my favorite midsole materials to run on and this years version feels fantastic. It has plenty of bounce and responsiveness, and because it is supercritical foam, it has plenty of durability as well. New to the shoe this year is a geometric design to the midsole that is made to save weight by reducing the amount of material without sacrificing structure. We also see an adjustment to the energy arc cutout in the base of the shoe, which has made for a more stable feel underfoot as well as a reduction in the number of rocks (or acorns) that get stuck underfoot while running.
The Upper
The upper of the SC Trainer mirrors the upper of the SC Elite. It is incredibly breathable, well structured and has a fantastic feel. The heel collar is well padded and it is quite easy to get a solid, locked in feeling with this shoe. I personally don’t have any hotspots in the upper or any reason to dislike it. I think that it fits better than v2, and has a lot more structure than v1, although the v1 of the SC Trainer will always hold a special place in my heart.
The Fit
I recommend purchasing this shoe true to size. If it feels a little off it might be a hair on the short side, but my size 10 might fit like a 9 & 9/10.
Runners and Walkers
I love getting the miles in on this shoe. It has a lot of versatility in it and feels excellent both on the run and the walk. This is the most stable version of the shoe to date, which, in my opinion just gives more people the potential to use this shoe. This shoe is advertised as a trainer (I know, duh, it’s in the name) but I think this shoe can be a great option for someone looking for a trainer that can also be a racer.
New Balance Fuelcell foam has long been some of my favorite midsole material to run on and in this version of the shoe, I think they made some excellent adjustments to the formula. When you are running it feels incredibly bouncy and the plate has excellent response and balance to the softness of the foam. I feel that this is a shoe I can truly run easy in on my long runs, and I also feel very confident picking up the paces and pushing into my tempo/threshold region. If I’m doing a workout with walk breaks or taking Spirit for a walk after my run, I don’t feel the need to change shoes when I’ve done my workout in the SC Trainer.
When we look at training vs racing shoes, one of the big separation points between them is often the plate. We often see poly composite plates in trainers and full carbon in racing shoes. New Balance has used a full length carbon plate in the SC Trainer series. I think we are continuing to see an evolution in the shoe world with how carbon plates are utilized. When the original Vaporfly came out, there was a lot of debate regarding the benefits you received on race day from a carbon plate. I think the game changer with carbon plates is that you can get your speed session done in a softer shoe so you recover faster than you did in traditional racing flats used for speed days. With the SC Trainer you can get your warmup done at an easy pace, go straight into a speed session and then head into the recovery portion of the workout without changing your shoes a single time. In this shoe I think you really have a good opportunity to get a good quality training block done and get to the starting line feeling fresh and healthy.
While this is built for training, I do think that it will be a fantastic option for someone looking for a trainer they can race in as well. While it is a little heavier than the “ideal” racing shoe, I think that it can function quite nicely as a racer as well, especially if you’re a mid to back of the pack runner like me.
For walkers, I think this shoe can be a little hit or miss. If you’re going for the speed walk session, I love the propulsion you get off the front of this shoe, but it’s not a shoe I’m going to grab for a walk with Spirit.
The Gym
On the whole I don’t recommend using this shoe in the gym. I don’t mind using it on the treadmill but even though it’s more stable on the walk than other super shoes, the combination of the carbon plate and stack height don’t make this a great choice for the gym.
Daily Life
In general I don’t recommend plated shoes for daily wear, but this shoe has the potential to be an exception. The stack height of fuelcell foam is incredibly comfortable and the shoe looks incredible. It is quite stable in the heel and the moves easily while walking or standing.